By and large almost all states in the country complain of significant drop of revenue mobilization through tourism due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) has altogether a paradoxical experience during the same challenging period. B Manohar Rao, (FAC) Managing Director of the Telangana State Tourism Development claims that TSTDC continues to do good business despite the onslaught of the pandemic. In a telephonic interview with Hindusthan Samachar, he shared in detail the reasons for such a comfortable position.
Excerpts from the interview:
HS: How is the tourism situation in Telangana following the pandemic situation?
B Manohar Rao: Let me introduce to you. I am B Manohar Rao, Managing Director Telangana StateTourism Development Corporation (TSTDC). I have been working in the same organization from 35 years. Ijoined as an Assistant Manager and have now become in charge Managing Director with the blessings of Honorable Chief Minister. He is very particular to help those who are experienced in the same Department.That’s the reason he elevated and made me as the managing Director. I am very grateful to Chief Minister Sir. Likewise after Telangana came into being Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Sir has made it a norm to elevate experienced people and hard workers in the same field as head of the organizations. The main intention is to help the hardworking Telangana people.
H.S: How is the situation in Hyderabad and Telangana from tourism potential and has the pandemic affected the prospects of business?
B Manohar Rao: From a tourism point of view and based on my experience, Telangana can be said to be the luckiest place and state in the country. Telangana is the centre point of India and thanks to such geographical location anyone reaching Hyderabad in Telangana can easily plan to travel to the South side, North side, West side or East side of the country without any hassles…
…Hyderabad well connected by Railways: It is not only centrally located but well connected. Hyderabad is being well connected not now but since more than 400 years. It is being well connected through railways from Secunderabad, Kacheguda and Nampalli stations established during the British government and Nizam regime…
…Good connectivity by air: Even in flights connectivity, Hyderabad is better connected in comparison toother metropolitan cities due to the location. You have international air connectivity as well. So, whereveryou want to go, whether in India or other countries, you have very good air connectivity from Hyderabad…
…Hyderabad boasts of the best weather: Even from weather point of view, Hyderabad has the best ofweather in comparison to many other places in the country. It is similar like Karnataka and nowadays, it is even better than Karnataka. The temperature is always not more than 45 Degrees and not less than 15 Degrees. So from weather point of view, most of the North Indians and people from the South wishing to reside in a comfortable weather condition prefer to stay in Hyderabad…
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| image source: Times Of India |
…History city in the country: Telangana is also one of the leading states in the software industry. This is a plus point and God gift from the tourism point of view. Even Hyderabad has very good potential for tourism. The city has Charimanar which has a history of 431 years. Throughout the country there are very few locations with rich history and historical monuments while Hyderabad is one among them, apart from states like Rajasthan. If you compare with other countries in Europe and from a historical point of view, they have a history of not more than 150 years only. But Charminar, Golconda Fort and Mecca Masjid in Hyderabad are all important places with rich history and more than 450 years old…
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| image source: Siasat |
…No coastal belt no hindrance: Apart from these places, surrounding Hyderabad there are places like Warrangal which is also a historical place with more than 1,163 years old history and ruled by the Kakatiyas. Though even we don’t have coastal areas in Telangana, but Hyderabad and Telangana aremore developed for irrigation. For irrigation purpose they have made lakes and in and around these lakes our Chief Minister has developed tourism spots. Lake beautification, boating activities have been developed after the formation of Telangana state. These measures have helped us in getting more tourists compared to other states.
H.S: Has Covid-19 pandemic hampered the tourism activities in Telangana state?
B Manohar Rao: Due to Covid we may not be getting international and domestic tourists whereas we are covering the gap with the help of local tourists. People who were restricted to homes due to lockdown measures have started visiting nearby tourist places to refresh themselves. So even during Covid pandemic time, we have not come down in tourism activities nor have we come down in revenue collection. Even in future also Telangana has better prospects in tourism sector…
…Medical Tourism also helping: As mentioned earlier, software industry is growing in a big way in Telangana and the IT professionals have started converting the tourism places into weekend spots. And even in the Medical side also, most of the corporate hospitals with the best of doctors are located in Hyderabad. So, even from the medical point of view many people keep coming to Hyderabad from other states and other countries. These people, after the treatments are choosing to go to the tourist spots. This way, Medical Tourism has also come into practice. These are all advantages for the state of Telangana Tourism.
H.S: So, you mean to say that the pandemic hasn’t affected the tourists’ inflow into Telangana?
B Manohar Rao: Initially, we thought that the pandemic is bound to affect tourism in Telangana. But we are having the lakes which have been basically developed from the point of leisure. Apart from the lakes, we have places like Golconda which have a rich history. This year only we got two international awards(recognitions), Ramappa Temple also known as Rudreshwara Temple, built in the year 1213 and located at 66 kilometers from Warangal has been declared a UNESCO World heritage site. Likewise Pochampally, nearby Hyderabad has been declared as one of the best Tourism villages by the United Nations World Tourism Organization…
…Recognition of hard efforts of Tourism Department: These are all indications of further development of Tourism and dividends to hard efforts of the Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) and the state government in fostering the prospects of tourism in the state…
…Yadagirigutta evolves into a Pilgrimage centre: Apart from these feats our honorable Chief Minister, on the model of Tirumala Temple, has developed and spent a good lot of money for Yadagirigutta. This place has become a hit with the pilgrims and regular tourists have also started making a beeline to this pilgrimage centre, about 60 kilometers from Hyderabad…
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| image source: Indian Eagle |
…Hyderabad Biriyani with a history of 400 years! Even from the food point of view, you get all types of food in Hyderabad. Not only now, Hyderabad Biriyani has a history of more than 400 years, right from the days of Qutub Shahi dynasty period! That way, Hyderabad food is very best and cheap comparative to any surrounding cities like Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai. Even, you get cheaper accommodation, cheaper hotels. That’s why many middle income group people prefer to visit Hyderabad and Telangana for being located centrally. From the language point of view also, even if you visit the villages you can find people interacting with you in Hindi. But the same situation doesn’t exist in the adjoining states. From several considerations like, historic places, tourist sites, cheaper food, accommodation, excellent road, rail and air connectivity are all a boon to Hyderabad and Telangana in emerging a sought after destination.
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| image source: licious |
-Manohar Yadavatti
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