Interview: Telangana to focus on growth of medical, film and wedding tourism, says TTDC MD Valluru Kranthi

Hyderabad: The recently concluded Hot Air Balloon and Drone Festival in Hyderabad has successfully made the city ‘a happening’ place for many locals and visitors. The excitement generated from these events had youngsters flocking in good numbers to witness the event.

With the tourism sector working on new concepts to attract tourists, NewsMeter spoke to Managing Director of Telangana Tourism Development Corporation Limited (TGTDC), Valluru Kranthi, IAS, who explained the focus areas in developing tourism include MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), medical, film and wedding destinations along with custom made tourism packages for national and international travellers.

Telangana tourism will include activities for local travellers, such as weekend getaways, which are going to be promoted with the inclusion of 370 archaeological sites and 400 potential tourism sites.

Here are some excerpts from the interview:

NewsMeter: The Hot Air Balloon Festival created a buzz about Telangana in many circles. What led to its addition to the annual festival at Parade Grounds?

Valluru Kranthi: This year, we expanded our regular programme of International Kite and Sweet Festival to include hot air balloons and drones. The goal is to showcase Hyderabad’s capability to host large-scale international events and to promote the ‘Hyderabad brand’ as a premier national and global tourist destination. We have received a good response this year.

The Kite Festival had professional kite flyers from 18 countries and over 40 national flyers—about 100 professionals in total. Lakhs of people visited the Parade Grounds, not just to watch but to fly their own kites. Simultaneously, we held the sweet festival where women from states like Punjab, UP, Gujarat and Nagaland displayed local delicacies. We also featured cultural programs showcasing classical and folk dances from Telangana and across India.

NewsMeter: The Hot Air Balloon Festival was a major highlight and created a buzz in the city. How was the programme executed and received?

Valluru Kranthi: We brought in 18 balloons from countries like the UK, France, Macedonia, Spain and Belgium, as well as from Jaipur. All pilots were internationally licensed, and the balloons were certified by the DGCA.

We held two sessions: morning horizontal flights that landed near Himayat Sagar and Gandipet, and evening ‘tethered’ flights for the public. Due to limited capacity, we sold around 450 tickets on BookMyShow. The response was overwhelming; people were thrilled to have an experience in Hyderabad that usually requires travelling to places like Jaipur and Turkey.

NM: From now on, will the hot air balloon festival be a regular feature of the event?

Valluru Kranthi: Yes, we plan to make it a regular addition to the existing festival. We are even exploring permanent setups in areas like Ananthagiri Hills or the outskirts of Hyderabad. People have enquired even after the festival got over as to when it happen again.

NM: What was the objective for the drone festival?

Valluru Kranthi: We want to encourage the drone ecosystem in India. We hosted professional drone racing and drone soccer games involving university students to inspire them. This event, on January 16 and 17, witnessed a lot of students, drone enthusiasts and others participating in the event.

NM: Hyderabad is known for its heritage sites like Charminar and Golconda, where tourists come regularly. Do you find that people are looking for new experiences beyond these famous places?

Valluru Kranthi: Hyderabad heritage sites draw people to the city. What we have found is that Telangana is a land of hidden gems. The recent competition of 100 weekend destinations of Telangana has shown a lot of sites and places which can be explored.

We have put together 370 archaeological sites and 400 potential tourism sites in the state. These are to be compiled in a ‘coffee table book’ as there are many unexplored sites. Along NH 44, there are many sites where locals and visitors can come for trips for two to three days.

NM: What is the core idea of the new 2025 Tourism Policy?

Valluru Kranthi: We have identified 27 Special Tourism Areas to be developed through a master plan approach. Instead of just a day trip, we want to provide 10–15 activities per site to encourage 2–3 day stays. For example, at Somasila, we want to move beyond just the riverfront resort and include trekking, safaris, fishing and visits to the ancient Jataprolu temples. We are opening these up to Public-Private Partnerships for gamping, adventure sports and caravan parks.

NM: How is the Tourism Department planning to promote these new destinations?

Valluru Kranthi: We have hired a professional agency—the same one that branded Kerala as ‘God’s Own Country.’ We have a one-year marketing plan covering social media, print, airports and metros. We are also engaging tour operators through a Tour Operators Conclave and attending international trade shows like World Travel Mart in London to showcase our culinary, cultural and heritage assets.

NM: What was the leverage gained by Telangana in hosting the Miss World event?

Valluru Kranthi: It was a huge boost for our MICE tourism. It proved we can host major international events. We are using testimonials from the contestants, like Miss Thailand (Opal Suchata), to promote Telangana in their home countries.

NM: For international tourists, language can be a barrier. How are you planning to bridge this challenge?

Valluru Kranthi: We are using our college, NITHM, to train guides as professional language interpreters. While our guides are proficient in English and Hindi, we are specifically training them in Southeast Asian languages for sites like Budhavanam to cater to Buddhist tourists. It is a work in progress, but we are committed to improving the visitor experience.

NM: Is there a specific target or timeline you have set for these goals?

Valluru Kranthi: We are currently working on four ‘new-age’ tourism products. These include:

1. MICE Tourism: Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions.

2. Medical Tourism: We are planning to form a Medical Tourism Society to market Hyderabad as a preferred international hub.

3. Film Tourism: Leveraging Hyderabad’s infrastructure, studios and natural landscapes like forests and water bodies to attract filmmakers from across India and surrounding countries.

4. Wedding Destinations: Developing areas like Ananthagiri Hills and Nagarjuna Sagar specifically for destination weddings.

Additionally, we are introducing Custom Tourism. Unlike fixed packages, we will allow tourists to customise their entire itinerary—from specific destinations and private hotel preferences (3, 4 or 5-star) to specific types of transport. We expect these initiatives to take off within the next six months to a year.

NM: Tour operators are the first point of contact. Are they undergoing training sessions regarding these new developments?

Valluru Kranthi: We engage with tour operators regularly. We hold conference-style meetings to understand tourist issues and update them on new destinations so they can effectively promote them.

NM: What about sustainable tourism? How do you ensure development doesn’t spoil these locations?

Valluru Kranthi: Sustainability is a core aspect of our master plan.

We are assessing the ‘carrying capacity’ of each destination to prevent overcrowding. In fragile ecosystems near forests or green landscapes, all construction must be eco-friendly and avoid concrete structures or plastic-heavy materials. This policy is designed for 10 to 15 years, keeping long-term initiatives in mind for Telangana.