Telangana eyes tourism coupons to draw Hyderabad IT staff out on weekends

The Telangana government is exploring the idea of offering tourism coupons and special travel programmes aimed at Hyderabad's large software workforce, in a bid to draw IT employees out of the city on weekends and spread visitor traffic to lesser-known destinations.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka directed Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao and department officials to hold discussions with the heads of leading IT companies and with tourism project operators on the feasibility of such a scheme. He was speaking at World Tourism Day 2026 celebrations at Shilparamam in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Mr. Bhatti said the State's sizeable IT employee base could be encouraged to tour different parts of Telangana during weekends, which would both promote emerging destinations and open up a fresh domestic tourism market within the State.

The suggestion came alongside a broader push to deploy digital technology, Artificial Intelligence and private capital to build Telangana into a major tourism destination. Noting that this year's World Tourism Day theme focused on reimagining tourism with AI, the Deputy Chief Minister called for wider use of such tools to raise the State's tourism profile internationally and give it a distinct identity on the global tourism map.

Investment target raised

Tourism and Culture Minister Jupally Krishna Rao said the government is now working to attract ₹50,000 crore in tourism investments and create five lakh jobs in the sector. The Telangana Tourism Policy 2025-30 had initially set an investment target of ₹15,000 crore, which was revised upward on the Chief Minister's direction, he said.

The State is also looking to widen its tourism footprint beyond a few well-established destinations by developing 27 Special Tourism Areas identified under the policy.

Tourism Department Special Chief Secretary Vani Prasad said tourism should be treated not just as a service sector but as a development and economic engine that can generate employment at the community level, ranging from tourist guides to large investment projects. She stressed the role of living culture and the arts in shaping Telangana's identity, observing that monuments and structures alone do not define a State's tourism appeal, and that its people and living traditions form a vital part of its heritage.

Telangana Tourism Development Corporation Managing Director P. Gouthami said the State should be promoted as "one State with many experiences", citing its range of offerings — Buddhist tourism, waterfalls, rivers, wellness and medical value tourism, weddings and conventions, film and cinema-related tourism, eco-tourism and adventure activities.

She said the corporation runs restaurants across Telangana and boating facilities at about 99 locations, with plans to expand further. It also operates transport services, tourism packages, fairs and festivals, and sound-and-light shows at destinations. The TGTDC is looking for private partners to modernise its operations, with private players expected to develop new projects, upgrade existing facilities and introduce floating restaurants and houseboats at selected locations, including Somasila, she added.