Oberoi, Taj, Mayfair to set up new hotels in AP
State has received proposals worth Rs 21,941 crore in the tourism sector at the recent GIS
Visakhapatnam: All the leading hotels and resort chains in India have come forward with proposals to set up new properties across Andhra Pradesh with Visakhapatnam, the proposed executive capital, turning into the most-sought after investment destination at the recently held Global Investors’ Summit (GIS).
The State attracted 129 MoUs in the tourism sector envisaging a total investment of Rs 21,941 crore. The picturesque locales of the city with its pristine beaches and green-capped hillocks, Buddhist sites in between the city and 17th century Dutch township of Bheemunipatnam, the cosmopolitan culture with a developing ecosystem for IT and social life made Visakhapatnam the talking point among the investors who assembled here during the GIS.
An elated Tourism Minister and actor R K Roja remarked immediately after the summit that the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has attracted investment proposals by several established firms to various places of Andhra Pradesh.
She said Visakhapatnam, which is appreciated by all the visitors for its hospitable people, cleanliness and natural splendour all over has the potential to become the tourism hub of South India.
“We welcome the proposals and hope that the government will extend wholehearted cooperation to ensure grounding of the projects on a fast-track mode,” Tours and Travels Association of Andhra (TTAA) president K Vijay Mohan told Bizz Buzz on Sunday.
The city has received proposals for development of new properties by Oberoi and Taj Groups as well as fast growing Mayfair Hotels & Resorts. Taj and Oberoi Group have come forward to invest in new properties across Andhra Pradesh with several proposals to give a fillip to tourism promotion.
Oberoi Group has proposed to invest in luxury villa resorts at Bheemunipatnam, 30 km from here. It also has proposed to develop a property at pilgrimage city of Tirupati. Last year the group had announced its intention to start hotels in Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Gandikota, Pichhukalanka and Horsley Hills along with running a tourism centre in the Paderu tribal area on the foothills of the Eastern Ghats. The luxury hotel group intends to invest Rs 1500 crore in the proposed facilities with a promise to provide 1500 direct and 11,000 indirect jobs to the locals.
At the GIS, the Taj Group signed a MoU to invest around Rs 700 crore on luxury resorts in Visakhapatnam. Mayfair Group, which owns luxury hotels in Bhubaneswar, Siliguri, Goa and other places, has sought land to develop a hotel in Visakhapatnam. An UK-based firm has signed a MoU for developing a five star hotel at Adoni with an investment of Rs 100 crore.
Among the MoUs include a 18-hole international golf course by River Bay Group, a tunnel tourism project by NRI T S N Raju with his Turkish partner with an investment of Rs 100 crore, a proposal to build the Vizag Eye project on the lines of London Eye by an American-based firm and a racing track near the Bhogapuram. GMR Group is developing the Bhogapuram International Airport, about 40 km from here, with an initial investment of Rs 5,000 crore.
