Mangaluru: In a move to boost tourism in Mangaluru, especially with the summer vacations around, a special package city tour bus has been flagged off by Minister for Tourism R V Deshpande at Pilikula Nisargadhama on Sunday.
Speaking on the occasion he said that Pilikula should attract people from all over the world and everyone has to work in this direction.
“There is no dearth of funds for development of tourism in Dakshina Kannada. Indian tourism department’s contribution to GDP is only 6.1%, where as in small countries like Singapore and Maldives tourism contribution is nearly 14-15%. For the development of tourism in Karnataka we have to improve in terms of cleanliness, security and basic facilities,” he said.
He said that while 175 home guards are trained and deputed at various tourist places, an additional 250 home guards will be trained soon.
He further said that tourism is the only department which keeps on creating jobs, even for the illiterate.
Adoption of tourist destinations by corporate under CSR is going on and plans are on to train local youth in English and French languages so that they can work as guides, he said.
“The Deputy Commissioner had asked me for fund to develop five major beaches in Mangaluru that is Ullal, Surathkal, Panambur, Tannirbhavi and Mulki beach and accordingly I have directed the officials to sanction Rs 13 crore at the earliest,” he continued
Sports and Fisheries Department Minister Abhayachandra Jain, MP Naleen Kumar Kateel, MLA Mohiuddin Bawa, Deputy Commissioner AB Ibrahim and others were present.
KSTDC city tour bus is charges Rs 190 per person. City tour would start from the tourism department office at MCC complex, Lalbagh at 8am and end at 7pm, covering places of religious and tourism importance such as Sri Gokarnanateshwara Temple at Kudroli, Sri Manjunathaswammi temple, Kadri, Sri Mangaladevi temple, St Aloysius College chapel, Pilikula Nisargadhama, Tree Park at Tannirbhavi, and Panambur beach before returning to Lalbagh. The tourists will get a luncheon break at Pilikula Nisargadhama.
