Telangana plans to take golf beyond Hyderabad to boost tourism, says Jupally Krishna Rao

The Telangana government plans to take golf beyond Hyderabad and use the sport as a mechanism to promote tourism across the State, said Tourism and Culture Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Saturday.

Speaking at the announcement of the 12th edition of the Telangana Golconda Masters, a DP World Professional Golf Tour of India (DP World PGTI) event at the Hyderabad Golf Club, Mr. Rao said golf could help Telangana attract international tourists while also generating direct and indirect employment. “We have to promote golf, not just confine it to Hyderabad. We have to take it across the State. It is not just about promoting golf; it promotes tourism also. We can attract international tourists,” he said.

Mr. Rao added that the Tourism Department was willing to spend on promoting golf along with other sports and stressed the need to develop tourism destinations beyond Hyderabad.

He referred to destinations around the Krishna river, Somasila, forest and hill regions and other heritage sites as having potential for tourism development. He said the government would look at promoting more such destinations.

The golf tour will go on from September 1 to 4, will feature 132 golfers and carry a prize purse of Rs 1 crore. Also present at the announcement was PGTI president and former India cricket captain Kapil Dev. Mr. Dev backed the idea of positioning India as a golf tourism destination and said Hyderabad had a facility that deserved greater recognition.

He also praised the Hyderabad Golf Association for improving the course over the years and said the venue could play an important role in promoting Hyderabad and Telangana as golf tourism destinations.