Rs 1,000-crore tourism projects in the offing

The Andhra Pradesh government is in the process of formulating a tourism policy to woo investors to take up massive projects throughout the state, particularly in the coastal districts, according to V Nagi Reddy, state secretary, youth advancement, tourism and culture department.

"Tourism proposals worth Rs 1,000 crore from private investors have already been submitted to the government for clearance," he said.

Nagi Reddy said that the government was looking for investors to invest in places identified as having rich tourism potential including eco-tourism at Pulicot and Mypadu beach in Nellore district and Kothapeta beach in Ongole, Metlapalle and Hope Island near Kakinada.

Private entities, which have already given shape to their plans include Ananda Spa, a well-known travelling group, that is investing Rs 100 crore in their project at Hyderabad. The group already operates tourism cottages at Rishikesh. Another firm IHHR Hospitality is investing Rs 100 crore in setting up a five-star hotel apart from three other three-star hotels at Hyderabad and also at Gajuwaka in Visakhapatnam.

The government is also promoting the concept of establishing urban entertainment centres in all the districts in the state. "The government is planning to develop 300 such centres integrating entertainment, utility, shopping and conferencing at one place apart from equipping the centres with gymnasiums and swimming pools," he said.

He said that Visakhapatnam, Tirupati and Hyderabad, which are already on the nation's tourism map, would be developed further. The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) alone spent Rs 250 crore on tourism projects at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and on the house boats projects in East Godavari during the last five years.

At Guntur, the Suryalanka Resorts had been developed at a cost of Rs 2 crore. As many as 12 cottages were launched recently. The government is thinking in terms of developing Tourism Circuits in every district with the integration of hotels, bars, golf courses etc, he said.

Apart from these, APTDC, Visakhapatnam division comprising districts from Srikakulam to East Godavari, is expanding its development projects. At Ananthagiri, a jungle bells resort consisting of 16 ordinary and three luxury air-conditioned cottages are being built at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore. It will be opened in the first week of November 2005, according to Jeevan Prasad, divisional manager.

Besides, another hotel with 65 rooms is being built at Araku Valley at an investment of Rs 3.5 crore. The corporation is also adding another 24 rooms at the Punnami Beach Resorts in Rushikonda at a cost of Rs 1 crore.