VIJAYAWADA: Directing officials of the Tourism Department to take all possible measures to ensure that tourists who visit Andhra Pradesh feel happy, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu instructed them to utilise all available resources to boost tourism in the State.
Setting a target of 20% growth rate for the tourism sector for 2025-26, he said within six months of the TDP-led NDA coming to power, MoUs have been signed with several companies for Rs 1,217 crore investments.
The Chief Minister held a review meeting at the State Secretariat on Thursday on tourism and cultural events, construction of hotel rooms, investments, land lease policy, and homestay.
Informing that 11 tourism resort and hotel projects have been revived with an investment of Rs 45 crore in the last six months, Naidu said Annavaram temple has been selected under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) of the Centre. Under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) scheme, Gandikota and Akhanda Godavari have been selected, while Araku and Lambasingi under Swadesh Darshan 2.0 along with Ahobilam and Nagarjuna Sagar under the Challenge Based Destination Development scheme.
The officials informed the Chief Minister that a Tourism Calendar is being designed for 2025-26 to attract tourists. Two key international events and 12 mega events are being planned as part of 37 tourism events. Naidu suggested that mega and key events be organised on university campuses, and musical shows be integrated with them.
He was very particular that year-long programmes should be organised at Shilparamams in Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Tirupati. He also asked them to do an exercise on the distribution of Nandi Awards.
Gandikota, Kadapa Dargah, Vontimitta Ramalayam, Somasila, Srisailam and other places should be highlighted as major tourist destinations in the State. Traditional houses that are still existing in villages should be modernised and the quality of food at tourism hotels be improved further to attract tourists, he said.
As majority of the people are still not aware that zoo parks are existing in Tirupati and Visakhapatnam, the zoos should be given wide publicity. An action plan should be evolved for the development of all these projects, and it should be ensured that tourists recognise Andhra Pradesh a Happy State within the next four months, he asserted.
Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh, Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Nukasani Balaji and senior officials attended the review meeting.