FTCCI Tourism Committee launches two unique Contests to promote Telangana Tourism

Administered “I Pledge to Promote Telangana Tourism – My State, My Pride!” – A citizen pledge campaign to foster pride, respect, and responsibility towards Telangana’s tourism

Hyderabad, September 27, 2025: The Tourism Committee of the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FTCCI), one of the 23 expert committees of the 108-year-old apex trade body, today announced two first-of-their-kind initiatives to promote and celebrate the tourism potential of Hyderabad and Telangana.

The contests—"FTCCI Tourism Hyderabad Junction Jewels: Photo Contest on Traffic Junction Attractions” and “FTCCI Tourism Weekend Getaways of Hyderabad: Reel Contest”—aim to highlight the unseen, everyday beauty of Hyderabad’s urban icons and the vibrant weekend getaways in and around Hyderabad city, within approximately a 150 km radius.   

These initiatives were launched to mark and celebrate World Tourism Day in a press meet cum stakeholders interaction held at FTCCI in Red Hills on Saturday. 

“I Pledge to Promote Telangana Tourism – My State, My Pride!” – A citizen pledge campaign to foster pride, respect, and responsibility towards Telangana’s tourism was administered. All present on the occasion took the following oath. 

Tourism Pledge I pledge to promote the tourism of Telangana with pride and responsibility. I will respect and protect its heritage, culture, and natural beauty.I will encourage others to explore and celebrate Telangana’s diverse attractions.Together, we will make Telangana a leading tourism destination.

KK Maheshwari, Sr. Vice President, FTCCI; Mr Srinivas Garimella, Vice President, FTCCI; Mr Prakash Ammanbolu, and D. Ramchandram, Chair and Co-Chair of Tourism Committee; Ms Sangeeta, Director, FTCCI; Ms Vishala, Officer, FTCCI; Dr Mani Pavitra, Founder, Creatorverse Studio, participated and spoke at the press conference

Speaking on the occasion, Mr R. Ravi Kumar, President, FTCCI, said: “Hyderabad is not just a historic city; it is a modern hub with vibrant attractions. These contests will encourage citizens to rediscover and showcase our city’s beauty.”

Mr Srinivas Garimella, “Every traffic island and every weekend getaway tells a story. With this contest, we hope to capture those stories through the lens of our citizens and showcase Hyderabad’s vibrant spirit to the world.”

The objective of Hyderabad Junction Jewels – Photo Contest is to showcase Hyderabad’s creative traffic junction attractions—from the Pearl installation near Charminar to fountains, sculptures, statues, and beautification projects that have transformed traffic junctions into cultural landmarks. The contest encourages citizens to pause, capture, and celebrate Hyderabad’s crossroads of art and identity. Every citizen of the city must explore the city before they venture out to explore the state, country and foreign countries, said Prakash Ammanbolu, Chairman of the Tourism Committee. 

The objective of the FTCCI Tourism Weekend Getaways of Hyderabad – Reel Contest says D. Ramchandram, Co Chairman of Tourism Committee is to inspire travellers and storytellers to explore weekend attractions within approximately 150 km of Hyderabad—including lakes, heritage sites, trekking trails, food streets, cultural hubs, dhabas and resorts—and present them in engaging 60 second reels of maximum duration. This contest aims to position Hyderabad as a hub for quick getaways, family outings, and cultural experiences.

Why a Reel Contest for Weekend Getaways?

Many of us living in Hyderabad are not fully aware of the numerous weekend attractions available to us. At the same time, destination promoters—resorts, heritage sites, trekking spots, food and cultural hubs—often struggle to reach the very people who are searching for such getaways.

