Andhra Pradesh Wins Best Tourism Promotion State Award at GTM 2026
Thiruvananthapuram, June 5 (TNT): Andhra Pradesh has been honoured with the prestigious Metro Expedition–GTM Tourism Award 2026 as the Best Tourism Promotion State during the inaugural session of the second edition of the Global Travel Market 2026 held on Thursday evening, one of South India’s premier travel and trade events.
The award was presented by Kerala Minister for Culture, Cinema and Tourism P. C. Vishnunadh to Andhra Pradesh Minister for Tourism and Culture Kandula Durgesh at the inaugural ceremony held at the international beach tourism destination of Kovalam.
Ajay Jain , Special Chief Secretary, Government of Andhra Pradesh, was also present on the occasxion.
Andhra Pradesh was selected for the award in recognition of its achievements in tourism promotion, destination branding, preservation of cultural heritage and efforts to strengthen and expand the tourism sector.
Receiving the honour, Durgesh thanked the organisers for recognising Andhra Pradesh’s initiatives and achievements in tourism development.
He noted that Kerala has emerged as a model state in implementing best tourism practices, particularly in the field of responsible tourism, and said Andhra Pradesh could draw valuable lessons from its experience.
V. Muraleedharan,MLA & former Union Minister of state for external affairs, who attended the event, congratulated Andhra Pradesh and the Tourism Minister on receiving the award.
Thiruvananthapuram Mayor V. V. Rajesh, GTM CEO Siji Nair and South Kerala Hoteliers Forum Secretary Prasad Manjali were among those present.
More than 1,000 domestic and international buyers and around 300 corporate buyers participated in the three-day event, which aims to generate business opportunities, launch new tourism products, facilitate networking among industry stakeholders, enhance brand visibility and provide market intelligence for the sector.
The event highlighted several tourism circuits linking key destinations across South Kerala and featured initiatives aimed at introducing Ayurveda and wellness tourism to global tour operators.
Industry experts and tourism professionals also addressed a series of sessions on emerging trends and opportunities in the travel and tourism sector.
The recognition is expected to further boost Andhra Pradesh’s efforts to position itself as a leading tourism destination by leveraging its rich cultural heritage, spiritual tourism assets, coastal attractions and eco-tourism potential.
TNT KS
