The nation’s lighthouse tourism drive received a major boost with the 3rd Indian Lighthouse Festival happening in Visakhapatnam. The initiative aims to turn historic lighthouses into centres of tourism, culture and local livelihoods along India’s long coastline.
Former Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal jointly inaugurated the two-day festival at MGM Park in Visakhapatnam on Friday. The event features traditional food, cultural performances, theatre, exhibitions, interactive zones and coastal delicacies, designed as a “lighthouse carnival” for families and tourists.
On the opening night, the Vizag shoreline became a lit-up stage as Natya Sannidhaalaya, led by Guru Sannidha Rajasagi, presented a Kuchipudi recital beginning with “Kadirinrusimhudu” and a special tribute marking 150 years of “Vande Mataram”. Over 3,500 visitors attended, engaging with performances, displays and activity zones, signalling strong public interest in the new tourism model.
Boost for coastal communities
Naidu said the festival would give a “shot in the arm” to lighthouse tourism and deepen partnerships with the wider tourism industry, especially by promoting local coastal culture and supporting economic development. He highlighted that of 17 lighthouses in Andhra Pradesh, 10 have already been developed for tourism, reflecting the state’s rich coastal traditions.
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A key feature was more than 40 stalls run by self-help groups from across Andhra Pradesh, showcasing handicrafts, indigenous products and coastal cuisine, underlining women-led entrepreneurship and community participation. Scholars studying coastal tourism note that such heritage-based festivals can improve local incomes while encouraging preservation of traditional practices when managed sustainably.
Sonowal said lighthouses are emerging as centres of tourism, culture and local enterprise, aligned with Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. India, with over 11,000 km of coastline and 205 lighthouses, has already upgraded 75 lighthouses with modern tourist facilities across 10 states and union territories.
The first Indian Lighthouse Festival was held at Fort Aguada in Goa in 2023, followed by Puri, Odisha, in 2024, and now Visakhapatnam as the third edition. Studies on heritage tourism support this lighthouse-focused approach, finding that iconic coastal sites, when carefully developed, can strengthen regional identity and attract long-term visitor flows, according to the ministry.