The State saw an increase of nearly 57 percent in the number of foreign visitors from January to June in 2010, as compared to the same period during 2009. Yet, the number of overseas travellers at 1,63,400 in 2010, is much less than the 2008 figure of 2,50,543 (January to June).
The year 2008 saw 5,20,041 foreign tourists visiting the State, whereas 2009 saw 2,29,847 tourists from abroad coming to the State. The figures for Indian tourists also saw a similar trend in 2009. The entire data for 2010 will be available only after February 2011.
Officials at the Department of Tourism are optimistic that by the end of December, which attracts more number of tourists, the numbers would have crossed the five lakh mark, the average number of tourists that the State receives annually.
"The department has taken many promotional steps, within the country and outside, to attract tourists to the State," said K Viswanatha Reddy, Director of the Department of Tourism. “We have covered (in promotional drives) the major part of Europe. Next year, we plan to visit the USA," he said. As much as 60 to 70 percent of foreign tourists to Karnataka come from the USA, United Kingdom, France and Germany.
A ten-member delegation of hotel/resort owners and tour operators, led by Minister for Tourism K Janardhana Reddy, visited Zurich, Brussels, Paris, Frankfurt and London in December, in a bid to promote Karnataka culture and tourism. Similar promotional campaigns were held in 11 important cities of India.
"We are satisfied with the kind of response we received in Europe," said the director. "Along with the tourists, we can also get investors to come. They want to invest in theme parks, amusement parks and the hospitality sector."
Luring tourists
The Department of Tourism has listed many ambitious projects to lure visitors. The tourism ministry has identified 100 tourist spots in the State for the investors to purchase five acres of agriculture land for constructing resorts, hotels and other tourism-related facilities near these places. The investors will get a three-year VAT exemption and financial assistance at an interest rate of 10 percent.
The department is also developing two 'mega circuit' tourism spots in Shimoga and Chikkaballapur, at an estimated cost of Rs 50 crore each. Under the mega circuit project, tourist spots in and around the selected places will be developed.
Heritage tourism
Heritage tourism, that Karnataka is famous for, has received the highest importance in the budgetary allotment for 2010. An amount of Rs 83 crore has been allotted for the development of the world-renowned Hampi, apart from Rs 50 crore that was allotted for the theme park there. The department is planning to start the ‘Hampi by night’ and ‘roam around Hampi’ facilities on battery-driven vehicles. Hampi receives the second highest number of foreign visitors every year. Mysore is in the first place.
The Pattadakallu, Badami and Aihole circuits will receive Rs 124 crore for development and maintenance. Other important tourism spots such as Nandi Hills will be developed at a cost of Rs 14 crore and Kemmannugundi will receive a package of Rs 50 crore.
The hotel sector has seen a real turnaround in 2010 compared to the previous year. There has been an increase of 50 to 80 percent in the number of overseas visitors.
"Till March (2011), almost all rooms are booked," said Bhagavan, Property Manager of Vijayashree Heritage Village at Hospet, near Hampi. "There has been a 200 percent increase in the number of foreign visitors compared to 2009," he said.
However, P S Swaroop Kumar, Supervisor of Amanvana, Kushalnagar, said that there was not much change in the number of tourists visiting compared to the previous year. "We had similar business last year," Kumar said.