Jupally unveils roadmap to revive Telangana tourism sector

Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao said that Telangana’s tourism sector has witnessed considerable stagnation over the past decade due to various factors. He announced that a comprehensive action plan has been prepared to revive the tourism sector by formulating a draft Telangana Tourism Policy.

Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, Mr. Rao said, “Tourism has been the most neglected subject under the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government. The state lacks a dedicated policy and framework for tourism development and the last policy was framed in the united Andhra Pradesh in 2010.”

The minister also noted the delays caused by long-standing legal issues and the time it took to remove bureaucratic bottlenecks. Despite these challenges, he stressed that most of the legal issues had been resolved, which brought in income for the department.

Mr. Rao also informed about the development of the prestigious Buddhavanam project in Nagarjunasagar, which is to be developed as an international centre for Mahayana Buddhism. This project will attract the interest of global players.

The rich flora and fauna of the Somasila backwaters will be developed for destination weddings and adventure tourism, while a long stretch of the Krishna backwaters is set to become an eco-tourism hub. Studies are on to construct ropeways, and work has already begun at Bhongir Fort. Several locations, including Ramappa, Somashila, Laknavaram, Nagarjunasagar and the Anantagiri hills in Vikrabad, have been identified as potential destination wedding venues.

At Phanigiri, a prominent Buddhist monastery, excavations have unearthed valuable artefacts, now preserved in a newly established museum. Emphasizing the importance of language and culture, he said, “Our aim is to promote Telangana art forms like the dance ‘Perini Shivatandavam’ by bringing them to people’s homes through performances at prominent venues like malls and commercial areas in Hyderabad.”

The minister also announced plans to address the decline of the National Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (NITHM) by elevating it to a Skill University with new management that will restore it to its former glory.

Mr. Rao highlighted the potential growth areas for tourism in Telangana, including medical tourism and eco-tourism. “Our Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy sees huge potential in medical tourism and we have approached several stakeholders to focus on this vertical,” he noted. Plans are also underway to set up a Buddhist university, museum and budget hotel at Buddhavanam, Nagarjunasagar and a wellness tourism centre at Anantagiri Hills.