Hyderabad, Jan 21: In a major push to unlock Hyderabad’s untapped Weekend Tourism economy and position Telangana as a leading short-haul travel hub, the Tourism Committee of the Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FTCCI), some time ago, announced the “Tourism Weekend Getaways of Hyderabad” Reels Contest. Now the time to participate in the contest is extended up to February 15, 2026.
Though we have received quite a good response, we still want to reach out to more people for increased, quality and widespread participation so that the Weekend Tourism Sector as a whole tend to benefit, shared Prakash Ammanabolu and D. Ramchandram, Chair and Co-chair of Tourism Committee of FTCCI.
As a run upto the contest, Tourism Committee organised a Half-Day Conference on Building Weekend Economy, Bootcamp in Tourism Reel Making to encourage more and quality participation in the contest.
The initiative, driven by the 108-year-old apex trade body, is being organised in collaboration with the Tourism Department, Government of Telangana, GHMC and NITHM, making it one of the most significant citizen-driven tourism promotion campaigns in the state.
The Tourism Committee, after studying the Tourism Promotion of various Tourism bodies, both government and private, and after hundreds of interactions with the industry, found that Reels are the most honest form of Tourism Promotion. Earlier, only governments promoted tourism. Today, every traveller is a tourism ambassador. And it chose Weekend Tourism as the biggest opportunity yet never paid attention to. It also found the city, within a 150 kms radius, has over 500 Weekend Tourism Destinations or spots.
An estimated 5–7 lakh weekend leisure trips take place annually—families, corporates, students, schools, weddings, and travellers. Based on conservative estimates:
Telangana’s weekend tourism economy is valued between ₹3,000 crore and ₹8,000 crore annually,
with significant potential for expansion under the new Tourism Policy—excluding the fast-growing trend of destination weddings. For simplified communication, we can safely say the size of this market is ₹5,000+ crore and growing.
In light of this background, the Tourism Committee aims to focus on reels as a medium to make Telangana’s Weekend Tourism the focal point of any tourism discussions. It chose Reels as a medium as it is simple and has the potential to go viral.
At a time when digital discovery determines travel choices, this contest aims to transform everyday travellers into tourism ambassadors and create a powerful digital library showcasing destinations within 150 km of Hyderabad. The initiative is expected to boost weekend tourism, support local destination operators, and drive economic activity across rural and semi-urban Telangana.
The contest is open to travellers, families, students, influencers and content creators, inviting engaging reels of up to 60 seconds featuring lakes, forts, heritage towns, trekking routes, temples, food hubs, dhabas, eco-parks, resorts and cultural spaces around Hyderabad.
The Tourism Committee is also exploring the possibilities of studying the market potential with the help of Market Research firms and commissioning a survey.
Hyderabad has hundreds of incredible weekend getaway options, yet many citizens remain unaware of them, while destination owners struggle to reach their audiences,” said D. Ramchandram, Co-Chairman, FTCCI Tourism Committee. “This contest bridges that gap by generating authentic, people-driven content that inspires travel. We are creating a digital movement where citizens themselves become storytellers of Telangana’s tourism potential.”
Short-form video has become the primary inspiration point for today’s travellers. Instagram Reels and similar platforms now influence destination choices more than traditional brochures or advertisements. A single viral reel can showcase a hidden waterfall, heritage fort or food hub to millions within hours, creating instant visibility for destinations that otherwise lack marketing budgets. Reels offer immersive, emotional storytelling — allowing viewers to virtually experience a place before visiting. By encouraging user-generated reels, FTCCI is building a sustainable, low-cost digital tourism ecosystem where real travellers shape real travel decisions.
The contest seeks to spotlight lesser-known destinations, promote local tourism entrepreneurs and encourage citizens to explore Telangana’s rich leisure, cultural and adventure offerings. The competition is open to all age groups, carries no entry fee, and allows unlimited entries. The last date for submissions is February 15, 2026. Entries must be emailed to micetourism@ftcci.in, clearly mentioning the contest name in the subject line.
Participants must submit Instagram Reels or MP4 videos up to 60 seconds featuring destinations within 150 km of Hyderabad. Destination owners are also encouraged to participate.
Attractive cash prizes will be awarded: ₹10,000 (First Prize), ₹7,500 (Second Prize), ₹5,000 (Third Prize) and five consolation prizes of ₹1,000 each, thanks to Creator Werse. All shortlisted entries will become part of the FTCCI Tourism Committee’s digital archive and may be featured in exhibitions, a coffee table book, a calendar and on FTCCI and partner social media platforms with full credits.
A distinguished jury comprising eminent photographers, filmmakers, tourism experts and cultural leaders will evaluate entries on originality, creativity, technical quality, storytelling and overall impact. FTCCI employees and Tourism Committee members are not eligible to participate.
