Minister for Tourism Kandula Durgesh addressing a press conference at Berm Park in Vijayawada on June 19, 2026. Photo: Special Arrangement
Minister for Tourism, Culture and Cinematography Kandula Durgesh on Friday (June 19, 2026) said the State government was committed to transforming Andhra Pradesh into a world-class tourism destination and a major driver of economic growth and employment generation.
Addressing the media at Berm Park in Vijayawada, Mr. Durgesh highlighted the achievements of the Tourism, Culture and Cinematography Departments during the coalition government’s two years in office.
He said the government had granted industry status to tourism and introduced the Tourism Policy 2024-29, attracting investments worth nearly ₹20,000 crore through 117 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). These projects were expected to generate over 1.22 lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities. Permissions had been granted for 50 new hotels, adding over 9,000 rooms to the existing hospitality infrastructure. The government aimed to create 50,000 hotel rooms across the State within five years through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives, he informed.
Mr. Durgesh noted that domestic tourist arrivals had increased by 17% over the past two years, reaching 37 crore footfalls, while foreign tourist arrivals touched 2.62 lakh.
As a result, Andhra Pradesh had improved its ranking from 16th to 13th place nationally in tourism. Major tourism hubs were being developed in Visakhapatnam, Araku, Rajamahendravaram, Amaravati, Srisailam, Gandikota and Tirupati, supported by 25 thematic tourism circuits.
Homestays
The Minister said the government was also promoting cruise tourism, caravan tourism, homestays, adventure tourism and wellness tourism. A special emphasis was being placed on tourist safety through the establishment of a dedicated Beach Protection Force. A Statewide homestay portal, integrating 1,855 homestays, had been launched, while tent cities were being planned at 21 major temples to boost spiritual tourism.
The Minister revealed that the Central Government had sanctioned ₹428 crore for eight major tourism projects, including Suryalanka Beach, Borra Caves, Gandikota, Annavaram, Simhachalam, Ahobilam and the Nagarjuna Sagar Buddhist Circuit.
Andhra Pradesh recently received the ‘Best Tourism Promotion State’ award, while Araku Valley was recognised with an ‘Instagrammable Landscape’ award.
On the cultural front, the government had revived awards such as Kala Ratna and Ugadi Puraskarams, and was working towards restoring artist pensions and support schemes for Kuchipudi dance teachers. Plans were underway to establish a music college in every district and promote the State’s creative economy through tourism and culture.
Film Policy
Regarding the film industry, Mr. Durgesh announced that the long-pending Nandi Awards would be resumed, including awards from 2025 onwards. A new Film Policy was being drafted, offering incentives, streamlined permissions, and subsidies for film shoots entirely in Andhra Pradesh. The government was also encouraging the development of film infrastructure and a Film Institute in the State.
The Minister reiterated that the integration of tourism, culture and cinema would strengthen Andhra Pradesh’s brand image and position it prominently on the global tourism map.
Published – June 20, 2026 01:19 pm IST
