Andamans witnessed 200 pc rise in domestic tourism post-Covid: Andaman Lt. Governor

Port Blair, Oct 15 (PTI) Andaman and Nicobar Islands Lieutenant Governor Admiral D K Joshi has said tourism in the archipelago witnessed a massive surge in post-Covid years.

Addressing a tourism conclave at Udaipur in Rajasthan on Tuesday, the Lt. Governor said, "I would like to highlight that there has been a post-COVID tourism resurgence in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, with domestic arrivals rising nearly 200 per cent and international tourists up 157 per cent since 2022." "The Andaman and Nicobar administration is poised to set three Guinness World Records in diving to position the islands as a premier scuba diving hub in the Indian Ocean Region," he said.

He added that there are plans to develop unique diving circuits around the Button Islands (North/South/Middle Andaman), Barren Island (South Asia’s only active volcano), and the pristine beaches of Swaraj Dweep.

The Lt. Governor informed about the core strategic initiative for Heritage Tourism Circuit encompassing National Memorial sites, which include Cellular Jail, Netaji Subas Chandra Bose Dweep (Ross Island), Viper Island, Chatham Island, Manipur Parvat with global benchmarks and PPP mode with support from the ministry.

"Flagship infrastructure projects like five-star eco-resorts, greenfield airports at Great Nicobar and Port Blair, seaplane operations, cruise tourism, modernised helicopter fleet, and new ship acquisitions will usher in a new era of sustainable World Class Tourism in the islands," he said. PTI SN SN MNB