BENGALURU: As a tourist destination, Karnataka lives up to its tagline: One State, Many Worlds. But for snow, the state offers everything that a tourist needs to relax and rejuvenate. Yet, to become the top preferred destination for all travellers, the authorities need to learn a little more about tourism, and adopt some of the best practices from destinations drawing higher footfalls, to improve facilities in the state.
Stakeholders, tour operators, industry experts and tourism officials point out that the Karnataka government needs to watch out for early trends and work fast to catch them, like the Ramayana Circuit, vegetarian and highway tourism.
Karnataka ranks fourth in India in the domestic tourism category, and is at 12 in international tourism. Experts suggest there is a lot of scope for improvement, especially when it comes to basics like wayside facilities and services.
“A 150km trip outside Bengaluru, and the world changes. There are poorly maintained wayside amenities, hotels and restaurants. Simple facilities like washrooms become a concern. The focus of the government is Bengaluru. But this is not the case with states like Tamil Nadu or Kerala,” said Shobhith B, a software professional and avid traveller.
A tourism official likens the situation to too many cooks spoiling the broth, “As per standards, there should be a restroom facility every 60km. Construction of toilets along roads is the task of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Public Works Department (PWD), but the onus of maintaining them is on the property owner or district administration. Approval and funding rests with the finance department. Their construction and maintenance will benefit the tourism sector, which is not happening.”
Karnataka recorded 4.85 lakh international tourist arrivals in 2024, up from 4.01 lakh tourists in 2023. The number of domestic tourists stood at 30.46crore in 2024, compared to 28.35 crore in 2023.
Snatching opportunities
Stakeholders said the government and tourism department are not making the most of opportunities available to them in attracting tourists.
A consultant working with the department, who did not want to be identified, said: “There is overcrowding in Goa. Udhagamandalam (Ooty) is losing out on tourism because of the recent introduction of entry pass.
This can become a golden opportunity for Karnataka to promote its destinations, but the trend was not studied in advance, to compete and improve facilities for this tourist season in places like Karwar, Gokarna, Mangaluru, Talacauvery, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru or Sakleshpur. They continue to be looked at as short-haul weekend getaways.”
The consultant added that the government has been over-promoting Hampi, while Belur, Halebidu, Pattadakal and Aihole, which are also Unesco heritage sites and have a lot of potential, have not been given equal priority.
“Tourists visiting Gokarna and Goa stretch to Hampi and vice-versa. But in case of other sites, there is nothing beyond them to see and do. More so, there are no basic facilities, including tourist security and availability of well-trained guides. This has been well understood by Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and now even Uttar Pradesh. Other states score as all their heritage properties are being given equal importance,” he added.
Consultants have also suggested to officials that instead of travelling overseas, they should travel to other states, especially North India, to learn about opportunities like highway tourism, which is becoming popular across India.
“With many people buying high-end cars and SUVs, and the Central government improving the road network, people now prefer to drive long distances instead of depending on buses or trains. This is a big opportunity Karnataka should immediately tap,” the consultant added.
Affordability and packages
In multiple meetings, stakeholders who study tourist trends pointed out that when domestic tourism is the pulse of Karnataka, it should be made more affordable. But at present, domestic tourism is costly compared to international travel.
“The tourism department, in coordination with hoteliers and experts, should work on designing affordable tourism packages for all categories of travellers. These packages should be dynamic and customised, depending on trends and types of travellers.
Also, the government should only regulate tourism and ease the process of issuing sanctions, permissions and certifications. But due to red tape and multiple restrictions, hoteliers lose interest in offering additional facilities and services to tourists. This is where Karnataka loses out to other states,” said a consultant working with the government.
The government is also concentrating on developing and enhancing infrastructure in select sites like Hampi and Gokarna. Prolonged delays in clearing projects around other promising places like Aihole, Pattadakal, Belur, Halebidu and even Lakkundi, is affecting footfall, said a hotelier.
“Government agencies need to understand that no one travels alone. India, especially Karnataka, is not ready to accept and support solo women travellers. So if a couple or family is travelling, packages should be subsidised and customised to their needs to make tourists happy.
They should understand that more than the government’s marketing, it is word of mouth and feedback from tourists that increases footfall,” added the hotelier, who did not want to be named as he works closely with the government.
Improving domestic tourism
Syama Raju, president, Karnataka Tourism Society, said domestic tourism is picking up in Karnataka, when compared to international travel. There is a lot of scope for improvement, especially in the creation of wayside amenities, first- and last-mile connectivity from airports in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, improved flight connectivity under the Udaan scheme, chain of good hotels and hygiene.
