Hyderabad:The state government has announced its first-ever comprehensive tourism policy, ‘Telangana Tourism Policy 2025-30,’ in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.Aimed at positioning Telangana as ‘India’s most preferred destination’, the policy seeks to leverage the state’s rich heritage, natural beauty, and modern infrastructure to attract investments worth `15,000 crore and create 3 lakh jobs over the next five years.Tourism minister Jupally Krishna Rao outlined the state’s vibrant history in the Assembly, dating back over 2,500 years, marked by mighty empires, iconic architecture, and cultural diversity.“Telangana is a treasure trove of tourist destinations with magnificent forts, temples, serene lakes, abundant wildlife, and a thriving art and culture scene. However, we have not effectively harnessed this potential in the last decade,” he said.Despite welcoming 60.75 million domestic and 68,400 international tourists in 2022, Telangana’s share in national tourism arrivals dropped to 3.51 per cent, placing it ninth among Indian states. The minister attributed this decline to the absence of a dedicated tourism policy since the state’s formation in 2014.The policy envisions fostering a harmonious blend of spiritual, heritage, cultural, adventure, and ecological tourism while empowering local communities. Its primary goals include: Positioning Telangana among the top five states in domestic and international tourist arrivals and increasing tourism’s contribution to 10 per cent of the state’s GDP.The policy outlines several ambitious projects, including development of iconic attractions near Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, establishing dry ports and shopping hubs along the Regional Ring Road, promoting river tourism on the Godavari and Krishna rivers with houseboats, jetties, and water sports. enhancing urban waterfronts with adventure zones and retail spaces, launching mega retail malls and luxury shopping destinations, creating specialised tourism areas (STAs) across the state, focusing on heritage, eco-tourism, and adventure tourism.The policy aims to develop Special Tourism Areas (STAs) across the state. Of the 27 identified STAs, the policy prioritises nine high-potential zones, including Vikarabad STA for eco and adventure tourism, Ramappa STA featuring the Unesco World Heritage Site and nearby waterfalls, Charminar STA encompassing Hyderabad’s historic landmarks and museums.The policy emphasises digital marketing, social media presence, and literary documentation to position Telangana as a dynamic tourism destination. Specific strategies include hosting familiarisation trips for international travel communities, particularly Buddhist tourists from Southeast Asia, and organising year-round shopping and river festivals.With the Telangana Tourism Policy 2025-30, the state government aims to transform its tourism sector into a global powerhouse, combining historical heritage with modern infrastructure and branding, Jupally said.
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