21 package tours for spiritually inclined to be launched under Puneetha Yatra

After focussing on adventure and leisure tourism, the government is planning to promote religious trips to boost tourism in the state. Soon, the tourism department will launch 21 special package tours under Puneetha Yatra to cater to religious tourists.

Puneetha Yatra will cover religious institutions and deity-based and destinations. “For instance, we offer Bengaluru Detour. This exclusively does not have religious places on the itinerary, but it does not ignore them also. Puneetha Yatra will combine everything,” Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge told DH. “The department wants to showcase as many destinations as possible. In a week or so, Puneetha Yatra will be launched,” he said, dismissing suggestions that the religious circuit is planned with an eye on the vote bank.

The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) already offers nine religious circuits. “We are adding 12 more like Basavanna circuit, Jain circuit, Buddhist circuit and religion-based special temple tours. Some will cover the whole of north Karnataka, some south Karnataka. Some will include religious places in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Kerala,” said a KSTDC official.

The official said these circuits will be different from the ones already promoted by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation. “Under our plan, people will travel by bus and halt at night at various KSTDC or private hotels. These tours will be offered at special concessional rates and VIP passes will be made available for tourists to the shrines. The ticket rates are yet to be finalised,” the official said.