The Weekend Getaways of Hyderabad – Reel Contest is designed to bridge this gap. By encouraging citizens, travellers, and content creators to capture these experiences in short, engaging reels, the contest will: Showcase lesser-known destinations within 150 km of Hyderabad.  Create authentic, people-driven content that inspires travel and provides visibility to weekend getaway promoters.; Help citizens discover new options for leisure, culture, and adventure. In short, it will open up new avenues for both travellers and destination promoters—making it a true win-win for everyone. We also request destination owners to cooperate with their visitors to take the reels.  The destination owners can also send in their own entries, 

The contest highlights are that both contests are open to all age groups, have no entry fee, and unlimited entries are allowed. There is no entry fee. One can send any number of entries. The last date for entries is November 15, 2025.  The winners will be given away cash prizes in a function to be held on November 22, 20205.  The entries can be sent via email to: micetourism@ftcci.in. Please clearly mention the name of the contest in the subject line.  For more details, please reach out Mr. D. Ramchandram, 9848042020; Ms Vishaka, Tourism Committee, FTCCI – 91210 00199

Special instructions for participants for Hyderabad Junction Jewels (Photo Contest): The entries must be JPEG format, ≤10 MB, with a short write-up on the attraction’s name, location, and speciality, your contact details, such as email, mobile, WhatsApp number, etc The participants may share their stock pics or pics taken freshly.  No plagiarism photos accepted.  

Special instruction for Weekend Getaways Reel Contest: Instagram Reels/MP4, up to 60 seconds. Showcase any tourism spot within 150 km of Hyderabad. The top three each contest will be awarded Rs 10,000/-; Rs 7500/-, and Rs 5000/- in each contest respectively.  Five consolation prizes of Rs 1000/- will be given in each of the two contests.  

The additional guidelines:  Eligibility: Open to all age groups; no entry fee; unlimited entries allowed. Ownership: All submitted photos become the property of FTCCI (with credits given when published/exhibited). Exclusions: FTCCI employees and members of the Tourism Committee are not eligible to participate.  Authenticity: Only original photographs. No pirated or heavily AI-manipulated content. Minimal editing for brightness/contrast allowed.

Winners will be felicitated on November 22, 2025, observed as Father of Tourism Day.

The Winning entries may be showcased in a Photo Exhibition, a Coffee Table Book / Calendar, and on FTCCI & partners’ social media channels with full credits. All the entries submitted in both contests will have the sole ownership rights of the FTCCI Tourism Committee. 

A distinguished jury of eminent photographers, filmmakers, tourism experts, and cultural leaders will evaluate entries based on originality, creativity, technical quality, storytelling, and impact.

Organised by FTCCI Tourism Committee, in association with contest partners GHMC*, Department of Tourism, Government of Telangana*; Creatorverse Studio; Hotels and Restaurants Association of Telangana State (HRATS)*, Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) and SKAL International Hyderabad,(* confirmation awaited) 

Mr Ravi Prabhu, FTCCI Tourism Committee Member and one of the few Indians (and the only Telugu man) to have travelled to all 195 countries, added: “We aim to highlight both the iconic and the hidden gems of Hyderabad and Telangana. Through photography and reels, we want to make tourism more participatory and people-driven.”

Dr Mani Pavitra, Founder of Creatorverse Studio, supporting the Weekend Wonders Reel Contest, said:“Short-form video is today’s most powerful storytelling medium. Through this contest, we want citizens to use reels not just for entertainment, but to spotlight the hidden weekend gems around Hyderabad. This initiative will empower travellers to share authentic experiences and, at the same time, give destination promoters a vibrant digital platform to reach new audiences. It’s about creating content that inspires exploration and makes tourism more accessible, engaging, and people-driven.”

Mr Nagesh Pampati, President of TAAI, supporting both initiatives, said:“These contests will not only showcase Hyderabad’s beauty but also inspire more people to travel and experience Telangana’s diverse tourism offerings.”

FTCCI also invites corporates, civic bodies, and tourism associations to partner and associate with these initiatives, thereby contributing to strengthening Telangana’s image as a dynamic tourism destination.

