Tourism Revamp: INR 15,000 Cr Investment Goal
Telangana has hit the ground running with its recently unveiled first-ever dedicated tourism policy, ‘Telangana Tourism Policy 2025-2030’. The state is setting its sights high, aiming to attract INR 15,000 crore in investments and create three lakh jobs in the next five years. A key goal of the policy is to position Telangana among the top five states for domestic and international tourist arrivals while boosting tourism's contribution to the state’s economy to over 10 percent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
The policy underscores the private sector’s role in driving tourism infrastructure forward and seeks to instill investor confidence through proactive policy measures and an administrative framework. Safety takes center stage, with plans for dedicated tourist police-units/patrols, CCTV surveillance at key sites, and a Tourism Friendly Index (TFI) to measure safety standards. Women-friendly initiatives will also ensure that female travelers feel secure and welcome.
In an innovative move, the Government plans to develop world-class shopping hubs along the upcoming Regional Ring Road (RRR). These hubs will cater to niche markets, from wedding shopping and gold souks to furniture and household goods. Year-round shopping festivals are also on the cards, promising to make Telangana a shopper’s paradise. To incentivize investments, the state will reimburse Net State GST based on the project’s size and location. Despite a decline in domestic tourist arrivals to 3.51 percent of India’s total in 2022, Telangana recorded 60.75 million domestic and 68,400 foreign arrivals. With this ambitious policy, the state aims to regain its competitive edge and transform into a leading tourism destination.