Karnataka to come out with costal tourism policy; govt invites private firms

Bengaluru, Sep 18 (PTI) The Karnataka government on Thursday announced that it is working on a dedicated "coastal tourism policy" and invited private players to be a partner in its growth story in the sector.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, in his address at a tourism and hospitality conference here, said the state is envisioning coming up with this policy, and projecting its coastal assets on the lines of Kerala and Goa.

Karnataka Tourism Minister H K Patil said the state government has identified 40 strategic nodes for development under the new policy.

"Last month, a meeting was held under the chairmanship of the deputy chief minister to create a clear strategy for coastal tourism in Karnataka," Patil said. He asserted that Karnataka is endowed with a beautiful over 300-km coastline.

"We are going to formulate a new coastal tourism policy, and establish a coastal tourism development board," Patil said as he invited the private sector to invest and set up key properties and resorts as part of the new policy.

The occasion was the 55th annual convention of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Associations of India (FHRAI) in Bengaluru, being held from September 18-20.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was also present on the occasion.

FHRAI is the apex body of the Indian hospitality Industry, representing 60,000 hotels and 5,00,000 restaurants spanning the length and breadth of the vast country, according to its website.

Since its inception in 1955, FHRAI has been working closely with the government and policy-making bodies, playing a seminal role in the growth of the tourism and hospitality sector of India.

The convention's theme is 'Future Scape 2047: Redefining Hospitality for a New Era', and brings together a large number of industry leaders, policymakers, investors, and global experts to deliberate on the future roadmap of India’s hospitality and tourism sector. PTI KND GMS RHL