July 29, 2013: Temple tourism packages of the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) are helping the corporation improve its revenue, which doubled to Rs 2 crore in the last one and a half year. “There has been an increase of 25 percent for temple tour packages,” said an official.

In 2012, as many as 206.8 million tourists had visited the state and latest figures with the ministry of tourism indicate that Andhra Pradesh is the most sought after tourist destination. A large number of tourists visit Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala. Recently, the APTDC had started a flight tour to Tirupati by having a tie-up with Jet and Spicejet airways to cater to the needs NRIs coming to Delhi, who wish to visit the temple of Lord Venkateswara. Andhra Pradesh has a number of ancient temples and according to ATPDC officials, temple tours in the Rayalaseema region are doing quite well. Similar tours in other regions, mainly in North Telangana, have to pick up.

The Rayalasema temple tour package, which mainly consists of visit to temples in Kurnool district, especially Lord Shiva shrine at Srisailam, is much sought after, as is the tour package to Tirupati. There is increasing inflow of domestic tourists, particularly from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The corporation has tie-ups with important temples. “However, we cannot assure comfortable darshan during festivals like Brahmotsavams at Tirumala, Chandanotsavam at Simhachalam, Mahashivaratri at Srisailam,” officials said.

The ATPDC has a tie-up with Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams for 900 tickets per day to facilitate darshan for tourists of flight tour and other packages.

The corporation is contemplating to introduce more temple package tours in Telangana and North Andhra regions. “We are also planning to improve facilities at important tourist spots in every district. In Srikakulam, a budget hotel is under construction at the cost of Rs 15 crore near Arasavelli, which is expected to be completed by October. It will facilitate comfortable stay for tourists visiting the Sun temple at Arasavelli, Srikurmam and Srimukhalingam,” APTDC executive director (projects) V Madhusudhan said.

Source: The New Indian Express, DT. July 29, 2013.