APTDC charts out macro goals to transform tourism landscape

Visakhapatnam: Working in tandem with the ‘Swarna Andhra@ 2047’ targets and in alignment with the new tourism policy, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) devises macro goals to transform tourism landscape in the state. Following strict timeframes, the APTDC sets its focus on various verticals of the sector, tapping the resources and carving out circuits. With tourism considered a key driver of growth, the agenda is to elevate tourism’s contribution to AP’s gross value added (GAV) percent from the present 4.6 to 10 by 2047 and its share in employment to 20 percent from the current 12.8 percent.

In the recently-concluded Vizag Investors Tourism Summit 2025, the tourism department officials highlighted tourism potential and the significance of offering spiritual, tribal, ecological and coastal experiences to the tourists arriving not just from other parts of the country but also beyond.

Apparently, increasing value additions to the state takes precedence as part of the macro goals set by the department. Sharing details of the action plan, managing director of APTDC Amrapali Kata mentioned that as there are several art and craft villages in Andhra Pradesh, people visiting these places will soon have a curated experience.

Also, the focus will be on Visakhapatnam Economic Region (VER) which includes the erstwhile Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and East Godavari districts. “They will become one region for coordinated tourism planning. There will be interplay of existing and supporting infrastructure, creating ecosystems and circuits around these four districts to enable a smooth and easy flow of tourists across VER,” the APTDC MD emphasised.

As these districts account for 35 percent of tourist footfalls in the state, they are considered a high potential chunk by the APTDC. With so much in the offing, the tourism sector in Andhra Pradesh aims to draw both national and international travellers and encourage them to stretch their stay for a longer period.