Telangana secures Rs 15K-cr tourism investments
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, in the presence of Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, exchanged MoUs with leading national and international investors, at the World Tourism Day Conclave held at Shilparamam on Saturday
Hyderabad: The talk of tourism in Telangana often drifts to Charminar selfies or a drive to Ramappa, but, on Saturday, the state placed a much bigger wager. On World Tourism Day, Telangana’s Tourism Conclave 2025 at Shilparamam witnessed ministers, investors, hoteliers and entrepreneurs announce projects worth Rs 15,279 crore.
The scale was not lost on tourism minister Jupally Krishna Rao, who told the audience that scepticism about the state’s plans had already been answered. “Many expressed doubt that our vision for Rs 50,000 crore of investment was unrealistic. But in the very first year of our policy, we have secured commitments to this tune,” he said.
Luxury hotels such as InterContinental, St. Regis and Oberoi are entering Hyderabad for the first time. A vineyard resort will walk visitors from grape harvesting to bottling. A Taj-branded safari is planned in Vikarabad. These projects, split between 14 public–private partnerships and 16 private investments, are expected to create more than 19,000 direct jobs and over 50,000 in total.
Jayesh Ranjan, special chief secretary, said, “One of the important features of the new tourism policy and a part of the Chief Minister’s philosophy in general, is to encourage more and more PPP projects.” He also pointed to film production as an area where Hyderabad’s studios and post-production facilities already matched international standards. He added that 80 police officers were being trained as tourist police, with an emphasis on women’s safety. He said the government was promoting Ananthagiri, Nagarjunasagar and Somasila, alongside Hyderabad’s Falaknuma Palace, as ideal wedding destinations.
The private sector was present not just through hotel groups but also mobility players. Rapido co-founder Pavan Guntupalli described his company’s MoU with the state as “personal,” noting that as a Hyderabadi, he wanted to give back. “We have 12.5 lakh captains across Telangana. Through this MoU, we want to equip them with knowledge about the state’s heritage so they can share it with riders, migrants and tourists alike,” he said. Training modules will be built into the driver app and those who complete them will get priority for tourist customers.
The day also saw plenty of panel discussions, including one with Malavath Poorna, the youngest girl ever to scale Everest in 2014. She brought the focus to adventure tourism and reminded the audience that 30,000 people had been trained at Bhuvanagiri in trekking. Adventure sports, she said, could provide employment if supported with “a safe and reliable system,” and asked the government to treat safety as a priority in its plans.
Alongside the pledges and panel notes, the state gave away its Tourism Excellence Awards. Temples such as Yadagirigutta’s Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy received recognition, as did hotels from Taj Krishna to smaller properties in Secunderabad and Habsiguda. Restaurateurs, writers and film-makers were also called on stage. Dulam Satyanarayana’s film Telangana Zarur Aana, created for the Miss World 2025 contest, was among the winners.
Outside the conclave hall, the Saris of India mela, running until October 5, offered Pochampally Ikkat, Banarasi silks, Kashmiri wool and Bengali cotton. It was also a reminder, though a softer one, that tourism is also about the artisans, handlooms and culture.
