From Our Correspondent
Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has declared his ambition to transform the state into a premier tourism hub in India, leveraging its cultural, natural, and spiritual assets to drive growth and employment.
Speaking during World Tourism Day events at Tummalapalli Kalakshetram in Vijayawada, Naidu virtually inaugurated the Golden Sands Resort in Bapatla and officially launched the AP Tourism Home Stay Portal. He also released the operational guidelines for the state’s tourism policy and reviewed home-stay projects across the districts via video conferencing.
Addressing the audience, the Chief Minister said that over the next three years the state plans to develop 10,000 home stays and build 50,000 new hotel rooms to meet rising tourist demand. He identified eco-tourism, temple tourism, and heritage circuits as key focus areas, and emphasized that the state’s nearly 40 Buddhist sites could help expand its global appeal.
Naidu affirmed that tourism has moved beyond being a seasonal or religious niche, calling it a “global driver of transformation.” He expressed confidence that Andhra Pradesh would attain “global tourism hub” status by 2027.
Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh underscored that the government has already secured ₹10,644 crore in tourism investments through MoUs with over 100 companies. Of that, projects worth nearly ₹3,887 crore have already begun, resulting in nearly 2,848 new hotel rooms under construction.
The government also announced plans to develop under-emphasized sites such as Motupalli and the Veerabhadra Swamy temple as tourism hubs, and to strengthen coastal infrastructure and amenities around beaches. District collectors will lead local-level action plans to facilitate infrastructure upgrades and faster implementation.
Officials noted that tourism has already been accorded industry status to attract more investment, and the state is now crafting special experience centres to showcase Andhra’s heritage and traditions.