AP seeks tie-up with Maharashtra to promote tourism

Andhra Pradesh government is mulling a tie-up soon with Maharashtra for jointly developing and promoting tourist circuits in the two states.
"We have discussed an MoU to jointly develop certain common circuits with the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation chairman.
"However, the details are yet to be outlined," AP Special Chief Secretary (Tourism and Culture), Chandana Khan, told reporters here.
There are several common tourism features, like Buddhism, and films, among the two neighbouring states which their governments can jointly explore, she said.
AP is eyeing 16 crore domestic tourists and five lakh foreign tourists this fiscal after ramping up its tourism infrastructure.

The domestic tourist footfall in AP for 2012-13 was 15.31 crore with the state also receiving 2.9 lakh foreign visitors in the same period.

AP Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has earmarked Rs 1,000 crore investment in the public-private-partnership (PPP) mode for developing tourism infrastructure in the state.
"We want to showcase (how) everything is possible in AP. Today, the state has much more to offer in terms of unexplored locations.
"We are keen to promote the state as the most desirable round-the-year tourist destination in the country," Khan said.
AP's tourism development plans are being supported by the Union Tourism Ministry which has already sanctioned Rs 221 crore towards it. Besides, the state is also expecting investment to the tune of Rs 58 crore for new projects.