Vizag marks World Tourism Day with heritage walks, cultural festivities
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Students and NCC cadets taking part in a heritage walk organised as part of the World Tourism Day 2026 celebrations in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. | Photo Credit: V. RAJU
Visakhapatnam marked World Tourism Day with a heritage walk through the Old Town on Sunday morning and cultural festivities at Dutt Island in Siripuram later in the day, as tourism officials outlined plans to expand water sports along the coastline and improve connectivity to destinations such as Araku and Simhachalam.
The evening celebrations were attended by the district in-charge Minister Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, District Collector M. Abhishikth Kishore, Commissioner of Police Shankhabrata Bagchi, Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Commissioner Ketan Garg, MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu, MLC Vepada Chiranjeevi Rao, and the Tourism Department officials. The programme featured Dhimsa and Kuchipudi performances among other cultural presentations, and drew large numbers of youth.
The celebrations, organised by the Department of Tourism, drew participation from the district administration, the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC), the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), students and members of the hospitality sector.
The evening’s line-up also included flash mobs and stalls, including one showcasing Vasenapoli millets, a Native Araku Coffee stall, a Lepakshi handicrafts stall and a virtual reality experience presented in association with GITAM deemed to be University.
Speaking to The Hindu, District Tourism Officer J. Madhavi said the day’s events were built around free participation rather than a formal agenda. “It is mainly an activity where people can come, watch the cultural programmes and visit the stalls before leaving,” she said, adding that the larger message was for residents to “come together, enjoy the activities and visit the tourism attractions”.
On long-term development, Ms. Madhavi pointed to the proposed Bay City project, to be executed by the Visakhapatnam Metropolitan Region Development Authority (VMRDA), which envisages developing a nearly 40-km stretch of coastline up to Bheemili.
APTDC Divisional Manager G.V.B. Jagadeesh said the Collector and the Managing Director of A.P. Tourism, Ravi Pattanshetti, had directed the corporation to scale up water sports activities between RK Beach and Bheemili. “We are constituting a committee to assess feasibility at different locations,” he said, adding that speed boating, scuba diving and parasailing were among the activities being considered wherever found viable.
Mr. Jagadeesh said APTDC’s two Central Reservation Offices, at RK Beach and Rushikonda, would be used to promote package tours to Araku and temple destinations including Arasavalli Sun Temple in Srikakulam, Simhachalam and the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Vadapalli in East Godavari district, and to draw more visitors from Kolkata and West Bengal.
The Collector has also directed APTDC to hold an activity every Saturday as part of the outreach.
He noted that this year’s event was deliberately shifted from the beach to Siripuram Junction. “Conducting such a new type of activity in a public place will also help reach more people and contribute to Tourism Development,” he said.
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