Karnataka Tourism policy expects 10 mega tourism projects in coastal areas in next 5 years

Mangaluru: Dr Rajendra K V, Director of the Department of Tourism said that the Karnataka Tourism Policy 2024-29 expects to develop 20 mega tourism projects including 10 in Coastal areas, in the next five years.

Speaking during coastal Karnataka Tourism workshop in Mangaluru, he said “if not 10, even if we get one major project in a year it will be a great development. Further, the policy envisages development of 40 coastal tourism stretches with multiple integrated coastal tourism zones.

A coastal tourism development board will be set up to plan and guide the investors interested in developing tourism projects in the coast. The Board will also come out with a coastal master plan for development.

Further, he said that Karnataka International Travel Expo will be held in Bengaluru from February 26 to 28, wherein 120 foreign tour operators will take part. He called upon the stakeholders from the coast to take part in the stalls with their tourism products.

Digital infrastructure platform

The Director said the digital infrastructure platform is being developed in Karnataka, to promote tourism spots. It will have details on the tourist destinations, tour operators, nearest hotels, resorts, and beaches. It will help the visitors to curate a plan for the visit of places. If the stakeholders share their tourism products with the department, then it will be incorporated into the platform. Further, an interactive website is also planned.

He is under One-TAC, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to transform the experience and entertainment industry across Tourism, Art, and Culture (TAC) is being built. It will serve as an open and interoperable platform that enhances the discoverability of stakeholders—from local guides and artists to cultural institutions and experience providers—connecting them directly with consumers, he explained.

Further, Dr Rajendra said that a calendar of annual events, festivals of the region will be prepared by including the calendar of Kambala, Bhoothakola, for the tourists to enjoy experiential tourism. ‘Our aim is not to commercialise these festivals and events. But make tourists experience it,” he clarified.

He said that the urban development department has decided to collect non commercial charges for property tax and water tax for the homestays wherein the owner stays in it. It will collect commercial charges for the bed and breakfast facility, wherein owners do not stay in the structure.

Yash Sinha, project manager at KPMG in the department of tourism said the tourism policy aims to showcase Karnataka in atleast 50 global tourism events and will promote adoption and preservation of 1000 heritage monuments. The policy will also monetize 650 acres of land parcels for tourism projects across the state.

The beaches with tourism plans in the approved Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) are Uchila- Batapady (110 metres), Someshwara (1600 metres), Ullal beach (1750 metres), Bengre beach (2100 metres), Tannirbavi (Blue flag beach) (600 metres), Tannirbavi (1300 metres), Panambur (670 metres), Chitrapura (970 metres), Hosabettu (525 metres), Idya (1050 metres), Surathkal (2000 metres) and Sasihthlu (1300 metres).

As many as 25 tourism themes and 44 tourism projects have been identified for support during the tourism policy period.

Tourism department secretary Salma Fahim stressed the need to explore the potential of a 321 km long coastline in the state. The tourism policy aims at balancing tourism focusing on sustainable development.