Media Contact: Solus Media, Mobile: 9848042020

Resorts/Tourism Attractions/Weekend Getaways/Temples/Forts 

1. Ramoji Film City

2. Pragatbhi Resorts

3. Experium

4. Alankritha, Sahmirpet

5. Summer Green Resort – Kompally

6. Aalankrita Resort & Spa – Shamirpet

7. Leonia Holistic Destination – Shamirpet

8. Celebrity Resorts – Shamirpet

9. Pragati Resorts – Chilkur

10. Mrugavani Resort & Spa – Chilkur Wildlife Sanctuary

11. Dream Valley Resorts – Gandipet

12. Button Eyes Resort – Shamirpet area

13. Papyrus Port Resort – Thumkunta, themed on Egyptian architecture

14. Ragala Resort – Vikarabad area

15. Trance Greenfields Resort – Moinabad

16. Alankritha Palm Exotica Resort – Shankarpalli

17. Ananthagiri Hills (Vikarabad, ~90 km) – Forest treks, coffee plantations, Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple.

18. Nagarjuna Sagar (~150 km) – Massive dam, Ethipothala Waterfalls, Nagarjunakonda Museum island.

19. Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary (~120 km) – Scenic reservoir & birdwatching.

20. Singur Dam (~100 km) – Ideal for picnics, boating, and birdwatching.

21. Shamirpet Lake (~30 km) – Tranquil getaway, especially at sunrise/sunset.

22. Moula Ali Hill & Dargah (~10 km) – Panoramic city views.

23. Medak Fort & Medak Cathedral (~100 km) – Historic and architectural marvels.

24. Bidar (Karnataka border) (~140 km) – Bidar Fort, Bahmani Tombs, Gurudwara Nanak Jhira Sahib.

25. Warangal (~145 km) – Thousand Pillar Temple, Ramappa Temple (UNESCO Heritage Site), Warangal Fort, Bhadrakali Temple.

26. Koilkonda Fort (~125 km, Mahbubnagar) – Trekking and history.

27. Gottam Gutta Forests (Zaheerabad belt) – Untouched natural beauty.

28. Srisailam (slightly over 200 km, optional) – Famous Jyotirlinga temple, Srisailam Dam, dense forests.

29. Osman Sagar (Gandipet) & Himayat Sagar – Lakeside escapes.

30. Chilkur Balaji Temple – Known as the "Visa God" temple.

31. Mrugavani National Park – Nature trails close to the city.

32. Keesaragutta Temple (~40 km) – Mythological and spiritual site.

33. Ramoji Film City (~35 km) – World’s largest film studio complex.

34. Nehru Zoological Park & Mir Alam Tank – Popular family outing spot.

35. Shilparamam – Crafts village in the city itself.

36. Deccan Trails—Best Adventure Resort

37. ZarGold Luxury Farm Resort luxury farmhouse retreat offering upscale amenities, gardens, and event venues. ZarGold Luxury Farm

38. Serenity Farms, located about 30 km from Hyderabad, is a villa/farm stay that combines nature with modern comforts. Serenity Farms

39. Stoneyard Farms (Swarnagiri Agro-Tourism / Farmhouse Resort) is an agro-tourism resort cum farmhouse with a swimming pool and related attractions. stoneyardfarmhouse.com

40. Various Farmhouses via FarmHouse Hyderabad / TheFarmStays networkListings in Moinabad, Aziznagar, Chilkur, Bibi Nagar, Chevella, etc. (private farmhouses & farm stays) Farm Houses Hyderabad+1

41. Family Farms (Hyderabad region farm houses), Listings as Pooja Farmhouse, Sunview Farm, Arrows Farm, etc. Family Farms

