Date:06/09/2005 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2005/09/06/stories/2005090602061900.htm

Back Karnataka to focus on infrastructure for eco-tourism

Ambar Singh Roy

Kolkata , Sept 5

JUNGLE Lodges & Resorts Ltd, a Karnataka Government undertaking which focuses on providing the infrastructure for the facilitation of wildlife and eco-tourism in the State, is hopeful of recording a 30 per cent growth in revenue in the current fiscal.

In 2004-05, Jungle Lodges & Resorts Ltd (JLR) posted a revenue of Rs 12 crore, according to Mr M. Jain, Commissioner of Tourism, Government of Karnataka.

Speaking to Business Line while on a visit to Kolkata to participate in the Travel & Tourism Fair 2005 being held here currently, Mr Jain said that while the investment on all projects undertaken by JLR was done by the State's tourism department, the operational responsibilities of JLR was left to officers of the forest department who were on deputation to the tourism department.

"This is an unique and successful experiment where officers of the departments of tourism and forests have pooled in their core competencies for the development of tourism in the State," he said.

According to him, Karnataka attracted 1.3 crore domestic tourists and five lakh dollar-paying tourists in 2004-05. In the current fiscal, these figures were expected to go up by about 20 per cent.

At present, a mere three per cent of the State gross domestic product is accounted for by tourism. The idea in the days ahead was to focus on eco-tourism, heritage tourism and wildlife tourism.

The Mahamastakabhisheka Mahotsav - a long-awaited religious event that is held once in 12 years - scheduled to be held during February 8-19, 2006 is expected to attract 30 lakh tourists from India and abroad.

Mr Jain said the State Government had announced a tourism policy in 2003 and it was valid for a period of five years. The focus now was on creation of infrastructure with the active involvement of the private sector.

According to Ms M Sharma, Executive Director of JLR, the State Government entity presently has 12 properties located at various tourist destinations in the State. The idea in the days ahead was to augment the number of properties, possibly with the involvement of private sector partners.