Andhra Pradesh Plans India’s First AI-Powered Tourism Push With NiVU AI
July 7, 2026: Andhra Pradesh is preparing to become what the state government has described as India’s first AI-powered tourism state, with the rollout of the NiVU AI platform across major tourist destinations.
Tourism Minister Kandula Durgesh stated that the initiative is part of the state’s broader Swarna Andhra Vision-2047 plan, aiming to make travel more interactive, multilingual, and visitor-friendly.
APTDC Signs MoU With Xplorer For AI Tourism Rollout
The Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC) has signed a three-year strategic Memorandum of Understanding with Xplorer to implement the AI-powered tourism service across the state.
Under the plan, the NiVU AI platform will be introduced at more than 100 tourist and pilgrimage destinations in a phased manner. The service will initially be launched at 30 major locations within the first year, before expanding across Andhra Pradesh over the next three years.
The move follows a pilot project at Mangalagiri, where the AI-based service has already been tested with visitors and devotees.
How NiVU AI Will Help Tourists
The NiVU AI platform is designed to work through a simple QR code system. Tourists visiting heritage sites, forts, caves, beaches, and pilgrimage centres will be able to scan a QR code and ask questions through voice or text.
The platform will provide destination-related information in more than 130 languages, helping domestic and international visitors understand local history, cultural importance, travel details, and nearby attractions without downloading a separate mobile application.
This feature is expected to be useful for visitors who may not know Telugu or English but want quick and reliable information in their preferred language.
Free AI Guide For Visitors
According to the tourism minister, the AI service will be offered free of cost to tourists. The government expects the platform to make travel easier, especially at places where physical guides or multilingual information boards may not always be available.
By combining QR-code access with AI-powered conversations, Andhra Pradesh is aiming to create a digital guide system that can support tourists instantly at the destination itself.
Mangalagiri Pilot Gets Positive Response
Minister Durgesh said he personally tested the NiVU AI platform in Telugu and found the responses accurate and respectful. He added that the Mangalagiri pilot project has already been receiving encouraging feedback from hundreds of devotees every day.
The successful pilot has now become the base for a wider statewide rollout.
Why This Matters For Andhra Pradesh Tourism
Andhra Pradesh has a wide tourism mix, including beaches, temples, Buddhist heritage sites, forts, caves, and cultural destinations. With AI-based multilingual support, the state hopes to improve accessibility for visitors and strengthen its position as a technology-driven tourism destination.
If implemented smoothly, the initiative could become a model for other Indian states looking to modernise tourist services using artificial intelligence.
The rollout also reflects Andhra Pradesh’s larger push to use digital tools in public services, governance, and tourism. For travellers, the biggest benefit will be simple: scan a QR code, ask a question, and receive destination information in their own language.
