Visakhapatnam Hotels Packed To Capacity; Year-End Rush Peaks
The city has an inventory of 2,500 rooms across three- to five-star hotels, all fully booked for several days. Suite prices have reached ₹40,000 in some hotels, but they have all been booked: Reports
VISAKHAPATNAM: Hotels here are experiencing one of its busiest year-end periods, with occupancy levels soaring across all categories. Star hotels in the city are fully booked, leaving no rooms available even at premium rates.
Many leading hotels and resorts have jacked up their rates as travellers, delegates and holidaymakers flock to the coastal city in anticipation of the New Year and Christmas revelries.
The city has an inventory of 2,500 rooms across three-to five-star hotels, all fully booked for several days. Suite prices have reached ₹40,000 in some hotels, but they have all been booked.
Budget hotels and lodges, which provide an additional 5,000 rooms, are also seeing exceptional demand. Many guests with confirmed bookings are being asked to wait two to three hours for their rooms to be ready, highlighting the pressure on housekeeping and turnaround times.
According to the hotels & restaurants association, Visakhapatnam’s hospitality sector has maintained robust occupancy throughout December. This surge is driven by major conferences, sporting events and the seasonal tourism peak, reinforcing the city’s growing reputation as a preferred destination for business meetings and leisure travel.
Recently, the city hosted two significant national medical conferences, NEOCON 2025 and the 49th annual conference of the association of oral and maxillofacial surgeons of India. These events attracted thousands of delegates, exhibitors and professionals from across India and overseas, significantly boosting hotel bookings and local spending.
The 10th edition of the Vizag Navy Marathon drew over 17,000 runners, including international participants, further intensifying demand for accommodation and hospitality services.
President of hotels and restaurants association and secretary to the AP tourism forum, M.V. Pavan Kartheek, says this trend would continue throughout the month. A series of upcoming events, including the India finance conference 2025 at IIM Visakhapatnam from December 18 to 20, as well as multiple international academic and technology conferences scheduled at Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels and Devee Grand Bay on December 24 and 25, would likely keep occupancy levels high, he said.
Sports tourism is also contributing to the surge, with Visakhapatnam set to host matches of the India vs Sri Lanka women’s T20 international cricket series on December 21 and 23 at the YSR ACA-VDCA international cricket stadium.
“Together with the holiday travel rush, these events are driving strong demand for hotel rooms, conference venues, restaurants, and related services across the city. For the hospitality sector in Visakhapatnam, December is shaping up to be a landmark month, underscoring the city’s rising stature on India’s tourism and events map,” says Pavan Kartheek.