3 months ago
1
Telangana’s spot arsenic a tourism destination lies not successful competing with India’s established practice circuits but successful leveraging its lived culture, nutrient traditions, markets and community-driven experiences, said Anita Mendiratta, Special Advisor to the Secretary-General astatine United Nations (UN) Tourism. Speaking to The Hindu during her sojourn to Hyderabad, she said the State has the accidental to presumption itself arsenic a value-adding destination that complements existing question itineraries portion offering visitors thing chiseled and experiential.
You person spent the a fewer days successful Telangana. What bash you spot arsenic the State’s cardinal tourism assets?
What stands retired is that Telangana offers experiences that are antithetic from what astir radical subordinate with India. People travel to India for the Golden Triangle (New Delhi, Agra, Jaipur). That is the introduction constituent but the accidental present is to promote them to widen their journeys. Food, markets, crafts, jewellery, mundane civilization and the mode radical unrecorded are existent assets. It is astir saying, you person seen this, present travel and acquisition that.
How tin Hyderabad and Telangana usage these assets effectively?
By complementing what already exists alternatively than competing with it. You bash not effort to replicate what others are doing. If travellers are already coming to spot the Taj Mahal oregon Kerala, however bash you adhd Hyderabad to that travel successful a meaningful way? That is wherever Telangana tin bash precise well, by offering experiences that consciousness authentic and participatory.
You mentioned experience-led tourism. Why is that important for Telangana?
Because acquisition is wherever differentiation lies. I precocious took portion successful a culinary acquisition successful Hyderabad that focused connected the past of biryani, its transportation to antithetic civilisations and the mode it is prepared. I person been eating biryani each my life, but this was different. Cooking together, sharing stories and knowing the taste roots made the acquisition richer. The eating astir became secondary. That is wherever Telangana’s spot lies.
How tin tourism assistance section communities successful Telangana?
Tourism should beryllium a instrumentality to elevate communities. When you absorption connected food, markets, section chefs, artisans and neighbourhood experiences, you are creating economical opportunities astatine the grassroots level. That is acold much sustainable than tourism that benefits lone ample hotels oregon operators. The assets already exist. The absorption should beryllium connected connecting them thoughtfully.
Telangana is besides keen connected aesculapian tourism. How does that acceptable into the asset-based approach?
Medical tourism is simply a wide spectrum. On 1 end, it includes wellness experiences, and connected the other, analyzable aesculapian procedures. Telangana and India request to beryllium precise cautious with connection and positioning. India is beardown successful tertiary attraction and accepted medicine. That is an asset. It does not request to vie with countries that specialise successful cosmetic procedures. It is astir making wide choices and gathering astir them.
What astir branding. Should States rebrand themselves to item these assets?
Changing a nationalist marque is highly expensive. Everyone knows Incredible India. The smarter attack is to bring that marque to life. Ask what is unthinkable astir Telangana and Hyderabad and magnify those elements. Food, people, markets and experiences acceptable precise people wrong that framework.
How bash young travellers presumption destinations similar Telangana today?
Young travellers privation to cognize wherever their wealth is going and however it impacts section communities. Experiences specified arsenic buying successful section markets, learning to navigator determination nutrient and spending much clip successful 1 spot make affectional connections. Telangana’s assets align precise good with these expectations.
