AP minister calls for mention of shooting locations in movie subtitles

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh tourism minister Kandula Durgesh on Tuesday urged film producers to prominently mention shooting locations in movie subtitles, saying it would significantly boost tourism and bring national recognition to scenic destinations across the state.During his visit to Suryalanka Beach in Bapatla district, the minister said films have the power to transform lesser-known places into major tourist attractions. Citing the example of Maredumilli, where the blockbuster movie Pushpa was shot, he said the region witnessed a sharp rise in tourist footfall after the film’s release. “If movies shot at places like Suryalanka mention the location name in subtitles, it will generate massive publicity and help local tourism grow rapidly,” he said.Durgesh said the coalition government had introduced a special tourism policy after coming to power and granted industry status to the tourism sector. He stated that the government was actively utilising available government lands for tourism projects while offering incentives and subsidies to investors with strong proposals.According to the minister, Andhra Pradesh attracted nearly Rs 20,000 crore of tourism investments in just 18 months. Revenue minister Satya Prasad said the government was promoting tourism under the slogan “Happy and Healthy Andhra Pradesh” and accused the previous YSRCP government of neglecting the sector. He added that festivals and carnivals were now being organised across the state to revive tourism activity.