PANAJI
Will Andhra Pradesh become the new Goa? It might, if the tourism minister is able to implement his plans. With Telugu superstar-turned-politician Chiranjeevi, who is from Andhra Pradesh, as the minister of state for tourism (independent charge), the state is aiming to carve a niche for itself in beach tourism by pumping money into creating coastal corridors along the Bay of Bengal as well as developing eight of its beach properties.
Does Goa, which is currently a leader in India as far as beach tourism footfalls are concerned, serve as inspiration for Andhra Pradesh’s next big tourism thrust? Not really, says Chandana Khan, Andhra Pradesh’s special secretary (Tourism and Archaelogy).
“We think Goa has a very different set of offerings and it is not fair to compare the two diverse propositions. Andhra Pradesh has a very unique image and has something for everybody. This combination of unique choices makes India a special mix for the vacation planners,” Khan told IANS in an email interview.
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