2,500+ Years
Of continuous history and heritage.
Tourism & Hospitality
Forts, temples, a living film industry and a reservoir-and-forest hinterland, the state’s first tourism policy in a decade sets a target of $1.7 billion in new tourism investment over five years, turning 2,500 years of heritage into hotels, resorts and experiences at scale.
A 2,500-year story, ready for its next chapter
Tourism not only moves the world but also creates 1 in every 4 new jobs globally and contributes 10.4% of global GDP. India’s tourism sector, despite its scale, contributes only 5%, less than half the global average and that gap is Telangana’s opportunity.
Telangana carries more than 2,500 years of history with forts, monuments and temples, lakes and rocky landscapes, wildlife, and a mix of communities, festivals, art and cuisine found nowhere else. The state’s multiple tourism spots are a major attraction among domestic and foreign tourists.
In 2025 alone, Telangana recorded 84.9 million domestic tourist visits and 171,000 foreign tourist arrivals, a sharp jump from where the state stood just a few years ago. However, despite its share of India’s domestic arrivals at 3.51% – which places it in 9th position among Indian states – Telangana hasn’t really turned this into tourism at scale.
But that changes now. The Telangana Tourism Policy 2025-30, the state’s first tourism policy, sets out to make Telangana “India’s Most Preferred Destination” that blends spiritual, heritage, cultural, adventure and eco-tourism with community benefit. Telangana has now set clear targets – $1.7 billion in new investment and 300,000 new jobs over five years, a place among India’s top five states for tourist arrivals, and a tourism sector worth 10% or more of the state’s GDP.
The Telangana Edge
$1.7 Billion
New tourism investment targeted over 5 years.
300,000+ Jobs
New jobs targeted over 5 years.
27 Special Tourism Areas
Identified across the state, 9 of them under priority development.
15,000+ Rooms
New hotel rooms needed to meet demand.
Ramoji Film City
The world’s biggest film city.
Telangana on the global stage
The momentum is already showing up in the numbers, more than 170,000 foreign tourists, a sharp jump from just a few years ago. Some of it made headlines well beyond India.
Miss World 2025
Telangana hosted the pageant’s 72nd edition in May 2025, bringing 108 contestants from five continents to the state.
Two Guinness World Records
Bathukamma celebrations in September 2025 set records for the largest floral arrangement, at 19.44 metres, and the largest synchronised performance, with 1,354 women taking part.
Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara
Held 28–31 January 2026, the festival drew pilgrims from across the country and gave a real lift to the local economy around it.
Key Advantages
Industry Presence
Ramoji Film City, the world’s biggest film city, Kanha Shanti Vanam, and Hyderabad’s HICC and HITEX venues already draw a huge number of visitors. However, what’s missing is room inventory as Hyderabad has 7,785 branded hotel rooms, against 16,687 in Bengaluru and 9,611 in Chennai. Now, that gap alone is a case for investment.
Talent and Skilling
The sector employs an estimated 500,000+ people, outside the film industry with much of the workforce coming from Odisha, West Bengal and Jharkhand, which points to a gap in local talent. The Tourism Policy responds with skill development aimed at closing that gap, with a strong push to bring more women into the workforce, delivered through Hub & Spoke skilling centres run with private partners.
27 Special Tourism Areas
27 Special Tourism Areas have been identified across the state. Nine carry the initial focus, chosen for their tourist potential; the remaining eighteen, including Yadagirigutta, Basara, Vemulawada, Golconda Monuments, Pochampally and the Buddhist Circuit, follow behind.
- Vikarabad & Somasila-Nallamala
- Ramappa & Warangal
- Nagarjuna Sagar & Bhadrachalam
- The Tribal Circuit
- The Charminar area
Institutional Backing
A State Tourism Promotion Board, chaired by the Chief Minister, and an Empowered Committee, chaired by the Tourism Minister, drive implementation. Dedicated boards are planned for Medical Tourism, State Heritage and Eco Tourism, with a legal framework of vetted model contracts, empanelled PPP legal experts and a Land Monitoring Cell backing projects through to completion.
Ready Infrastructure
Rajiv Gandhi International Airport becomes the focal point, with iconic projects planned within a 1–2 hour drive.
- Dry ports along the upcoming Regional Ring Road, linked to Machilipatnam Port construction and building-material retail alongside business tourism, including wedding shopping, gold souks and outlet malls
- Mega retail malls planned at ORR exit points on a PPP basis
- Jetties, launch stations, water sports and houseboats on the Godavari and Krishna, with river festivals modelled on Venice’s water carnival
- Urban lakes developed as weekend getaways with adventure activities and local retail
Building for Safety
Dedicated tourist police units and patrols at key destinations, women-friendly measures for female travellers, and a Tourism Friendly Index to track safety standards across destinations make the city and the State safe and prominent tourist destinations.
Why Investors Choose Telangana
- An open market — Telangana leads in film and medical tourism, but has real headroom to grow MICE business and compete for the facilities it currently lacks.
- An airport built for it — RGIA is one of India’s best-connected, with real headroom to grow MICE, film and medical tourism.
- A government ready to move — the state’s first tourism policy in over a decade, backed by dedicated boards, legal support and single-window clearances.
Investment Opportunities
From luxury hospitality to eco-tourism, wellness, heritage and experiential tourism, Telangana offers a diverse pipeline of investment opportunities across Hyderabad and emerging tourism destinations.
Hotels & Resorts
Luxury, upper-upscale, business and leisure hotels
- Luxury hotels
- Upper-upscale hotels
- Business hotels
- Leisure hotels
Eco-Tourism & Jungle Lodges
Forest, wildlife, nature-based resorts and interpretation centres
- Forest & wildlife resorts
- Nature-based resorts
- Interpretation centres
Heritage Tourism
Heritage hotels, adaptive reuse & cultural experiences
- Heritage hotels
- Adaptive reuse
- Cultural experiences
Wellness Tourism
Wellness resorts, retreats & holistic experiences
- Wellness resorts
- Retreats
- Holistic experiences
Film Tourism
Film studios, visitor attractions & destination experiences
- Film studios
- Visitor attractions
- Destination experiences
Adventure Tourism
Adventure parks, water sports, trekking & outdoor recreation
- Adventure parks
- Water sports
- Trekking
- Outdoor recreation
River & Lake Tourism
Jetties, cruises, houseboats, water recreation
- Jetties
- Cruises
- Houseboats
- Water recreation
MICE & Convention Tourism
Convention centres, hotels & event infrastructure
- Convention centres
- Hotels
- Event infrastructure
Incentives for investors
Seven ways the Tourism Policy puts money and momentum behind a project, from first rupee to first guest.
25%of project cost (excluding land), capped at $28,000
Capital Investment Subsidy
The Tourism Policy 2025–30 gives a subsidy of 25% of the cost of building an eligible project, not counting the land, up to a maximum of $28,000. It applies to projects in rural Telangana and Special Tourism Areas; some project types, such as adventure tourism, caravan parks and houseboats, have their own limits.
SGST Reimbursement
50% of net State GST paid back for five years.
Land Cost Relief
50% reimbursement of land conversion and registration charges.
Power & Property Tax
Concessions for projects in rural areas and Special Tourism Areas, for up to five years.
Case-by-Case Incentives
For projects in Special Tourism Areas and Iconic Projects.
Green Tourism Support
Extra support for investors building and operating sustainable, responsible tourism assets.
Faster Approvals
Relationship managers for iconic and mega projects, a single window portal, and a dedicated investment facilitation cell.
Key Companies
Planning a tourism or hospitality project? Start here
One point of contact, from first enquiry to groundbreaking.