Jupally exhorts NRIs to become Telangana tourism ambassadors

Hyderabad: Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao has called upon Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) to partner in promoting Telangana’s tourism by introducing the state’s destinations to their friends and colleagues abroad and encouraging them to visit Telangana.

The minister also invited the American Telugu Association (ATA) and NRI groups to adopt tourist destinations and heritage sites in the state and contribute to their conservation, restoration and development.

Addressing the 19th American Telugu Association (ATA) conference at the Baltimore Convention Center in the United States, the minister said the Telugu diaspora could play an important role in taking Telangana’s tourism potential to a wider global audience.

Referring to the state’s tourism potential, the minister said the government was committed to showcasing Telangana’s heritage, culture, history and natural attractions to the world and sought the active participation of the Telugu diaspora in this endeavour.

The minister said efforts would be made to establish an NRI Bhavan in Hyderabad at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore to provide multiple services to visiting NRIs under one roof. The proposed facility, he said, would serve as a coordination and facilitation centre for the overseas Telugu community.

Appreciating the contribution of the Telugu diaspora, the minister said Telugu people, who had settled abroad, had made significant contributions in the fields of education, technology, business and entrepreneurship while continuing to preserve and promote the Telugu language, literature, arts, culture and traditions.

The minister also cautioned against extravagant expenditure on weddings and other family functions in pursuit of social status, saying such practices were pushing many families into debt.

He advised people to spend according to their means and cultivate the habit of saving.