42. Zoological Park

43. Deer Park

44. Aalankrita Resort & Convention (Thumkunta, Shamirpet area) aalankrita.com

45. Celebrity Resort (Shamirpet vicinity) 

46. Leonia Holistic Destination (near Shamirpet) 

47. Mrugavani Resort & Spa (close to Shamirpet) 

48. Summer Green Resort (Shamirpet area) VenueLook

49. The Hamlet – Luxury Wilderness Resort (on the outskirts, nature-oriented) 

50. Farm Stay Resort – Shamirpet (farmhouse style stay) Booking.com

51. Heaven Gates Resort (listed under resorts in the Shamirpet area) Universal Adventures

52. Pragati Resorts (Chilkuru Balaji Temple Road, Shankarpally Mandal) pragatiresorts.com

53. Palm Exotica Boutique Resort & Spa (Shankarpally / near Chevella) palmexotica. chobs.in+1

54. Lahari Resorts (on Shankarpally / Patancheruvu road area) lahariresorts.com

55. Plus, many smaller resorts listed under Resorts in Shankarpally, Rangareddy in local listings. 

56. Yadagirigutta

57. MAK Club and Resort

58. Collection O Srishailam Highway

59. Serene Resort and Convention

60. Vaaradhi Resort and Farm Villa

61. Holiday Marina

62. Leonia Holistic Destination

63. Hilton Hyderabad Genome Valley Resort & Spa

64. Aranya Resort by Mrugavani

65. Lahari Resorts

66. Tripura Resorts

67. Palm Exotica Resort / Boutique Resort & Spa

68. The Hamlet – Luxury Wilderness Resort

69. Statute of Equity

70. Forts & Historic Fortified Sites

71. Rachakonda Fort~ 60 km from Hyderabad. Ancient ruins, scenic views, quiet trails. 

72. Medak Fort: a historic hilltop fort north of Hyderabad.

73. Warangal FortRich Kakatiya heritage architecture. ~140–150 km range. 

74. Domakonda Fort~105 km from Hyderabad. Blend of Hindu & Islamic architecture. 

75. Khilla Ghanpur FortIn the Mahbubnagar region, ~118 km from Hyderabad. 

76. Koilkonda Fort hill fort is reachable with a short trek; scenic and relatively less frequented. 

77. Gomajipet Fort Ruins restored; ~110 km out. 

78. 🧵 Weaver & Craft Villages / Art & Culture Villages

79. Bhoodan Pochampally / Pochampally Weavers Village (Telangana)~ 40–50 km from Hyderabad. Famous for handloom / Ikat weaving (silk & cotton). GI-tag, heritage weaving cluster. 

80. Shilparamam, Hyderabad crafts village within Hyderabad with folk art, handicraft stalls, a rural museum, and cultural performances. 

Event Ticketing Platform

1. BookMyShow

2. MeraEvents

3. Tickets99.com

 Resorts & Retreats

• Summer Green Resort – Kompally

• Aalankrita Resort & Spa – Shamirpet

• Leonia Holistic Destination – Shamirpet

• Celebrity Resorts – Shamirpet

• Pragati Resorts – Chilkur / Shankarpally Road

• Mrugavani Resort & Spa – Chilkur Wildlife Sanctuary

• Dream Valley Resorts – Gandipet

• Button Eyes Resort – Moinabad belt

• Papyrus Port Resort – Thumkunta (Egyptian theme)

• Palm Exotica Boutique Resort & Spa – Shankarpally

• Lahari Resorts – Patancheru / Shankarpally Road

• The Hamlet – Luxury Wilderness Resort – Shankarpally outskirts

• Tripura Resorts – Shankarpally–Chevella Road

• MAK Club & Resort – Srisailam Highway, Maheshwaram

• Serene Resort & Convention – Peddashapur, Shamshabad

• Vaaradhi Resort & Farm Villa – Shamshabad area

Nature & Adventure

• Ananthagiri Hills (Vikarabad, ~90 km) – Forest treks, coffee plantations

• Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary (~115 km) – Wetlands, birdwatching

• Singur Dam (~100 km) – Boating & birding

• Shamirpet Lake (~30 km) – Serene sunrise/sunset views

• Mrugavani National Park (~25 km) – Nature trails

• Osman Sagar (Gandipet) & Himayat Sagar – Lakeside escapes

• Gottam Gutta Forests (Zaheerabad belt) – Eco-getaway

• Koilkonda Fort (Mahbubnagar, ~125 km) – Historic fort + trek

• Amrabad Tiger Reserve (Nallamala, ~140 km) – Safaris, eco-tourism

• Eturnagaram Wildlife Sanctuary (Mulugu) – Dense forests, trekking

• Pranahita Wildlife Sanctuary (Mancherial) – Riverine forest

Forts & Heritage Trails

• Warangal Fort & Ramappa Temple (UNESCO site, ~145 km)

• Medak Fort & Cathedral (~100 km)

• Rachakonda Fort (~60 km)

• Domakonda Fort (~105 km)