Sundar Singaram, Director - Operations, South Indian Hotels and Restaurants’ Association, said domestic travel has also become costly because of airfare. “Airlines tend to raise fares when they see a rise in bookings. They grasp the trends very fast. Charges further increase depending on availability and quality of facilities at tourist locations,” he said.
“This is where international destinations like Nepal, Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka are scoring. Hotels, tour operators and government agencies should collectively keep a close watch on changing lifestyles and market trends. For example, the thrust this year is on family and religious tourism. Many tourists are now looking for ‘Vegetarian Only’ places.
Stakeholders and government agencies should be flexible to adapt to market changes quickly and design unique packages to catch the crowd. Though the Maha Kumbh mela has ended, people are still going to Prayagraj and continuing to Ram Temple in Ayodhya and Sita Kund in Gaya, Bihar. The trend this season is the Ramayana Circuit, which Karnataka should have tapped,” admitted a tourism department official, not wanting to be named.
S Mahalingaiah, secretary, Karnataka Tourism Society, said Karnataka gets a large number of tourists from Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad and South Chennai who prefer places like Dandeli, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, K Gudi, Bandipur, or temples in Shravanabelagola, Kukke Subramanya, Dharmasthala, Udupi, Murudeshwar, Jain Basadis and Kollur. The biggest competition for Karnataka is from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Goa, Tamil Nadu and now even Hyderabad. Thus a lot of effort is needed to explore the state’s maximum potential.
Fill the gaps
Commenting on gaps in what is planned on paper and what is seen on the ground, a tourism ministry official said, “The problem is not just in Karnataka, but states across India. It is the lack of aggressive marketing and promotion of destinations on international and domestic platforms. All that it is promoted on international platforms is the Taj Mahal, Hampi, Goa, Ranthambore and Gir. On domestic platforms, it is Hampi, Karwar, Murudeshwar, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru and Mysuru.
But there are many more places and private destinations that should be included in the list. The government needs to learn from Italy, Japan or even West Asia, where every year something new is promoted along with older destinations. How a destination is packaged is also important. All international websites have a window where tourist destinations and native language is promoted. This is lacking here.”
S Shanmugham, member, Tourism Committee, Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI), said the government should pay special attention to improve last-mile connectivity from bus stands, railway stations and airports in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities to tourist destinations, hotels and resorts. Dependence on private transport and exploitation is a concern.
Shanmugham added that most of the tourist spots are in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, where infrastructure, affordable hotels and hygiene need to be maintained. These are the basics tourists look for and take back. This will not just help attract more tourists, but also improve the economy and boost employment.
Official speak
Karnataka Tourism Director KV Rajendra said the tourism sector in the state is thriving largely on domestic tourism, which makes up 70-90% of footfalls, depending on the season and occasion.
Addressing concern over the delay in providing facilities in certain locations, he said it is a Catch-22 situation. As tourists point to the need, stakeholders and financiers see no quick returns. Thus the government has taken up the task of constructing three-star hotels which will be operated by Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) in select locations, including Belur, Pattadakal, Aihole and in coastal areas.
“We are also preparing a demand and supply report of each location to undertake development-based infrastructure works,” he said, adding that to close the last-mile connectivity gap, talks are being held with bus operators and hoteliers in most tourist locations.
Rajendra said work is on to improve infrastructure and food and beverage setups along the coast and in North Karnataka.
Talks with NHAI and PWD are being held to improve wayside amenities. A regulatory mechanism is also being worked on for constant checks and feedback.
MANY WORLDS
Preferred destinations: Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Sakleshpur, Hampi, Bandipur and Nagarahole reserves
Potential destination: Belur, Halebidu, Pattadakal, coastal areas spread across 320km
Lesser-known spots: As per state archaeology and tourism departments, there are over 80,000 heritage sites which are barely explored. Apart from Lakkundi and Yana caves, there are 22 lesser-known beach locations, including Pannambur, Kasargod, Kapu and Sasihithlu
TOUGH COMPETITION
A team of consultants and stakeholders has prepared a list of locations which face tough competition with other states, and which need special attention.
Coorg and Mysuru compete with Wayanad and Ooty
Coastal Karnataka competes with Kasargod, Goa and Puducherry
Wildlife tourism destinations compete with Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat
Temple towns compete with those in Tamil Nadu