Telangana to be Developed as an International Tourist Destination: Bhatti

The Deputy Chief Minister said that tourism development is not limited to developing tourist destinations alone, but also involves showcasing the Telangana brand to the world. He directed officials to take the tourism sector to a new level by increasing investments, employment and revenue opportunities through public-private partnerships.

A review meeting with senior officials of the Tourism and Culture Departments was held at Praja Bhavan in Hyderabad on Thursday under the chairmanship of Bhatti Vikramarka. Krishna Rao attended the meeting.

The meeting discussed various issues, including tourism projects across the state, utilisation of departmental assets, budget allocations, private investments, protection of heritage structures and tourism branding.

The Deputy Chief Minister directed officials to expand private-sector participation along with government investments in the tourism sector and develop new projects under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. He stressed the need to utilise tourism department assets efficiently rather than relying solely on government funds.

He instructed officials to prepare a special list identifying properties with existing buildings, vacant lands and other locations that have potential for development under the PPP model. He also directed them to develop these assets in a manner that generates revenue and take steps to attract private investments.

Global Recognition for Telangana through Tourism

Bhatti Vikramarka called for the integrated development of various tourism segments in Telangana, including temple tourism, eco-tourism and hill tourism. He suggested undertaking extensive branding and marketing initiatives to place the state's historical, cultural, spiritual and natural tourism destinations on the global tourism map.

He said special tourism circuits should be developed to encourage domestic and international tourists visiting Hyderabad to explore other parts of Telangana. The private sector should be encouraged to participate in developing hotels, resorts and other infrastructure facilities in tourism destinations, he said.

Government Support for Protection of Heritage

The Deputy Chief Minister said protecting the state's historical monuments and heritage assets is an important responsibility of the government. He assured that necessary government support would be provided for conservation, maintenance and infrastructure development at historical sites such as Ramappa.

At the same time, he directed officials to explore avenues for increasing revenue through new tourism projects. He stressed the need to maintain a balance between conservation activities that must be undertaken by the government and development projects that can be implemented through private participation.

Priority to ‘Telangana Darshini’

The meeting also discussed the effective implementation of the ‘Telangana Darshini’ programme aimed at creating awareness among students about the state's history, culture and tourist destinations.

Officials were directed to facilitate visits by students to historical monuments, museums and prominent tourist destinations so that they could gain a better understanding of Telangana's heritage.

Officials explained that the programme aims to generate interest in tourism from a young age and introduce future generations to the historical and cultural heritage of Telangana.

Investment-Friendly Environment

Bhatti Vikramarka directed officials to identify and resolve issues hindering private investments in tourism projects. He suggested conducting a comprehensive review of lease policies, financial viability of projects and investor interest, and preparing proposals for necessary changes.

He also directed officials to conduct joint meetings with representatives of all concerned departments wherever necessary to resolve issues related to the development of the tourism and cultural sectors.

The Deputy Chief Minister called upon officials to work in coordination with one another and take forward the action plan within the stipulated timelines in accordance with the government's objectives.

Bhatti Vikramarka said the government’s objective is to develop the tourism sector in a manner that showcases Telangana's history, culture and natural wealth to the world while increasing investments, employment and revenue opportunities.