Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh on Wednesday launched the ‘Holiday in Andhra Pradesh’ campaign, aimed at accelerating tourism growth and positioning the State among the country’s leading travel destinations.

Launching the campaign poster during a virtual meeting on tourism development held at the Secretariat, Mr. Durgesh called upon stakeholders to extend full cooperation for strengthening the tourism ecosystem in Andhra Pradesh.

The Minister said the State government, under the guidance of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call amid the prevailing international situation, was implementing several initiatives to energise the tourism sector.

Emphasising the vast tourism potential of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Durgesh said the government would accord priority to holiday tourism, temple tourism and destination weddings. He urged people to consider hosting destination weddings within the State to help conserve foreign exchange while promoting local destinations.

He highlighted scenic destinations such as Gandikota, Araku Valley, Visakhapatnam and Konaseema as examples of Andhra Pradesh’s tourism appeal.

The year-long ‘Holiday in Andhra Pradesh’ programme, he said, would generate employment for local youth and improve income opportunities in hospitality, homestays and transport sectors. The government was also working on airport-to-airport tourism packages to ensure seamless travel for visitors.

Mr. Durgesh said Andhra Pradesh would receive the Tourism Promotion City award on June 4, describing it as a matter of pride for the State. Senior officials, including Special Chief Secretary Ajay Jain, and others participated in the meeting.