Hot air balloon attraction to boost tourism in Araku Region

This comes amid a surge in visitor arrivals during the recent Dasara festival. More than 50,000 people visited the region over just three days.

The Indian Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) conducted a successful trial run of the hot air balloon at the Padmapuram horticulture botanical garden, its officer V Abhishek said.

"Unlike traditional hot air balloons, this resembles a swing, where four individuals will help lift the balloon to a height of 20 feet. The concept was inspired by local tribal youths trained in Haryana.

In view of the current tourist influx, all private and government accommodations are fully booked until January. APTDC offers around 200 rooms, including 10 villas in Lambasingi. Additionally, there are 2,400 rooms in the private sector across the Araku region.

For those seeking an outdoor experience, around 6,000 tents are available for rent during this peak season.

Gowri Shankar, manager of Borra Caves, reported impressive visitor arrivals-- 6,547 on Friday, 5,953 on Saturday, and an estimated 4,000 on Sunday.

Appala Naidu, manager at Lambasingi, said daily visitor numbers had exceeded 10,000 this week.

Meanwhile, tourism minister Kandula Durgesh, in a recent visit here, announced plans for beach festivals in Kakinada, Visakhapatnam, Suryalanka, and Nellore in January. These events would showcase the state's pristine coastal beauty to a global audience.

Srinivas Pani, regional director of the corporation, noted that while no new project has been introduced at existing popular sites, enhancements like the ‘light and sound’ show at Borra Caves and Bojjanna Konda have been made. Additionally, special trains featuring vista dome coaches have been deployed during the Dasara season to accommodate tourists.

Private operators are stepping up efforts by organising mini-buses and cars to transport visitors to attractions such as Chaparai and Vanjangi waterfalls, Araku Valley, Anantagiri, and Borra Caves.

In Visakhapatnam city itself, numerous attractions await visitors including INS Kursura Submarine Museum, T-142 Aircraft Museum, Sea Harrier, Buddhist Shrine at Thotlakonda, Kailasagiri Hills, Rushikonda Beach, Tenneti Park, RK Beach and Simhachalam Temple.

Additionally, plans are underway to explore the potential for a floating bridge in the area.