• Khilla Ghanpur Fort (~118 km)

• Koilkonda Fort (~125 km)

• Bhongir Fort (~50 km) – Hill climb fort with sweeping views

• Gomajipet Fort (~110 km)

Craft & Weaving Villages

• Bhoodan Pochampally (Ikat Weaving Village, ~50 km) – UNESCO heritage weaving cluster

• Shilparamam Crafts Village (in Hyderabad) – Arts, crafts, cultural hub

 Botanical Gardens & Parks

• Hyderabad Botanical Gardens (Kondapur / Hitec City) – Themed gardens, greenery

• KBR National Park (Jubilee Hills) – Urban jungle trail

• Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park (Vanasthalipuram) – Deer park, nature trails

• Public Gardens (Bagh-e-Aam) – Historic city park

• NTR Gardens (Hussain Sagar) – Popular lakeside park

 Temples & Spiritual Spots

• Mini Kedarnath (Medchal area) – Replica temple, spiritual retreat

• Uma Maheshwaram Temple – Inside Nallamala forest route

• Keesaragutta Temple (~40 km) – Mythological hilltop shrine

• Chilkur Balaji Temple (Visa Balaji, Gandipet)

• Moula Ali Hill & Dargah (~10 km) – City view + spiritual site

• Bhadrakali Temple (Warangal) – Historic temple

 Culture & Family Attractions

• Ramoji Film City (~35 km) – World’s largest film studio

• Shilparamam (Madhapur & Uppal) – Craft villages inside the city

• Nehru Zoological Park & Mir Alam Tank – Wildlife + family outing

• Charminar Food Streets – Cultural weekend nightlife

• Chowmahalla Palace & Salarjung Museum – Heritage + cultural hubs

Major Temples Within Hyderabad

• Chilkur Balaji Temple (Visa Balaji) – On the banks of Osman Sagar (Gandipet). Famous for “no hundi, no VIP darshan.”

• Birla Mandir – On Naubat Pahad, a white marble temple dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, with panoramic views of Hussain Sagar.

• Jagannath Temple, Banjara Hills – Modern Odisha-style temple dedicated to Lord Jagannath.

• ISKCON Temple, Abids – Radha Govinda Mandir, part of the ISKCON movement.

• Akkanna Madanna Temple, Near Charminar – a 17th-century temple dedicated to Mahankali.

• Kali Kaman & Akkanna Madanna Mahankali Temple – Known for Bonalu celebrations.

Temples Around Hyderabad (30–80 km radius)

• Keesaragutta Temple (~40 km) – Ancient temple of Lord Shiva (Ramalingeshwara Swamy), mythologically linked to Lord Rama.

• Yadadri / Yadagirigutta Temple (~60 km) – Famous Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple, now redeveloped as a massive pilgrimage and tourism hub.

• Mini Kedarnath Temple (Medchal, ~30 km) – A replica temple styled after Kedarnath.

• Rachakonda Shiva Temple (~60 km) – Near Rachakonda Fort, dedicated to Lord Shiva.

• Sri Edupayala Vana Durga Bhavani Temple (Medak, ~60 km) – Temple surrounded by seven streams of the Manjeera river.

Temples in a Wider 100–150 km Radius

• Vemulawada Rajarajeshwara Swamy Temple (~140 km, Karimnagar side) – One of the most famous Shiva temples in Telangana.

• Bhadrachalam Sri Rama Temple (~160+ km, slightly beyond 150 km) – Iconic temple of Lord Rama on the banks of Godavari (if you extend the radius).

• Medak Cathedral & Temples (~100 km) – Medak town has Medak Fort, temples & famous church.

• Warangal Thousand Pillar Temple (~145 km) – Kakatiya-era temple dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Surya.

• Ramappa Temple (~145 km) – UNESCO World Heritage site, masterpiece of Kakatiya temple architecture.

• Koilkonda Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple (~120 km, Mahbubnagar) – Famous temple inside Koilkonda Fort.

• Uma Maheshwaram Temple (~135 km, inside Nallamala forests) – Ancient Shiva temple, one of the Jyotirlinga upa-sthalas connected to Srisailam.