Hyderabad OWC 2013

The capital of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, is the fifth largest metropolis of India, known for its rich history and culture with monuments, mosques, temples, a rich and varied heritage in arts, crafts and dance. The city is over 400 years old and is noted for its natural beauty, mosques and minarets, bazaars and bridges, hills and lakes. It is perched on the top of the Deccan Plateau, 1,776 feet above sea level, sprawls over an area of 260 square kilometres and is home to more than 6 million people. A multitude of influences have shaped the character of the city. Its palaces and buildings, houses and tenements, gardens and streets have a history and an architectural individuality of their own, which makes Hyderabad a city of enchantment. Modern-day Hyderabad comprises the tri-cities of Hyderabad, Cyberabad (the cyber city located to its west) and Secunderabad.

Hyderabad had a humble beginning in a mud fortress built by the Kakatiyas of Warangal on the hill of Golconda, in the 11th century AD. In the 14th century, Golconda went to the Bahamani kings. From the 15th century onwards, and till the time the province of Hyderabad was surrendered to the British Empire, Hyderabad was under the rule of different Muslim kingdoms, the Qutab Shahi kings, King Aurangzeb’s empire and Nizam II of the Asaf Jahi kingdom. The city was brought into the Indian union after the country’s independence and, in 1956, it became the capital of Andhra Pradesh.

The strong influence of Muslim culture and civilisation is visible in the city’s many beautiful mosques, minarets and gardens. The city is also famous for its Hyderabadi cuisine, popularised under the rule of Nizam II, its handicrafts and textiles, and its gems and jewellery, especially pearls.

Hyderabad exemplifies progressive and committed governance, with the successive state governments demonstrating successful public and private partnerships in a variety of sectors. HITEC City, HITEX, Genome Valley, ICICI Knowledge Park, the Hyderabad International Convention Centre, a state-of-the-art International Airport, and the Outer Ring Road demonstrate the state’s commitment to create world-class infrastructure. The city’s success in attracting the best companies from across the world is testimony to the arrival of Hyderabad as an important destination for technology. This has positioned Hyderabad as amongst the stronger MICE destinations in India.

Industries: Cotton and silk textiles, cigarettes, paper, pottery, glassware, information technology and IT enabled services, pharmaceutical, biotech, silicon manufacturing

The new international airport, about 20 minutes drive from HICC is operating since March 2008 with an initial per annum capacity of 10 million passengers. 9 Domestic and 15 international airlines already fly into Hyderabad direct including Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Air Asia, Thai Airways, Indian, Jet Airways-Qantas Airlines, Saudi Airways, Etihad Airways, Malaysian Airlines, British Airlines, US carriers such as American Airlines, and Asian carriers such as JAL, Korean Airways, Cathay Pacific Airlines are scheduled for market entry in 2013. Hyderabad’s international Airport with 4-10 hour flying time connectivity to most Asian & European cities respectively provides excellent platform for increased delegate numbers. Indian Time zone of 3-4 hours differential further enables travel ease with same day flying times which further enables participation and connectivity in easy reach. Hyderabad growth domestically has been because of its 1-2 flying time and central location countrywide.

In terms of cost, India is positioned well from airlines as its geographic positioning is 8-10 hours from the heart of Europe and is only about 4-5 hours away from the heart of Asia/Middle East. This effectively means one can travel and arrive same day from most destinations across the world, bringing down the opportunity cost. The city, being in the heart of the country, is within a maximum of 2 hours flying time from any major Indian city.