Govt out to buff up special tourism areas across State
Hyderabad: The Telangana government has introduced a new tourism policy under which nine special tourism areas will be developed in the state. As a part of promoting fairs and festivals, the Bathukamma festival will be promoted across the world.
During the discussion on ‘Telangana State tourism policy’ in the Assembly, the Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao informed that Special Tourism Areas (STAs) across the State will be developed on mission mode. Currently, 27 STAs have been identified across the State. Based on the maximum tourist potential, the initial focus shall be on nine STAs, including Vikarabad, Somasila–Nallamala, Ramappa, Kaleshwaram, Nagarjuna Sagar, Bhadrachalam, Warangal, the Tribal Circuit, and Charminar. “The BRS regime has completely neglected the key sector like tourism in the past ten years. They failed to realise how crucial the sector was for generating employment for youth and creating employment opportunities. In the next four and a half years, under the leadership of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, we shall be transforming Telangana into a global tourism destination. Tourism shall be a key area for revenue generation for the State in the coming days,” asserted the Minister.
He informed that a separate project unit will be established in the tourism or culture department for the promotion of fairs and festivals. The ‘women-based Bathukamma festival’ will be extensively promoted across the world as a unique State festival. Apart from this, Medaram Jathara will be promoted on par with Kumbh Mela.
Considering the demand-supply gap in the travel and tourism sector, it is proposed to offer skill development for an adequate number of people in the next five years. “The State tourism policy aims to provide the much-needed boost to the tourism sector through a mix of incentives and policy frameworks that will encourage creating the right eco-system for improved investments,” said the Minister.
Jupally emphasised that the policy will promote sustainable tourism practices that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By integrating green initiatives and incentivising eco-friendly practice, the policy prioritises environmental conservation, resource efficiency, and waste minimisation across the tourism sector and upholds the Social, Environmental, and Governance (SESG) principles. “The policy fosters responsible tourism that empowers local communities, provides a spin to the rural economy, safeguards cultural heritage, and fuels long-term economic prosperity,” the Minister added.