The new Karnataka Tourism Policy will be ready within a fortnight

Mysore, Aug 17 (UNI) Karnataka Tourism and Information Secretary I M Vittala Murthy today said that a new Tourism Policy will be ready within a 15 days time.

Speaking after inaugurating a two-day National Seminar on Tourism organised by the Mahajan College, Department of Tourism, here he said that the State tourism future looks very bright, what was needed was to create a conducive environment for its development and progress.

The new Tourism Policy was drafted keeping in view the needs to give a boost to the tourism industry. "We need to see big hospitality groups to invest in the state and its tourist destinations." Explaining the salient features of the new policy, he said that the tourism spots in the State have been divided into zones and categories have been created. More incentives have been offered to attract investors in unexplored spots. A few thrust areas have been defined for growth, these are-private public partnership in developmental projects, encouragement of home stays in the state, large exhibition centers, cruise tourism, health tourism and adventure tourism besides golden chariot the luxury tourist train.

These are the big opportunities in Karnataka. This policy, we would provide the necessary push required to take state tourism to a new height.

Various activities have been scheduled to sustain the effort done so far. These include well targeted and more visible advertising, more marketing meets and interactions, trade fair participation both at the domestic and international level and many more. All these need to be sustained over a period of time.

A destination takes close to 10-15 years of sustained efforts.

And Karnataka is no exception. The mere presence of superb products and experiences in themselves would not help in the development of a destination, Karnataka tourism realize that, it was our earnest endeavor to make the State the most desired tourist destination in the country.

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