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Andhra Pradesh, after bifurcation, is banking heavily on the tourism sector for employment generation and to stimulate economic growth, and is taking all steps to strengthen the infrastructure, according to Himanshu Shukla, CEO of Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority and the Managing Director of AP Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC).
He was speaking here on Friday at the annual convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators which began here on Thursday evening. He said the annual convention had been held twice in the united Andhra Pradesh, in Hyderabad, but it was for the first time that it was being held in the new AP. "We have no doubt it will give a great fillip to the sector in the State," he said.
He said the State had been divided into four tourism hubs - Amaravati (the new capital), Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and the picturesque Konaseema area in East Godavari district. Concerted efforts were being made to develop tourism facilities in all the four identified areas.
He said proposals for 195 tourism projects, entailing an investment of more than Rs 15,000 crore, had been received during the three successive partnership summits of the CII held here. "Of these projects, 74 had been grounded and the rest would take off soon. We want the projects to be completed in the next two or three years," he said and added that it would give a big boost to the tourism sector in the State.
Five-star hotels
When the State was bifurcated in 2014, there were only six five-star hotels and now another seven are under construction. For ten more five-star hotels, land has been allocated and for another seven-star hotels land will be allocated. In all, the State will have more than 30 five-star hotels in the next few years, by 2020 or 2021. From the present level of 10,000 quality rooms in star hotels, the State will have 15,000 hotel rooms.
He said air connectivity from Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati was being improved to attract more foreign tourists. AP stands third in domestic tourist arrivals, but much more needs to be done to attract foreign tourists.
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