Culinary Diplomacy to Power Brand Telangana at Telangana Tourism Conclave 2025
Hyderabad, September 27, 2025: Telangana took a giant leap in positioning itself as a global culinary and experiential tourism hub with the launch of the Telangana Culinary & Experiential Tourism Accelerator (TCETA) at the Telangana Tourism Conclave 2025, held at Shilparamam on World Tourism Day.
The MoU between Telangana Tourism Development Corporation (TGTDC) and The Culinary Lounge (TCL) was handed over by Chief Minister Shri A. Revanth Reddy, joined by Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao, and Sports Minister Vakiti Srihari, in the presence of senior officials and industry leaders.
About Telangana Culinary & Experiential Tourism Accelerator (TCETA)
What it is: A first-of-its-kind accelerator in India dedicated to culinary and experiential tourism.
Why it matters: Supports Telangana’s vision of increasing tourism’s contribution to SGDP, generating jobs, and enhancing Brand Telangana globally.
How it works: Runs flagship programs RISE and FLY to mentor food entrepreneurs, provide challenge grants, and scale startups in culinary tourism.
Key Initiative: The Culinary & Cultural Passport of Telangana, encouraging travelers to explore all 33 districts through food, crafts, and festivals.
Panel Discussions at the Conclave
The conclave also hosted engaging panel discussions on the future of tourism in Telangana:
Led by Gopi Byluppala, Founder & CEO, The Culinary Lounge, the discussion “Experiencing Telangana – Developing Holistic Tourism Destinations” explored how Telangana’s cuisine can serve as a powerful soft power tool and global identity marker. Hyperlocal champions such as Shobamma and the 10-women Swagruha collective from Karimnagar were showcased as grassroots innovators with global potential.
The panel discussion also featured Poorna Malavath, Indian mountaineer from Telangana, and Prerna Prasad, Founder of Ecoplore .
This session highlighted the importance of integrating adventure, eco-tourism, and local culture into holistic destination experiences.
The conclave concluded with a resounding call: to place Telangana’s cuisine and culture at the heart of its global tourism brand, empower grassroots entrepreneurs, and create unforgettable culinary and cultural journeys for travelers worldwide.