VISAKHAPATNAM: How about spending a day on a yacht, riding high across the coastal stretch and then returning to the shore in the evening for several fun-filled activities? Come December first week, the Visakhapatnam district administration, in collaboration with the Tourism department, will organise Yacht Pentagonal to attract tourists to the port city this winter. The authorities have lined up seven festivities including the Visakha Utsav.It is for the first time that Visakhapatnam will be hosting the programme. Officials dub the move an attempt to woo tourists from across Andhra Pradesh and other neighbouring states. As part of the event, tourists can book yachts online for sea trips.
“As per the plan, 25 to 30 yachts will be engaged during the event. Tourists can go for sea trips during the day and several fun-filled activities would be waiting for them in the city in the evening,” collector Pravin Kumar said. Tourism officials said that an estimated `3 crore would be spent to organise the ‘Yacht Pentagonal’ and discussions were underway to conduct it tentatively in December. “In all likelihood, It will be a five-day event. Soon, the details will be announced,” said a tourism official. Following the instructions from the government, the district tourism department has planned a series of tourism festivals between October and January-end.
Among the events, a two-day musical event ‘Sounds on the Clouds of Vizag’ has been proposed by bringing top musicians to one platform. It is tentatively planned in September last week.
“A seven-day Cooking Olympiad has also been planned to promote local food in January next year. Similarly, horse racing will be organised only for entertainment purpose on the beaches as part of the four-day 1,000 Hooves & Sand Marathon,” he said