The Global Forum for Sustainable Transformation (GFST), in collaboration with the Government of Andhra Pradesh, presents the DeepTech/GovTech Innovation Conclave – Tourism Tech 2.0, held on 26–27 June 2025 at Hotel Murali Fortune, Vijayawada. This landmark event builds on GFST’s successful sectoral conclaves in healthcare, aquaculture, and animal husbandry, extending the movement toward technology-enabled, sustainable governance in the tourism sector.
Transforming Tourism Through Technology and Inclusion
The conclave envisions Tourism Tech 2.0 as a model for smart, safe, and inclusive tourism that blends heritage, sustainability, and digital innovation. Andhra Pradesh’s natural diversity—from serene beaches to sacred temples—is being transformed through AI-driven dashboards, AR/VR experiences, geospatial mapping, and IoT-based visitor management systems, ensuring seamless travel experiences and enhanced global visibility.
Under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s Swarna Andhra Vision 2047, tourism is positioned as a strategic growth engine for employment, entrepreneurship, and cultural preservation.
Key targets include:
Boosting tourism’s GSDP contribution from ₹70,000 Cr to ₹2,40,000 Cr by 2029
Increasing average tourist stay from 2 to 5 days and spend per tourist from ₹1,700 to ₹25,000
Expanding hotel capacity from 4,500 to 50,000 rooms
Positioning Andhra Pradesh among India’s Top 10 foreign tourist destinations
Seven Growth Pillars and Key Focus Areas
The roadmap emphasizes:
Smart Infrastructure: 7 anchor hubs and 25+ thematic circuits including temple, beach, eco, river, and cruise tourism.
Innovation & Tech: AI tourism dashboards, AR-based temple guides, IoT crowd control, and drone-enabled virtual tours.
Sustainability: Eco-certifications, green hotels (LEED/NABH standards), and community-led tourism through SHGs.
Employment & Skills: Tourism education, hospitality skilling, and multilingual training for guides and operators.
Global Branding: Launch of Discover Andhra Pradesh digital super-app and unified branding under Brand Andhra.
Investment Ecosystem: Incentives for homestays, MSMEs, and private investors with dedicated facilitation cells.
Cultural Revival: Focus on heritage conservation, local arts, crafts, and spiritual tourism through 10 temple and 25 thematic circuits.
DeepTech for Destination Management
The conclave introduced AI-powered Tourism Dashboards for Tirupati, Visakhapatnam, Amaravati, and other circuits, integrating real-time analytics, visitor data, and smart mobility solutions.
Other tech-driven features include:
VR temple walkthroughs & AR craft tours
Drone mapping of eco-trails and heritage zones
Blockchain-enabled tourism asset monitoring
Agenda & Highlights
The three-day event featured:
Innovation Labs and Roundtables on smart destinations, cultural mapping, and SHG inclusion.
Ministerial Inauguration & Policy Launches, including the AP Tourism Vision 2030 and 5-Year Action Plan.
Experience Zones showcasing VR travel, AI apps, and drone demos.
Partnership Announcements & MoUs fostering collaboration between government, startups, and global investors.
A Vision for Inclusive Prosperity
The conclave underscored that tourism, when powered by DeepTech, GovTech, and community participation, can become the most inclusive engine of growth—creating jobs, empowering women, and revitalizing rural economies. Andhra Pradesh’s approach stands as a replicable national model for sustainable, tech-driven tourism aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047.
