Post-bifurcation in 2014, the Andhra Pradesh government brought the tourism sector into the limelight declaring it as one of the growth engines and spelt out a grandiose plan to give the much-needed push to the hitherto neglected sector.
Tourism is known to be a major revenue-earner for many countries with an impressive contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP), a fact that set Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s eyes on this sector, and he sought the department’s help for a substantial increase in tourism footfall, not just to create employment opportunities and generate revenue but also to showcase to the world the rich culture, history and bountiful nature’s splendour the State is endowed with.
However, corresponding efforts needed to achieve this dream by sprucing up important tourist destinations are apparently sub-par.
Tourist spots
The State is speckled with tourist spots such as islands, beaches, resorts, hills and historic forts, but many of them reflect a monumental neglect. What could be transformed into vibrant tourist hubs, languish in dilapidated state for want of attention.
For instance, the picturesque Bhavani island resort in river Krishna, dubbed as "prized possession" of AP Tourism, continues to be a "not-fully-explored" lagoon with vast scope for development.
The wait also seems to be endless for smaller projects such as the Gandhi Hill, the historic Kondapalli Fort, the significant Salihundam Stupa in Gara mandal of Srikakulam, the ropeway projects at Kotappakonda and Gandikota or the grooming of the beaches.
Investment
The State’s plan to implement major tourism projects in PPP mode also seems to have gone awry with not many investors showing interest despite MoUs signed for projects worth crores of rupees. The Tourism Policy, found to be not investor-friendly, has undergone revision a couple of times. The third round of proposal awaits approval of the government which is all set to switch to election mode.
"In the name of tourism, people are being fed with a few big-ticket events. What about the local infrastructure development," wonders Y. Rajendran, a history teacher.
Referring to last year’s A.R. Rehman’s live concert as part of Kakinanda Beach Festival, an official of an allied department said he personally felt that the amount of ₹5 crore spent in a single night could have added a sparkle to the beach if spent on infrastructure.
"Ease of doing business is yet to become a reality at least in the hospitality sector, keeping many aspiring investors at bay," said a prominent industrialist, corroborating the complaints of a few "not-so-happy" private operators in the sector.
A source in the department blamed it on the ‘evil ambitions’ of some of the investors who want to ‘take control’ of the precious land and use it for other purposes. "We have no choice but to tread very cautiously," said the official.
