The National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management (NITHM), jointly promoted by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, and the Government of Telangana under the aegis of the Youth Advancement, Tourism & Culture (YAT&C) Department, organised a tourism conclave on “Destination Telangana – The Road Ahead” at the NITHM campus in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, as the concluding event of the weeklong Tourism Week celebrations under the Government of Telangana’s “Prajalavaddaku Palana” initiative.
The conclave brought together policymakers, tourism experts, hospitality leaders, branding specialists and industry stakeholders to deliberate on Telangana’s tourism potential and opportunities in heritage, experiential, sustainable and domestic tourism.
Inaugurating the conclave, Patel Ramesh Reddy, Chairman, Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TGTDC), described tourism as a powerful engine for economic development, employment generation and youth empowerment. He revealed that Telangana has already attracted Rs 16,000 crore in tourism investments through the PPP model and emphasised the immense potential of village tourism.
Ranjeet Nayak, Director of Tourism, Government of Telangana, spoke on positioning Telangana as a hub for green and sustainable tourism and suggested organising a Mango Festival to promote experiential tourism. Prof. Venkatramana, Director, NITHM, highlighted the institute’s commitment to tourism education, research and industry collaboration.
A major highlight of the conclave was the CEO Panel Discussion on “Destination Telangana – The Road Ahead,” chaired by tourism strategist Tarun Singh Chauhan. Panellists included D. Ramchandram, Co-Chairman, Tourism Committee, FTCCI; Nagesh Pampati, President, TAAI Telangana Chapter; Aditya Deendayal, Executive Director, Alankrita Resort; Abhishek Patawar, CEO, Weddings by Patawar; and Arnab Gupta, General Manager, Taj Deccan.
During the discussion, Tarun Singh Chauhan stressed that successful tourism destinations sell experiences, emotions and identity rather than just locations. D. Ramchandram described Telangana as an under-discovered destination with strong potential in Deccan heritage, spiritual, cultural and experiential tourism. He highlighted the global branding opportunity around the Kohinoor diamond’s Telangana origins and advocated stronger destination branding, tourism circuits and international marketing.
Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao outlined a vision for boosting domestic tourism by encouraging Telangana’s citizens to travel within the state regularly, thereby creating a vibrant year-round tourism economy. He also spoke about “Prabhata Bheri,” the state government’s emerging cultural and tourism awareness initiative.
The conclave concluded with a strong call for collaborative efforts between government, industry, entrepreneurs and communities to position Telangana as one of India’s most distinctive and experience-driven tourism destinations.