BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said with a budget of Rs 1,350 crore, the state tourism policy will help in attracting around Rs 8,000 crore as direct investment and generate employment opportunities to 1.5 lakh people.
With the recently released tourism policy 2024-29, the state government has laid the foundation for growth, innovation and responsible tourism. “In the last two years, the government allocated Rs 440 crore towards infrastructure and human resource development in Karnataka’s tourism sector,” Siddaramaiah said.
He added that the policy provides attractive incentives for hotels, resorts, wayside amenities, wellness retreats, adventure sports and cruise tourism. “I encourage investors to come forward with their proposals that our government will help facilitate,” Siddaramaiah said at the inauguration of the second edition of the two- day Karnataka International Travel Expo (KITE)- 2025, in the city.
Siddaramaiah pointed out that the state recognises the potential tourism sector has in driving the economy. Thus, to make Karnataka a premier destination, the government is investing in infrastructure development, skill development, sustainable tourism initiatives and leveraging technology-driven solutions to make the tourism sector better accessible and customer-friendly, he said.
The CM also used the platform to woo stakeholders and buyers, saying around 14,000 B2B meetings will be held at KITE, which will foster direct engagement between buyers and sellers, ensure Karnataka’s tourism businesses connect with the world’s leading travel companies. “I assure investors that the Government of Karnataka is committed to providing all necessary support, incentives and ease of business mechanisms to help tourism flourish,” he said.
Tourism Minister HK Patil said around 90 international buyers, 230 domestic buyers, 36 countries and 25 states and Union territories are participating in KITE 2025, along with over 100 stakeholders from Karnataka.