Could houseboats become a reality in Andhra Pradesh?
It is no doubt one of the highlights of tourism in India i.e the beautiful houseboat concept that has caught on at Kerela. In our very own Konaseema, Andhra Pradesh tourism is exploring the possibility of starting the concept with the help of experienced staff and experts from Kerala.
It remains to be seen how well and how far can the houseboat be made real out here. The tourism department and district administration of East Godavari have sought the expertise and interest of entrepreneurs who wish to be a part of the venture.
12 members of a team from Kerala have visited the region a while back to explore options and operational specifics and have reported favourably. The only drawback that has come to light is the connectivity.
Andhra Pradesh government is willing to develop the area into a hub for tourists and has offered loans, subsidies and concessions for people to take up the venture. Staff from Kerala will operate the Konaseema houseboats for the first few years till local manpower is in place. This has been corroborated by Times of India a little while back.
The idea of houseboats in Konaseema definitely sounds good to us but till now the project has not picked up pace. It will definitely be a huge tourist draw if it gets developed and no one will be happier than people of Andhra Pradesh themselves.
