VIJAYAWADA: After years of cultural silence and muted tourism activity, Andhra Pradesh is witnessing a vibrant revival as the State government rolls out a series of festivals and utsavs across regions, transforming beaches, hills, riverbanks and heritage sites into hubs of celebration and public engagement.
Notably, limited promotion and absence of large public events meant that recreation for many was confined largely to cinema halls, that too during major festival releases.
Between 2019 and 2024, the situation worsened further, with no major festivals or large-scale cultural events being organised.
A sense of something missing lingered among the public.
Recognising this gap, the coalition government under the leadership of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu took a decisive step to bring joy, pride and global attention back to the State.
With a clear vision, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh, along with Heads of Departments and active support from local public representatives, planned and executed a calendar of festivals that blend culture, cuisine, music, nature and technology perfectly aligned with the expectations of the Gen-Z and digital-era audience.
The revival of tourism in Andhra Pradesh gained momentum with a series of vibrant festivals held across the State, showcasing its cultural, natural, culinary and spiritual heritage.
The resurgence began on the coast with the Machilipatnam (Masula) Beach Festival, organised at Manginapudi Beach from June 5 to 8, 2025. The event transformed the historic port town into a buzzing tourism hub, featuring beach sports, cultural performances, handicrafts, and food stalls offering delicacies from across Andhra Pradesh and beyond.
The festive spirit continued with Vijayawada Utsav, held from September 22 to October 2, 2025, which highlighted classical and folk art forms, riverfront activities along the Krishna, heritage walks, and night bazaars, reaffirming Vijayawada’s status as the cultural capital of the State and the spirit further extended to the Avakai-Amaravati (Avakai Vijayawada) Festival, organised from January 8 to 10, 2026.
Nature lovers were drawn to the Flamingo Festival, held around January 18 to 20, highlighting eco-tourism destinations such as Pulicat Lake and Nelapattu Bird Sanctuary.
The beauty of Rayalaseema was celebrated through the Gandikota Utsav, organised from January 11 to 13, 2026, at the spectacular Gandikota gorge.
Music, adventure sports, heritage illumination and cultural shows turned the ‘Grand Canyon of India’ into a symbol of tourism resurgence.
On the eastern coast, Visakha Utsav returned in grandeur from January 24 to February 1, 2026, spreading celebrations across Visakhapatnam and nearby districts. As part of this mega event, Anakapalli Utsav and Araku Utsav conducted, bringing tribal culture, coffee heritage and hill tourism into the spotlight.
“To bring Andhra Pradesh’s image to the international level and develop the State into a global tourism hub, the coalition government, with the support of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, has been organising a series of utsavs across the State to promote culture and generate livelihood opportunities,” said Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh to TNIE.
These utsavs have left a lasting impression on people’s minds. They offer public amusement, promote tourism, create livelihood opportunities for local artisans and vendors.
Minister Durgesh further said the government has attracted investments of nearly `30,000 crore in tourism and allied sectors, while giving special emphasis to temple tourism and circuit tourism.
The Central government is also extending its support to Andhra Pradesh’s tourism initiatives,he added.
“The State government has accorded industry status to the hotel sector and brought in several policy changes to support and encourage tourism development across Andhra Pradesh,” he stated.