Visakhapatnam: Tourism minister Kandula Durgesh said on Friday that the Visakhapatnam CII Summit received an overwhelming response, attracting delegates from over 70 countries who expressed strong confidence in the coalition government. He said that nearly 100 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) are being finalised in the tourism sector covering Visakhapatnam, Amaravati and Tirupati.

As part of the summit, the minister inaugurated the Tourism Pavilion. Special chief secretary (tourism) Ajay Jain, tourism MD Amrapali Kata and senior officials briefed him on the various displays.

Durgesh launched an interactive touch kiosk designed to help visitors explore all major tourism destinations across Andhra Pradesh. He also inaugurated a technology-based experience machine offering virtual tours of destinations such as Araku and Gandikota, including adventure tourism features.

The minister visited stalls showcasing Lepakshi handicrafts, Etikoppaka toys and Kondapalli art, besides examining khadi products set up by the AP Crafts Council. He tasted Araku Coffee and appreciated its quality, noting that it is being promoted globally. Durgesh also inspected India’s first robotic café set up by the Coffee Board and interacted with operators about the robot’s functioning.

Under the AP Food Processing Society’s pavilion, he explored the Tree-to-Bar chocolate unit, an international chocolate salon and a coconut-themed café, sampling products made from coconut. He also visited stalls featuring 34 varieties of handloom products from Mangalagiri, Pedana, Venkatagiri, Uppada, Dharmavaram and Chirala.

Durgesh said the government is making tourism accessible to all sections by integrating diverse tourism themes—culture, crafts, cuisine, adventure and technology. A robust tourism sector, he noted, drives economic growth, employment and cultural exchange.

The minister said that major attractions such as the Trishul project at Kailasagiri and India’s longest glass bridge will be launched soon. He criticised the previous government for neglecting tourism and said the current administration is reviving the sector.

Durgesh expressed hope that the CII Summit will bring several thousand crore rupees of investments to tourism. With renewed investor confidence, industrial-status incentives, and support from the Centre, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, the state has attracted nearly Rs 12,000 crore investments in 15 months, he added.

During the summit, Durgesh interacted with Union ministers K Ram Mohan Naidu, Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, B Srinivasa Varma and state ministers Nara Lokesh, Nadendla Manohar, V Anitha, S Savitha, G Sandhya Rani, Bharat and Kondapalli Srinivas.