Telangana Tourism convened a strategic roundtable bringing together senior representatives from government and industry to deliberate on the institutional framework, governance structure, and long-term vision for the proposed Telangana State Medical Tourism Society (TGMTS). The consultation also examined a comprehensive roadmap for establishing an integrated Medical Value Tourism (MVT) hub in Hyderabad, positioning the state to emerge as a leading global destination for structured and coordinated medical tourism.
The first session focused on industry expectations from TGMTS as the proposed central coordinating body for medical value tourism in Telangana. Stakeholders discussed their envisioned role in stakeholder alignment, facilitation, governance, and long-term sectoral coordination. Participants highlighted Hyderabad’s competitive strengths, including strong clinical outcomes, advanced healthcare infrastructure, cost advantages, and a seamless healthcare–hospitality–aviation ecosystem, which together position the city to capture a larger share of the global medical tourism market.
Key recommendations emphasised establishing the Society as a unified platform to drive policy advocacy, global branding, international outreach, ethical self-regulation, and cohesive industry representation. Participants proposed a comprehensive framework incorporating transparent grievance-redressal mechanisms, targeted familiarisation programmes for international delegates, and a formal licensing system for facilitators to ensure ethical practices, credibility, and consistent patient experiences.
The second session involved detailed deliberations on a proposed integrated MVT hub in Hyderabad, envisioned as one of five national hubs announced in the Union Budget. The proposal outlines a greenfield medical city to be developed under a public-private partnership model, integrating hospitals, wellness providers, ayurveda institutes, medical colleges, research centres, and tourism facilitation services. A detailed recommendation paper will be prepared following stakeholder consultations.
India’s medical value travel sector continues to expand under the national Heal in India initiative, with industry estimates projecting the market to reach USD 20.4 billion by 2026 and USD 25–28 billion by 2030, driven by rising global demand, improved visa facilitation, and integrated care delivery.
While Delhi and Chennai have traditionally led the sector, Hyderabad has consistently ranked among India’s top three destinations and now aims to assume a leadership position through the proposed TGMTS. International patient inflows to the city have more than doubled over the past decade, supported by over 50 hospitals accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers and Joint Commission International, approximately 12,000 hospital beds, robust tertiary-care capabilities, competitive accommodation options, a well-developed tourism ecosystem, and strong global connectivity via Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, which handles more than 31 million passengers annually.
Chairperson of the roundtable, V. Kranthi, Managing Director, Telangana Tourism Development Corporation, stated, “Hyderabad stands institutionally and operationally ready to scale as a globally trusted medical value tourism destination. With our integrated healthcare-hospitality-aviation ecosystem and clinical excellence, we are poised to lead as one of India’s five Regional Medical Value Tourism Hubs under the Union Budget 2026 vision.”
Moderator of the discussion, Shaaz Mehmood, Industry Expert and Founder, Medijourn, added, “Hyderabad’s advanced infrastructure, cost competitiveness, and integrated ecosystem make it ideally positioned as one of India’s five Regional Medical Value Tourism Hubs. The proposed Telangana Medical Tourism Society will be at the forefront of policy advocacy and enable joint international outreach.”
The roundtable marks a significant step toward formalising Telangana’s medical tourism ecosystem through institutional coordination, strategic planning, and global positioning.