APTDC aims to promote agriculture tourism in Anantapur

Anantapur: The district with huge tourism potential lacks coordinated and integrated efforts by diverse departments who are stake holders in tourism projects in the district. The AP Tourism Developmental Corporation (APTDC) is yet to adopt an integrated approach while showcasing the district.

For instance, the Forest Department has developed 5 Eco-Parks but they are not being marketed properly. Similarly, the department of Archeology has not done significantly to showcase places of historical and archeological importance. So is the case with Religious tourism.

APTDC has its own tourist attractions to showcase. The department of Tourism has come up with the concept of Agri-Tourism and is promoting rural tourism. In the past an effort had been made to develop all dams, barrages and water bodies as tourist centres with the involvement of Water Resources Department. But due to lack of follow-up action, the proposals did not make any headway.

Under Agriculture tourism, AP TDC plans to show-case lush green horticulture farms, dairy, fishing and even guest houses for tourists to stay for a couple of days.

Visits to identified farms in the district will be planned during festivals, weekly markets (shandies) involving local festivals and people who are not interested to go to hill stations. Unfortunately, the tourism potential and prospects could not be marketed due to lack of coordination between Tourism and other departments that have projects of tourism nature.