AP's Focus On Coastal Tourism Initiatives

Visakhapatnam: The Andhra Pradesh government is attempting to transform Srikakulam district into a vibrant tourism hub by branding it as a "gateway for tourism" in the region.

With a noticeable increase in Bengali tourist footfall, the authorities have prioritised the enhancement of Baruva beach and elevate it to the standards of Goa’s famed coastline. The recent beach festival at Baruva reportedly garnered a positive response, reinforcing the district’s tourism potential.

In a bid to adopt best practices, Srikakulam collector SD Pundkar dispatched a team of tourism officials to Konark as also the Golden and Sonapur beaches in Odisha. The team would submit a report outlining effective beach management strategies that could be replicated along the Srikakulam coast.

A robust roadmap backs the district’s tourism ambitions. On Nov 15, 2020, a total of 67 beachfront development proposals were submitted to the chief secretary through the departments of tourism, culture, museums, and archaeology. These focus on land identification for resorts, hotels and related tourism ventures along the coast.

Srikakulam district tourism officer Narayana Rao cited progress on many of these plans and said more proposals are being pursued to intensify beach tourism.

The ongoing development at Baruva marks the first phase of a larger initiative to create a chain of attractions along the district’s coastline. Parallel efforts include the introduction of a boating service at Vamsadhara reservoir in Hiramandalam and infrastructural improvements in the ancient Vedic site of Kurma Village.

The authorities are also encouraging tourism initiatives between the district headquarters and Kalingapatnam to disperse tourist traffic and promote economic activity across the region.

To incentivise investment, the government is offering a suite of benefits: a 100 per cent waiver of stamp duty and land transfer charges, full reimbursement of quality certification expenses for micro and medium enterprises that achieve national or international standards, and a 25 per cent subsidy on total investment. Additional incentives include a 5 per cent extra subsidy for ventures led by women, SCs, or STs.

District tourism officials are expected to attract private investment for projects under a public-private partnership (PPP) model. The tourism department has invited businesses to develop resorts, hotels and adventure parks in Tekkali and Kotabommali.

The proposed developments include star hotels on 10 acres near the national highway in Kotabommali and another on 1.5 acres in Jagatimetta, both under the PPP model.

Officials are also exploring the creation of iconic destinations, such as a resort near Madanagopala Sagar Lake and boating facilities at Purushottam Sagaram. Additionally, adventure parks along the Vamsadhara canal and trekking trails in the nearby hills are being considered.

Rao said APTDC plans for Tekkali and Sompeta are under way.