Karnataka Tourism Department wants to tie-up with land owners and investors to boost tourism in the state. For tourism based projects the government would like to make land conversions less cumbersome.
About 150 government owned properties have been identified for investment for boosting tourism. Investors can develop projects ranging from lodging, hotels, amusement parks, amenity centres etc. Loss making KSTDC properties will be auctioned to private players.
Government would like to open up three segments for investors – Hertiage Tourism, Eco Toursim and Coastal Tourism.
1,134 acres of government land spread across 13 districts and 2,365 acres of private land is available for development of tourist infrastructure.
There is a proposal to promote coastal tourism from Mangalore to Karwar. Lately cruise tourism had picked up with about 3000 passengers travelling in 20 vessels in 2007.
Investors will be given an opportunity to develop 30 beaches along the coastline. There is a shortage of 2500 hotel rooms along the coastline. The state has earmkared a 200-acre patch at Bengre for the development of a golf course and a 300-acre plot at Mulki to investors to develop backwater tourism.
Home Stays in Karnataka
A network of home stays will be developed across the state and branded as ‘Atithi’. The home stays will be minimally regulated and will be treated as a non-commercial venture. One could compare it with the “Bed & Breakfast” you see in the western countries.
Heritage Tourism in Karnataka
Hampi , Pattadakal, Aihole , Badami will be given preference for Heritage tourism. Investment in identified lands will be either through long-lease or joint ventures. In Hampi, a 232-acre patch located in close proximity to the heritage site is readily available for a heritage village.
A standardisation and classification program will be undertaken with Diamond Star Mane (for international standard, heritage property) and Gol Star Mane (for international standard, re-created heritage property) and SIlver Star Mane (for quality heritage home).
Culture Tourism in Karnataka
In each district, one heritage building will be identified for setting up a tourism house to showcase and develop the local arts and crafts.
Eco Tourism in Karnataka
An eco tourism zone stretching from Coorg to Karwar will be declared and a chain of nature camps will be established and branded as ‘Jungle Trails’. Eco-tourism would be developed in Chikmangalur, Madikere and Biligiri Ranga Hills besides locations in close proximity of national parks. Various kinds of lands have been identified for promoting eco-tourism
- Revenue woodend lands: Coorg , Mangalore, Chikmangalur
- Coffee estates: Coorg, Hassan, Chikmagalur
- Tea estates: Hassan, Chikmagalur
- Inam lands: Dharwad, Belgaum, Haveri, Uttar Kannada
- Agriculture and Horticulture farms – to set up bio-parks, nature museums, herbal parks, eco-lodges, camping
The PWD has been approached to take care of the last-mile connectivity leading to all tourist destinations. This will
be a big relief to tourists.
Are you a prospective Investor?
The state has formed a single point resource centre to guide investors through Udyog Mintra, along with IDEK and Karnataka Tourism. The state will match investors to lands available at all destinations. The government will short-list investors for specific locations and helpthem identify suitable land. Next, the government will work with the investors during the initial implementation.
Tourism Zones
Karnataka will be divided into four zones
- Zone 1: in BBMP limits (Bangalore city), will be low-priority zone with few tax benefits.
- Zone 2: in BMRDA limits – will have ‘destination projects’
- Zone 3: will include Mysore, Coorg, Hampi , Pattadakal -Badami-Aihole , Bijapur , Bidar and the coastal belt from Ullal to Karwar. This zone will be notified for priority development, in an integrated manner with Integrated Tourism Development plans (ITDM).
- Zone 4: will cover other destinations and wayside facilities on approved locations on highways. This zone will enjoy a range of benefits and tax incentives for a period of upto five years.
Future Plans (as of 2008)
- Three world class exhitibion complexes will be established on outskirts of Bangalore and Mysore.
- Few theme and entertainment parks will be established on the outskirts of Bangalore, Mysore, Coorg and Bijapur .
- Mangalore to be developed as a cruise tourism hub.
- Wayside amenities with cafeteria, toilets, mini-store, pharmacy etc to be established on government land for every 150 km on highways leading to major tourist destinations.
- Eco tourism to be developed with forest department and the zone stretching from Coorg to Karwar to be branded as ‘Jungle Trails’
- Tourism Police Force to be setup for visible policing in key tourism areas.
- 100% exemption on luxury tax, and no conversion fee for tourism facilities coming up in zones 2 to 4 for a period of 5 years.
- Establish a premier tourism training centre – Karnataka Training Institute.
| Government land available for investment | ||
| District | Taluks/Villages | Extent (in acres) |
| Bagalkot | Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal | 34.95 |
| Bellary | Hospet (Kamalapura) | 255.93 |
| Bijapur | Bhutanala, Jhalki cross | 6.33 |
| Chamarajanagar | Gundlupet, Kollegal | 441.9 |
| Chikmagalur | Mudigere, Shringerei | 34 |
| Chitradurga | Huligunda | 13.2 |
| Dakshina Kannada | Mangalore (Surathkal) | 0.39 |
| Davangere | Chennagiri | 10 |
| Hassan | Belur, Sakleshpur | 36.01 |
| Koppal | Yalburga (Itagi) | 2.9 |
| Mysore | T Narsipura | 2 |
| Shimoga | Sagar, Thirthalli, Hosanagar | 281 |
| Udupi | Kundapura, Karkala | 37.24 |
| Total | 1123.25 | |
| Private Lands | ||
| District | No of land owners | Extent (in acres) |
| Kodagu | 14 | 385 |
| Uttara Kannada | 14 | 133 |
| Shimoga | 9 | 95 |
| Chikmagalur | 35 | 943 |
| Hassan | 15 | 164 |
| Mysore | 9 | 113 |
| Mandya | 2 | 15 |
| Chamarajanagar | 7 | 76 |
| Udupi | 7 | 69 |
| Bellary | 2 | 27 |
| Bagalkot | 3 | 32 |
| Bijapur | 1 | 6 |
| Dharwad | 1 | 3 |
| Tumkur | 2 | 109 |
| Kolar | 3 | 37 |
| Bangalore | 4 | 146 |
| Ramanagar | 1 | 12 |
| Total | 129 | 2,365 |