Govt scouts for private players to manage KSTDC hotels

The Karnataka government is exploring the possibility of running some of the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) hotels on a revenue-sharing basis with private players, Tourism Minister Anand Singh said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters in Bangalore, Singh said the KSTDC had leased out 31 hotels across the state and was running 25 hotels on its own. Most of the KSTDC hotels operate under the brand name Mayura.

The move to open up government-run hotels to the private sector would help improve infrastructure besides ushering in efficiency, he said.

Singh said a survey of the condition and facilities available in all the KSTDC hotels had been taken up and those hotels which need improvement would be offered to private players for development.

“We are keen on running some of the hotels on a revenue-sharing model. The modalities will be worked out soon. We plan to have our first meeting after October 10,” he said. There are some hurdles that need to be cleared. For instance, some of the hotels are built on properties owned by other departments. 

The tourism department would sort out the issue by holding discussions with the departments concerned, he said.  Earlier, Singh and Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri launched a guide and a series of brochures on eco-tourism in the picturesque Uttara Kannada district.

Kageri, who is also in charge of Uttara Kannada, said the district was endowed with the Western Ghat mountain ranges, tropical forest and coastal region making it a tourists’ delight.

The guide and brochures provide information on the several waterfalls, beaches, ecological and historical places. Kageri said Hora, a non-governmental organisation based in Sirsi, had brought out the guide and brochures. Hora has also launched a programme to promote eco-tourism in the district and attract tourists.

Besides awareness drives, the organisation has been conducting workshops among local residents to create awareness on the job opportunities that could be created by tapping the tourism potential in the district, Kageri added. The brochures will be available for free at regional tourism centres across the State, he said.