AP unveils new tourism policy

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government has come up with a new tourism policy for the coming five years. The announcement was made by tourism minister Kandula Durgesh in the state assembly on Friday.

Ambitious plans to secure Rs 25,000 crore in investments under a PPP model are in the pipeline, he said.

Durgesh noted that chief minister Chandrababu Naidu designating tourism as an industry was a major step forward to boost both tourism and economic development in AP. “We the first state to grant industry status to tourism” and this would facilitate large-scale investments.

The new policy aims to increase the Gross Value Added (GVA) from the tourism sector from the current 4.6 to 28 per cent, with plans to raise employment in the sector from 12 to 15 per cent over the same period. The government aimed to create employment opportunities on a large scale through tourism, he said.

The minister said, “We aim to make Andhra Pradesh a global tourism destination. Our aim is also to position the state among the top-ten Indian destinations for foreign tourists.”

“To facilitate increased spending from tourists, we would enhance infrastructure that would allow visitors to spend between `1,700 and `25,000 a day. Tourism circuits will be set up to encourage tourists stay for a minimum of five days. We would expand the number of hotel rooms from 3,500 to `10,000, the minister said.

Durgesh highlighted the need for diversification in tourism by promoting adventure, eco, village, wellness and agricultural tourism. “We would provide world-class facilities for tourists and implement efficient management practices in the sector.”

He stated: “Under the new tourism circuits initiative, the government plans to develop seven anchor hubs in key locations including Visakhapatnam, Araku Valley, Rajahmundry, Amaravati, Srisailam, Gandikota and Tirupati. We would develop Buddhist circuits and spiritual circuits linking the 12 Jyotirlingas and 18 Shakti Peethas.”

Durgesh said. “Additionally, the state would promote coastal and river tourism through five new beach circuits and promoting cruise tourism opportunities. Eco-tourism circuits in regions like Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, Guntur, Kurnool and Nellore are also planned.”

Deputy speaker Raghurama Krishnam Raju expressed the hope that these initiatives would elevate AP tourism to the nation’s ‘number one’ spot.