The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) is targeting a turnover of Rs 140 crore for the financial year 2011-12.
“We had recorded Rs 125 crore turnover last year, which is an increase of 8 per cent over the previous year’s Rs 116 crore. This year, we have expanded our operations and hence expect a good revenue,” APTDC vice-chairman and managing director Sandeep Kumar Sultania said.
APTDC is the largest state tourism corporation in the country in terms of operations and has presence across major tourist places in the state. It has 2,000 employees, 120 buses, 120 boats and cruises and 57 hotels and resorts (under the Haritha brand).
“We invest most of our revenues in new projects, expansion plans and for covering smaller places. Around Rs 100 crore projects have been grounded for this year and another Rs 50-60-crore projects have been lined up for the coming six months,” he added.
Among the new projects include a 200-acre Buddhavanam theme park (based on Buddhism) at Nagarjuna Sagar in Nalgonda district with an investment of Rs 40 crore. Currently, 50 acres are under development and the rest will be developed in next phases.
The corporation has set aside Rs 7 crore to develop infrastructure facilities in seven places in Medak district. It has lined up Rs 7-8 crore to develop basic facilities such as changing room and toilets across 50 new tourist places, with around Rs 15 lakh per destination.
Sultania said Andhra Pradesh had many small and unexplored places apart from major destinations like Tirupati, Araku Valley and Sirkakulam. “Our main focus is to develop basic facilities at these places to attract more numbers,” he added.
There are also plans to upgrade and develop world-class facilities such as pathways, paragliding, and building cantilevers at some places. In Hyderabad, APTDC has plans to set up a budget hotel at Hitec City in public-private partnership.
Apart from these, it would promote beach tourism at Chittapalli, Baruva and Sirkakulam, build four beach resorts and add adventure activities, sand sports to increase tourists inflow, Sultania said.
APTDC recently tied up with Jet Airways to provide packaged tours for Tirupati temple visitors from Hyderabad at Rs 9,250, which include accommodation, food and travel expenses.
Tirupati receives the maximum number of tourists in the state, according to Sultania. The temple gets around 60,000 visitors everyday and the hotels in the area see 100 per cent occupancy throughout the year.
The initiative launched in April this year was getting good response, he said, adding there were plans to tie up with other airlines. “We are in discussions with Malaysian Airlines and SpiceJet, and with the IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) to provide such facilities for train travellers,” he said.
