Telangana getting ready as a paradise for tourists
Telangana is home to crores of jewels. Deccan plateau is home to natural beauty, natural water resources, tatakas, hills, peaks, forts and spiritual places. The tourism sector of Telangana region, which has so many diverse places, has been neglected under the joint rule. With the formation of a separate state, Telangana tourism sector is getting new opportunities. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who has complete understanding of Telangana's history, culture, traditions, natural resources and development, is shaping Telangana as a tourism destination.
Government has constituted Telangana Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) as a nodal agency to develop, promote and promote the state's tourism sector. This organization has created 54 green tourism hotels and way side facilities across the state. Developing facilities in areas suitable for tourism, 31 tourism buses and 120 boats are running. Sound and light shows are organized at Golconda and Warangal forts. Stories of these forts are presented dramatically in English, Hindi and Telugu languages with voices, music and light effects.
With the facilities provided by the government, the interest of national tourists towards Telangana has increased. Domestic tourism has grown significantly. About 63 crore 51 lakh domestic tourists visited Telangana from 2014 to July, 2022; 13 lakh 50 thousand foreign tourists visited the tourist areas of Telangana.
The Corporation is entrusted to develop tourist infrastructure such as hotels, resorts, boats/cruises, wayside amenities, restaurants, suspension bridges, glow gardens & musical fountains etc. for overall development of tourism across the State. It is also undertakes the operations of package tours, boating and adventure activities to enhance the visitor experience. Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) has developed a chain of hotels, resorts, wayside amenities and restaurants offering quality accommodation and hygienic food as a process of developing hospitality for tourists at prominent tourist destinations spread across the State.
The Corporation operates leisure-based cruises and water sport boats, steel vessels, mechanized boats, pontoon boats, deluxe boats, speed boats, jet skis, leisure boats and pedal boats at various lakes and rivers in Telangana. Sound & light shows at historical Golconda Fort at Hyderabad and Warangal Fort have been the major attraction in recent times. These shows have recorded narrations of the history of forts in English, Hindi & Telugu languages with dramatic rendition of voices, music, sound, and light effects. Telangana state government focused on state festivals Bathukamma and Bonalu. Regional and local festivals such as Kakatiya Festival, Samakka Saralamma Jatara etc are also organised to showcase the rich and diverse cultural heritage of Telangana with focus on arts, crafts, and cuisine of the state.
Apart from the major developments in state tourism, some of the developments are in construction. Some of them are budget hotels at Mahaboobnagar, Siricilla and Asifabad, Karim Nagar, Kothagudem; digital clock and dinosaur park in Siddipet; Mini-Shilparamam at Mahaboobnagar and etc.
The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has sanctioned an amount of Rs. 96.89 Cr for "Development of Heritage Circuit: Qutub Shahi Heritage Park-Paigah tombs - Hayath Bakshi Mosque - Raymond's tomb Telangana State" sanctioned during the year 2017-18 under State & Central schemes. Telangana State received National Tourism Awards for the year 2018-19 on 27th September, 2022 at New Delhi in 'Best State / Union Territory' and 'Best Tourism Friendly Golf Course.' Recently, our corporation participated in World Travel Market (WTM) held from 7th to 9th November, 2022 at London.