Andhra ready to open Disney-style theme parks; need Rs 60,000 crore, says Minister Kandula Durgesh

Amaravati: The Andhra Pradesh government is ready to extend full cooperation for the establishment of international-standard amusement and theme parks in the state, Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh informed the Assembly on Friday.

‘Private investments crucial’

However, he clarified that mega projects on the scale of Disney World or Universal Studios would require investments of up to Rs 60,000 crore and depend largely on private players and market viability.

Responding to a query by Prathipadu MLA B Ramanjaneyulu regarding the possibility of setting up a Disney World-like park on 171 acres at Kurnoothala village in Guntur district, the Minister outlined the government’s approach and the practical challenges involved in attracting such mega investments.

Massive investment required for global-scale parks

Durgesh explained that international theme parks such as Disney World and Universal Studios require investments of up to Rs 60,000 crore.

Across the world, such mega amusement parks are typically developed by private companies, while governments facilitate them through land allotment, incentives and necessary permissions.

He noted that the state government is willing to provide land, policy support and incentives, but the actual investment must come from private developers.

Average tourist expenditure in India is around Rs 21,000

The Minister pointed out that theme parks of global standards operate in cities like Orlando, Los Angeles, Tokyo and Paris because of strong tourist footfall and high visitor spending capacity.

In contrast, he observed that the average tourist expenditure in India is around Rs 21,000, which is significantly lower than international spending patterns.

For projects of Disney World or Universal Studios scale to be viable in India, there must be sufficient tourist inflow and higher per capita spending to ensure returns on investment.

Talks with Indian amusement park operators

Durgesh revealed that discussions were held with leading Indian amusement park operators such as Imagicaa and Wonderla, which run large-scale parks in cities including Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

According to the Minister, these companies have expressed interest in exploring opportunities in Tirupati and Visakhapatnam, indicating potential for expansion within Andhra Pradesh.

The government’s proactive tourism policy

To attract investments in the tourism and amusement park sector, the State’s tourism department has been actively participating in national and international trade fairs and expos.

CII Partnership Summit

Durgesh also highlighted that the government has accorded industry status to the tourism sector and introduced several incentives to encourage private investment.

During the recent CII Partnership Summit held in Visakhapatnam, the Tourism Department signed 102 agreements worth Rs 18,448 crore, including proposals for three theme parks, he added.

The Minister reiterated that while the government is open to facilitating international-standard theme parks, their establishment will ultimately depend on private investment, financial viability and sustained tourist demand.