Hot Air Balloon Festival takes off near Golconda Fort
Hyderabad: The Hot Air Balloon Festival was launched in a grand manner near the historic Golconda Fort at the Golf Club premises on Friday, adding a new attraction to Telangana’s expanding tourism calendar.
Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao formally inaugurated the festival and later undertook a hot air balloon ride as part of the opening celebrations. The Minister spent nearly one-and-a-half hour in the air, covering a distance of about 13 kilometres. The ride began near the Golconda Golf Club and concluded at the outskirts of Appajiguda, offering sweeping aerial views of Hyderabad and its surrounding landscapes.
Describing the experience as ‘truly memorable’, Krishna Rao said the initiative marked a new chapter in the State’s tourism journey. Highlighting Telangana’s dual focus on heritage and innovation, the Minister said that while the International Kite and Sweet Festival reflects the State’s rich culture, traditions and hospitality, events such as the Hot Air Balloon and Drone Festivals showcase modern technology and a future-oriented vision. He noted that this convergence of culture and technology was key to positioning Telangana as a contemporary tourism destination.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to strengthening the ‘Destination Telangana’ brand, Rao said the focus was on taking the State’s natural beauty and historical legacy to a global audience. Adventure tourism initiatives, he added, would play a significant role in attracting both domestic and international tourists by offering immersive and experiential travel opportunities.
The Minister said the State’s new tourism policy was aimed to accelerate growth in the sector by attracting private investment and promoting public-private partnerships to develop world-class infrastructure and quality services. These efforts, he said, would also generate employment and sustainable livelihood opportunities for local youth.
“The balloons rising into the sky today symbolise Telangana tourism reaching new global heights,” Krishna Rao said, expressing confidence that such initiatives would help place the State among the country’s leading tourism destinations. Inviting families, youth and children to take part in the festival, the Minister said the event was designed to offer lasting memories for visitors and encouraged the public to actively participate in the celebrations.
With the hot air balloon festival underway, citizens rushed to booking sites, only to find tickets sold out
•The hot air balloon was launched at the Golf Course near Golkonda Fort. Tickets were priced between Rs 2,000 and Rs 3,000. Many residents in areas near Tolichowki and surrounding localities were surprised to see the balloons flying over their homes. In the evening, the balloons offered rides at the Parade Grounds
•Netizens turned to the booking sites to enjoy the hot air balloon rides, but tickets were unavailable. A popular booking site displayed a ‘sold out’ message on its website. Instagram user Pavan Kumar said, “I tried to book the tickets in the morning, but they were sold out within two minutes.” Several others were also seen enquiring about ticket availability.
