AP Tourism Development Corporation lines up projects worth Rs 202 Cr to lure tourists

Amaravati, Nov 28 (PTI): The state-owned Andhra Pradesh
Tourism Development Corporation has lined up projects worth Rs
202 crore for development so as to attract more tourists.
     The state Cabinet, which met here on Friday,
approved the APTDCs proposal for securing a Rs 142 crore loan
from banks to develop tourism infrastructure, including
hotels, at various destinations.
     The corporation will spend the balance Rs 60 crore
from its internal resources.
     AP Special Chief Secretary (Tourism and Culture)
Rajat Bhargava told PTI here on Saturday that eco-resorts
would be developed at Lambasingi, which was becoming immensely
popular as 'Andhra Ooty' in the tribal region of Visakhapatnam
district.
     Eco-resorts would also be developed at Maredumilli
and Jagithpalli while a Tribal HAAT and Drive-in restaurant at
Araku, the picturesque valley thats one of the most famous
tourist attractions in the state.
     "APTDC has also drawn up plans to undertake high
impact projects like a ropeway and development of Water
Tourism at Gandikota in Kadapa district, known as the Grand
Canyon of India.
     The YSR Memorial will be developed at Kadapa and a
MICE Centre at Kovvuru in West Godavari district," Rajat
Bhargava said.
     The Special Chief Secretary said the new works
proposed were critical from a tourism point of view as AP has
improved its ranking as the best performing state.
     The most popular tourist locations like Araku and
Horsley Hills have seen a rapid increase in footfalls and
contributed to the local development, aided by the initiatives
of APTDC, Rajat Bhargava pointed out.
     "We are developing our infrastructure so that the
(tourism) eco-system we built in these places can be sustained
and also boost the APTDCs revenues," he added.
     Refurbishing the 36 hotels and resorts being
operated by the APTDC across the state is also part of the
overall infrastructure development plan, according to Rajat
Bhargava.PTI DBV BN
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)