CM refutes claims of urea shortage in State

Lays emphasis on blending hospitality and traditions, invites NRIs to explore investment opportunities in State

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Vijayawada

CHIEF Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has outlined an ambitious plan to position Andhra Pradesh as a world-class tourism destination by promoting homestays, tent city projects, and branding local products like Araku Coffee, Kuchipudi dance, and handwoven textiles.

During a review meeting of the Tourism Department at the Secretariat on Wednesday, Naidu directed officials to enhance tourism infrastructure and events across the State.

He emphasised the development of homestays in temple towns such as Tirupati and other major religious centres, insisting they meet international standards.

He also proposed homestays in Konaseema to offer authentic rural experiences and encouraged Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to invest. He instructed officials to identify sites for tourism projects across all 175 Assembly constituencies and develop industrial zones and townships linked to ports as tourism hubs.

Furthermore, Naidu asked officials to organise continuous events in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Amaravati, Tirupati, Anantapur, and Kurnool. The State aims to add 10,000 hotel rooms by March 2026 and 50,000 by 2029 to accommodate rising tourist inflows, he said.