Visakhapatnam: There are doubts over whether the series of tourism festivals planned in December and January in the Vizag region to attract tourists would be held or not. On the proposed calendar was horse racing and a car rally from Vizag to Araku, Visakha Utsav, Fringe Festival, Cooking Olympiad and few others in December and January, said district collector Pravin Kumar.
The AP tourism administration planned to transform the region as a world-class eco-friendly tourist destination with help of funds from the local body, state government and the Centre. Some of the projects that are in pipeline for 2017-18 include construction of 10 cottages and restaurant at Lammasingi, construction of five cottages at Dallapalle, setting up of floating jetty and shacks at Mangamaripeta, tourist amenities at Yarada Beach and construction of Paryataka Bhavan at MVP Circle with a fund of Rs 5.5 crore.
Under Chief Minister’s assurance scheme, Araku eco-tourism circuit would be improved at an estimated cost of Rs1.10 crore, he added. The tourism department has been spending crores of rupees to organise festivals but they failed to promote the events. The Hot Air Balloon Festival and Sounds on Sand music festival turned out to be damp squibs. “There is urgent need to promote tribal tourism, homestay facility among others to attract the larger number of domestic and foreign tourists said Mr G. Srinivas, an activist in Vizag.
