The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Sunny days for heritage tourism?

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Saturday, Mar 01, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Sunny days for heritage tourism?

Staff Reporter

Promoting heritage: The tax holiday will boost tourism in Pattadkal and its adjoining areas.

BANGALORE: Tourism industry around the archaeologically rich sites in north Karnataka is likely to get a major boost following the tax holiday declared for the hotel industry in districts having UNESCO-declared World Heritage Sites (WHS). The concessions extended to hospitality industry will encourage investments in Bagalkot and Bellary districts, which boast of Pattadakal and Hampi respectively, the two world heritage sites in Karnataka.

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has announced a five-year holiday from income tax for two, three and four-star hotels established in specified districts which have UNESCO-declared WHS. The hotel should be constructed and start functioning during April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2013. There are 26 UNESCO declared WHS in India, of which two are in Karnataka.

The announcement is not only expected to boost tourism industry in Pattadkal and Hampi, but also other great archaeological sites of Badami, Aihole, Bidar and Bijapur. Incidentally, Aihole and Badami, which are also in Bagalkot district, have been proposed to be brought under the WHS.

The State Government is also proposing to seek the WHS tag for the entire range of Western Ghats running through the State.

Principal Secretary Tourism I.M. Vittalmurthy told The Hindu that the tax holiday will boost tourism in Hampi and Pattadkal along with the adjoining areas. “At a time when we are wooing investors into the State, this proposal will help attracting more investors.”

“Though we receive around a million tourists at Hampi every year, there is an acute shortage of rooms in Hampi. A lot of people are not coming because there are no facilities in Hampi, which is witnessing an acute shortage of rooms,” he added. Development of hospitality industry in Bagalkot and Bellary districts, he said, would have a cascading effect on Bijapur and Bidar districts that also have innumerable heritage and historical sites.

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