'Tourism trade facilitation act on anvil'

Karnataka government is mulling to enact a tourism and trade facilitation act and also establish an infrastructure corporation to give a boost to the sector, Tourism Minister R V Deshpande said.. After a review meeting with officials of the department, he said the proposed act, which would be binding on all government departments, would bring all tourism-related activities under one roof. Tourism activities have been affected as different departments held conflicting views on promotion initiatives in the past, he pointed out.

"We are also thinking of establishing Karnataka Tourism Infrastructure Limited," Deshpande said stressing that the thrust of the department would be on building infrastructure facilities and human resources. The government would approach the Centre to give relaxations on Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) regulations, similar to that granted to Goa and Kerala, he said. Such relaxations would give an impetus to beach tourism in Karnataka, which has a 320 km coast-line, the minister said adding, "Goa is saturated. They (tourists) want to come out of Goa."

The Government is also considering a proposal to set up a Tourism Board, he added.


Stake-holders would be included in Tourism Councils in districts, which hitherto consisted of only officials and people's representatives, Deshpande said. Hotel management institutions would be set up in the state, while courses in tourism is also planned to be introduced, said Deshpande, who also holds the Higher Education portfolio.