Date:16/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/16/stories/2008111661230800.htm

Karnataka

Global slowdown hits tourist flow to Karnataka

Sharath S. Srivatsa

BANGALORE: Tourist inflow into Karnataka has plummeted, leaving the industry in dire straits.

The number of tourists visiting Karnataka fell by 70 per cent during the first seven months of the year, compared to last year. About 64 lakh tourists visited the State between January and July 2008 as against 2.1 crore during the corresponding period in 2007. A little over 73,500 foreign tourists visited the State between January and July 2008. Over 2.41 lakh foreigners visited the State during the same period in 2007, according to figures compiled by the Tourism Department.

“The global slowdown has affected the inflow of tourists to Karnataka, and we are planning new programmes to attract tourists,” Tourism Director K. Vishwanatha Reddy told The Hindu.

Karnataka received over 3.82 crore tourists in 2007, of which about 5.34 lakh were foreign nationals.