Speaker U.T. Khader urged the State government to develop a coastal tourism circuit by promoting tourism in the coastal parts of the State.
Intervening during Question Hour, Mr. Khader asked Tourism Minister H.K. Patil to convene a meeting of various authorities from Ports and Environment and Forests governing the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) to come up with a comprehensive plan to develop the coastal tourism circuit in Karnataka.
He said many tourists arrive in Karnataka from different parts and proceed to either Kerala or Goa for coastal tourism, overlooking the coastline in Karnataka.
Mr. Khader’s suggestion came when Mr. Patil was answering a question from Umanath Kotian who sought to know development works taken up at sightseeing and tourist destinations in coastal Karnataka, while pointing out that there was an opportunity to promote surfing at Sasihithlu beach in Dakshina Kannada district.
Earlier, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashok pointed out that Karnataka was endowed with a long coastline and there was ample scope for promotion of adventure sports.
He wondered why youth from Karnataka should go to places like Sri Lanka or Maldives for adventure sports when Karnataka’s coastline stretched upto 300 km. He called upon Mr. Patil to take up tourism promotion projects under public-private partnership (PPP) model that does not entail government investment.
Mr. Patil said the government, under its Tourism Policy 2020-26, was encouraging private investment in 26 tourism products, including adventure tourism, agriculture tourism, entertainment park, caravan tourism, cultural tourism, environmental tourism etc.
Meanwhile, responding to a question from Narendraswamy P.M. representing Malavalli Assembly segment in Mandya, Mr. Patil said the government was awaiting the technical and financial viability report for installing a cable car at Gaganachukki in Shivanasamudra.
He said the Tourism Department had proposed to develop Shivanasamudra, Antharavalli, Mutthatti, and Chikkamutthatti as tourism destinations in Malavalli taluk.
