VISAKHAPATNAM : The state has registered a 30 per cent growth in domestic tourist arrivals from 9.33 crore in 2014 to 12.18 crore in 2015.
The number of foreign tourist arrivals also increased from 66,333 in 2014 to 2.37 lakh in 2015. Majority of the foreign tourists were from the Southeast Asian countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Middle East countries. Saibaba ashram at Puttaparthi and Lord Veerbhadra Swamy temple at Lepakshi in Anantapur district became the most visited destinations by foreign tourists with a footfall of 1.37 lakh.
Tourism and Culture principle secretary Neerabh Kumar Prasad said the growth in footfalls came as an encouragement at a time when the government was striving to make Andhra Pradesh as India’s most preferred tourist destination.