From Our Correspondent
Amaravati: In a bid to take Andhra Pradesh tourism beyond a handful of well-known destinations, the state Tourism Department has rolled out an innovative, low-cost digital campaign aimed at turning rural and lesser-known regions into tourism hubs.
Tourism, Culture and Cinematography Minister Kandula Durgesh said the government’s objective is to position every rural pocket of Andhra Pradesh as a unique tourism destination. The initiative, executed under the supervision of Special Chief Secretary (Tourism) Ajay Jain and MD Amrapali Kat, was carried out in strategic partnership with travel platform Volunteer Yatra.
Unlike conventional, high-budget advertising, the campaign relied on social media influencers to showcase real, on-ground travel experiences. The two-phase campaign delivered strong outcomes, generating over nine million views and more than 1,000 booking enquiries within weeks.
In the first phase, held between December 13 and 20, 2025, eleven prominent influencers from Delhi, Rajasthan, Assam, Maharashtra, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh toured Visakhapatnam, Araku Valley and Lambasingi. Their cinematic videos, drone shots and travel reels reached nearly four million viewers nationwide.
The second phase, conducted from January 13 to 17, 2026, focused on the Konaseema region during Sankranti celebrations. Influencers from cities such as Ayodhya, Kolkata and Mumbai highlighted local traditions, Bhogi bonfires and cultural rituals, helping take events like the Prabala Theertham to a national audience. Around five million views were generated in this phase alone.
Officials said the campaign has directly benefited local homestays, tribal guides and artisans by routing enquiries to registered tour operators. Encouraged by the response, the Tourism Department plans to expand the model to promote art villages, strengthen homestay networks and showcase more unexplored destinations across the state.