BENGALURU: To attract more tourists, the tourism department will launch a sports and adventure tourism initiative in the state.
After holding a meeting with officials of the department, Tourism Minister KJ George said the ‘Active Karnataka - Run, Ride, Surf, Explore’ initiative will be launched as part of World Tourism Day on September 29.
He said the initiative is aimed at giving major sporting events in the state a tourism touch to attract more tourists and help improve the local economy. The initiative will be launched in phases. As part of the initiative, the department will enter into an agreement with NEB Sports for marathon, cyclothon and triathlon events.
In the first phase, the department will organise marathons, cycling, triathlons and other endurance events. For this, the department will chalk out 2-3 days’ events for tourists. This will include accommodation, local cuisine, heritage, culture and other tourism experiences around sporting events held in Bengaluru, Mysuru, the coastal region and other places.
In the second phase, surfing, kayaking, trail running, cycling and other adventure activities will be organised.
Tourism secretary Ram Prasath Manohar said the objective is to link every major sporting event with its destination experience. The department’s aim is to position Karnataka as a leading destination for sports and adventure tourism, the officials said.
