In the process of building a world-class capital city, Andhra Pradesh is excited about tapping its tourism potential to the fullest. However while there are grand plans for the capital, the periphery suffers from neglect, according to experts.
The State has a host of places that can be considered tourist destinations but they are all in desperate need of a facelift to attract the desired numbers. There are demands from districts that equal importance should be given to tourist attractions across the State in order to avoid mistakes of the past when tourism plans were predominantly Hyderabad-centric. The Hyderabad-centric mindset is still present among tourist operators as well as the public, according to experts.
For instance, a visit to a certain Hotel Srinivasa, located in the middle of Vijayawada, gives you a display of huge promotional photographs that read: ‘Hyderabad — Enticing Charm of an Enduring Heritage’. Outdated advertisements that belong to a united AP are still used to guide tourists to places like Golconda, Hussain Sagar and Qutub Shahi Tombs, all of which now find themselves in Telangana.
Facilities for the capital
Tourism-savvy Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has grand plans of developing AP into a global destination. The capital is projected to include Petronas-like twin towers; an amusement park along the lines of Singapore’s Sentosa; and river cruises and water taxies. An Amaravati wheel, similar to London Wheel and Singapore Wheel, is also on cards.
Many destinations in the 13 districts, mostly along the 974 km coastline, are truly world-class. What is lacking is a conscious effort to deck them up with tourist facilities so that they have a greater visibility and increased tourist footfalls.
For instance, one has to struggle to locate notable places in the port town of Machilipatnam (Masula), famous since the second century BC. There are no signboards for most of the important places. The cyclone memorial monument, that chronicles the death of over 30,000 people during 1864 cyclone, has no protection and, with bushes covering almost half of its structure, is being allowed to fall into disrepair,
“There were plans to develop it into a tourist attraction but there was no follow up. Europeans are the frequent visitors every year. I guide them and share whatever little information I have on the monument,” says K. Krupavati who takes care of the cemetery near the monument. The condition of Bandar Fort and about 20 places in Machilipatnam is no different.
“Apart from poor advertising, there is lack of proper roads and other tourism-related infrastructure at most of the interesting destinations in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema so far. The focus was Hyderabad all this while. Besides visibility, we need to have a conscious development of facilities and ensure cleanliness,” says N. Bhanuchandar, an NRI who worked as a manager at the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) for about a decade before moving to the U.S.
Better roads and a secure environment are among the basic requirements to attract tourists. The presence of mostly untrained operators near most tourist attractions is a deterrent, according to Mr. Bhanuchandar. The Borra Caves and the Katiki water falls near Visakhapatnam need attention, given the high footfalls they experience despite paltry facilities. Tourists and officials express concerns over occasional attacks by dacoits and wild animals. And, for some reason, the path to Katiki water falls has been left undeveloped.
The Lambasingi region near Araku is a place that records zero degree temperatures every year and is known for its scenic beauty; yet, the road and boarding facilities are almost non-existent there. The beaches, except for the one at Vishakhapatnam, are not able to attract many tourists, largely due to lack of facilities. The high potential of 12 ports in the State has also not been tapped fully.
Plans yet to translate into action
The government’s plans on temple tourism and tourist circuits and are yet to materialise. Poor transport is another hurdle that stands between potential tourists and destinations. Better road and rail transport facilities would substantially enhance the sector, according to officials. The historic Amaravati old town too needs a complete overhaul before it could be visualised as a favoured destination for the tourists from the Far East.
The State government, for a fact, is aware of the ground situation but is only focused on the capital region. “These issues are known in the tourism department but, as the situation warrants, the focus is completely on the capital region. All the plans are on a grand scale and decisions are taken at higher levels. Development of facilities in the districts may take time,” said a senior official in the tourism department.
In fact, a little push from the government will help boost tourism to many destinations. House boat projects near Papikondalu in East and West Godavari districts were initiated with an investment of Rs.50 lakh. Now the annual business is close to Rs.50 crore, as per the official sources.
The State government, on its part, is betting big on attracting huge investments from global players. It has come up with a new tourism policy that offers subsidies and tax exemptions. It has also offered tourism the status of an industry.
It has also identified 12 focus areas, that include beach tourism, heritage hotels, golf courses and botanical gardens to attract an investment of Rs.10,000 crore. Projects will operate in Public Private Partnership and Swiss Challenge modes.
The government has recently announced that it has already signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) worth Rs.1,022 crore in the sector to develop star hotels. However, the ground work is expected to take some time.
