At the prestigious ADTOI National Travel Mart 2026 in Visakhapatnam, Nukasani Balaji, Chairman of the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC), presented an ambitious, investment-driven roadmap positioning Andhra Pradesh as India’s next global tourism powerhouse.
Addressing tour operators and industry stakeholders, he emphasized that tourism development cannot operate in silos. While the government builds infrastructure, tourism circuits and policy frameworks, it is the tour operators who bring destinations to life — acting as storytellers and bridges between travellers and the state. The synergy between APTDC and ADTOI, he underlined, is not optional but essential for sustainable and scalable growth.
Over the past eighteen months, Andhra Pradesh has entered a new era of tourism development, moving decisively beyond basic infrastructure expansion to immersive, experience-led growth. The state has sanctioned 42 major hotel, resort and amusement park projects worth ₹9,200 crore, adding nearly 7,994 rooms — accounting for almost one-third of India’s new room inventory during this period. Simultaneously, more than 1,800 homestay rooms have been onboarded across the state, strengthening grassroots participation and community-based tourism.
Adventure and experiential tourism are being rapidly scaled up. Thirty adventure and water sports activities are already operational across eight locations, with plans to roll out 100 activities across 35 destinations within the next six months. Scuba diving has been introduced at Rushikonda Beach and Timmapuram, paramotoring is operational at Sagar Nagar and Rushikonda, and the zip line and zip cycle project at Ettipothala Waterfalls is nearing completion.
Caravan tourism and floating hospitality experiences are also gathering momentum. Under the state’s Caravan Policy, five caravans have already been deployed, with ten more in the pipeline. Capsule float homes, float parks and float-and-dine boats launched at Behampore are witnessing strong demand, reportedly booked months in advance. Luxury party boats, floating villas and premium houseboats at Bhavani Island, Suryalanka and Vijayawada further reflect Andhra Pradesh’s strategic push towards premium and niche tourism segments.
APTDC’s Haritha Hotels network has undergone a substantial upgrade, with 712 rooms renovated and 180 new rooms added across key destinations to enhance service standards and visitor comfort.
In a major boost, APTDC has secured ₹428 crore from the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, for transformative projects under national schemes. These include experience enhancement at Borra Caves and Suryalanka Beach under Swadesh Darshan 2.0, gorge and fort tourism development at Gandikota, and the Akhanda Godavari Project encompassing redevelopment of Havelock Bridge and Pushkar Ghat at Rajahmundry. Temple development initiatives at Simhachalam Temple and Annavaram under the PRASAD scheme, along with spiritual development at Ahobilam and Buddhist tourism initiatives at Nagarjuna Sagar, are targeted for completion by June 2026.
Highlighting the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Policy 2024–29, which grants industry status to tourism, Chairman Nukasani Balaji described it as a cornerstone of the state’s growth strategy. The policy introduces a Tourism Land Allotment Policy 2025, offers 66-year leases extendable by 33 years for mega projects, and 33-year leases for MSME projects, along with streamlined incentive mechanisms designed to ease investor participation. The framework is being positioned as one of India’s most progressive and investor-friendly tourism policies.
He further underlined that Andhra Pradesh is no longer merely building hotels — it is building experiences. River cruises, cultural trails, culinary circuits, spiritual odysseys, eco stays, and craft and heritage villages such as Araku, Etikoppaka Toy Village and Kuchipudi Heritage Village are being curated to transform tourism from “seeing places” to “living Andhra Pradesh.”
Acknowledging the leadership of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, he noted that tourism has been identified as a key economic driver for the state’s future growth. With record investments, policy reforms, immersive offerings and strong industry collaboration, Andhra Pradesh is positioning itself as one of India’s most dynamic and future-ready tourism destinations — prepared to compete confidently on the global stage.
