VIJAYAWADA: AP Tourism has earned national recognition after being selected as the “Best Tourism Promotion State” by the Global Travel Market (GTM) 2026, one of South India’s major travel and trade expos.
Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh has been invited to receive the prestigious Metro Expedition-GTM Tourism Award 2026 at a ceremony scheduled to be held on June 4 at Kovalam in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
The recognition comes in appreciation of the state government’s efforts in strengthening tourism promotion through infrastructure development, investment initiatives and destination branding. The Tourism Department said the achievement reflects the collective vision and leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and Minister Kandula Durgesh.
Under Durgesh’s leadership, the department has focused on reforms aimed at expanding the tourism sector, including the rollout of the Tourism Policy 2024-29, promotion of homestay and caravan tourism, digital outreach initiatives and public-private partnership models. Officials stated that the State has attracted investment proposals worth Rs 20,000 crore.
The department highlighted the promotion of destinations such as Araku Valley, Gandikota, Lambasingi and Suryalanka Beach, along with initiatives in spiritual, heritage, eco and adventure tourism. It said these efforts have helped improve Andhra Pradesh’s visibility on the national tourism map.