Andhra Tourism’s new pitch to build destination recall, enhance operator network: MD

The next phase of growth, expanding room capacity to 10000+ and experiences, strengthening the trade network and leveraging the 2027 Godavari Pushkaralu to drive longer stays and more, was discussed during a recent conversation with a senior official.

Ravi Pattanshetti (IAS), Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation and CEO, Andhra Pradesh Tourism Authority (APTA), says the state needs to move beyond the familiar Visakhapatnam–Tirupati–Amaravati narrative, build stronger recall and then turn that recall into bookings. The department is working on bookable experiences, 10,000 additional rooms, enhancing tour operator networks, local community skills and improving air connectivity, the MD told T3 in a sit-down conversation.

“We want to improve the recall value of Andhra Pradesh. We have some great things to offer and a lot of things in the pipeline to focus on,” he shared with T3.

The proposition, he claims, must reflect the changing nature of tourism itself. Travellers are increasingly looking for differentiated experiences, whether beaches, solitude, trekking or eco-tourism, making perception as important as the destination itself.

For AP Tourism, that also means building recall around assets that have historically received less attention. Places like Araku Valley, Gandikota, products like Upada sarees, Kalamkari and Andhra cuisine are among a few of them, as per Pattanshetti.  AP Tourism, hence, plans to work on models that train and hand-hold local communities so they can explain the making and cultural context of products to visitors, turning a transaction into part of the visitor experience.

This key aspect is also embedded in Andhra’s Tourism Policy 2024–29, which is built around experiences and investment and includes capital investment and waivers.

The state tourism board is also developing a broader policy ecosystem covering adventure tourism, caravans, homestays and B&Bs, beach shacks, experience hosts, MICE, concerts, film tourism and employment incentives, alongside guidelines for destination management, sustainable and responsible tourism.

For caravan tourism, the state’s policy targets the development of 25 caravan parks and deployment of 150 caravans across key tourism circuits, with an expected creation of more than 5,000 jobs through local community participation and some helpful incentives encouraging reimbursements.

Trade support crucial

The recall strategy is also linked to the department's larger ambition of converting Andhra Pradesh's experiences into bookable tourism products.  

The focus, said the MD, will be two-fold: bringing in travellers from neighbouring states while simultaneously strengthening international inbound tourism. Building a consistent tour operator network and seeking their support to promote will be central to that effort, Pattanshetti said confidently on the sidelines of the recently concluded IATO convention in Vizag. “We do not want to end our partnership with this convention. We want to work offline also on developing our tour operators’ network,” he added.

AP Tourism is further encouraging operators to weave Andhra Pradesh into existing South India itineraries rather than confine the state to standalone trips. It also wants international families visiting Tirupati to go beyond pilgrimage. The proposed approach combines Tirupati with heritage, nature, cuisine and culture to convert a pilgrimage visit into a longer holiday. The trade opportunity further extends into village and craft experiences around Kalamkari, Kondapalli, Etikoppaka, handlooms, and tribal communities.

Additionally, Visakhapatnam and other destinations are being positioned actively for MICE, destination weddings, reunions and diaspora gatherings. The AP government had also earlier revealed plans to bring Vizag’s MICE Convention Bureau into action soon.

Another 10,000 rooms expected

Pattanshetti's strategy is also being backed by a parallel push on accommodation and infrastructure. According to the figures shared by Pattanshetti, the room inventory pipeline has moved from around 4,500 to approximately 10,000, with another 10,000 rooms targeted in the coming years.

“It is not only the branding and marketing that is going to help. We also have to scale the availability of classified rooms. We invite all the investors who are interested in investing in Andhra Pradesh to work with us,” he said, adding that the department will coordinate closely with investors and facilitate their investments. “We want to work with all of you as the department intends to work with the industry rather than operate in silos.”

The tourism department’s roadmap includes expanding the range of stay options through Haritha resorts, PPP-led hotels, eco-lodges, camps, homestays and B&Bs, tent cities and houseboats. The state is looking to use homestays and B&Bs as a tool for both capacity creation and community participation. The tourism policy, as shared by the MD, targets 10,000 homestays and B&Bs over five years, alongside the generation of 50,000 jobs and upskilling of 20,000 families.

Godavari Pushkaralu: a new tourism proposition

The state is also looking ahead to Akhanda Godavari Pushkaralu next year, which Pattanshetti sees as an opportunity to create a distinct tourism proposition and curated, multi-day travel experiences around the Godavari region. He further shared that their strategy envisages shifting from one-day pilgrimage visits to 5–7-day immersive circuits, combining temples with heritage, culture, cuisine and river experiences.

“We want to show that it is something different. It is something to come to and get connected with,” he says, adding that festivals like this bring a certain economic value to the destination.  

Happening in Rajahmundry, the festival occurs every 12 years, with the upcoming grand event scheduled from June 26 to July 7, 2027, according to the Godavari Pushkaralu Official Portal. Millions of devotees take a holy dip in the river, believing it washes away sins and grants spiritual merit equivalent to bathing in 12 sacred rivers over 12 years. Local agencies have also said that extensive infrastructure, including tent cities, is being set up to manage massive pilgrim crowds.

Ahead of this, the tourism department is also looking to target diverse segments including domestic pilgrims, NRI families, senior citizens, spiritual travellers, cultural explorers and group tours.

Targeted international push

As per the state tourism board's cited figures, AP recorded a total tourist footfall rising from 28.58 crore in 2023–24 to 36.42 crore in 2025–26. Domestic visits increased from 28.56 crore to 36.39 crore over the same period, with the stated growth rate rising from 8.22% to 17.73%. Foreign tourist footfall, meanwhile, rose from 1.70 lakh in 2023–24 to 2.72 lakh in 2025–26, with 48.63% growth in 2025–26.

The figures underline that while domestic tourism remains the volume engine, international tourism is showing better percentage growth.

Internationally, AP Tourism plans to adopt a more targeted approach rather than pursue broad-based market activity. A significant opportunity, Pattanshetti says, lies with the Andhra diaspora. “Our diaspora is a big one. And they are proud of their state. We want to engage with them more meaningfully. The intention is to create more meaningful experiences for the diaspora within their own state and use them as a word-of-mouth channel to reach other travellers.”

Connectivity remains on the table

Air connectivity is another area where the department has begun active discussions. Pattanshetti says AP Tourism is in talks with IndiGo and Air India, including on stronger inter-city connectivity and links with key tourism-generating states.

“We have already started discussions. During the convention, we also had a good discussion with these airlines,” he said.

The immediate focus is on completing infrastructure at the six major cities already connected, while challenges around Visakhapatnam's connectivity are also being addressed. The department is simultaneously looking at road and rail connectivity and working with tour operators to assess the potential for direct foreign traffic into the state.