The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Mesmerising monsoon draws tourists

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Tuesday, Jul 01, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Mesmerising monsoon draws tourists

Sharath S. Srivatsa

Tourism Department proposes packages for Kodagu

Home-stay units recorded full occupancy during monsoon last year
11 lakh tourists visited Kodagu last year

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

BEST SEASON: The Lakshmana-Thirtha cascades down the Brahmagiri Hills at Irpu near Kutta in South Kodagu in this file picture, providing a magnificent sight during the rainy season.

BANGALORE: Traditionally, the onset of monsoon in Karnataka brings the tourism industry in Kodagu to a grinding halt with people preferring to keep away from the region.

With the Kannada blockbuster Mungaru Male bringing into focus the romance of the rains, most hotels and home-stay units recorded full occupancy during the last monsoon in Kodagu as well as Chikmagalur districts.

Now, the Tourism Department is all set to tap into the travellers’ new found love for rains. It is starting monsoon tourism packages for tourists to the State.

Tourism Director C. Somashekar told The Hindu that the department is planning to include all the stakeholders — home-stay operators, travel houses and hoteliers — in promoting monsoon tourism in Kodagu.

“In fact, we have received enquiries from many Gulf countries about the possibility of monsoon tourism as heavy rains were a novelty to the Arabs.”

With air carriers from Gulf countries planning to increase their frequencies to Bangalore after the inauguration of Bengaluru International Airport, the number of tourists from these countries was expected to go up.

Mr. Somashekar said Kodagu’s culture, heritage, food habits and beauty spots were being promoted by the department. With eco-tourism catching up with travellers, the inflow of tourists had seen a sharp rise, he added.

According to Mr. Subbaiah, who owns Green Haven Hotel, “monsoon is a dull period for the industry in Kodagu. Things have changed since last year and we are hoping that this year will see a repeat of last year.”

He said: “Kodagu, with good waterfalls like Abbey and Iruppu, Nagarahole National Park, pilgrim centres such as Talacauvery and Bhagamandala, the Tibetan settlement and monastery in Kushalanagar offers a good package for tourists who are looking at a four-day trip.” As many as 11 lakh people visited Kodagu in 2007.

The tourism in Kodagu had been doing well in the recent times as tourists from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and other places had been visiting the place, he added.

Home-stay

The Tourism Department had started surveying and certifying the home-stay units in Kodagu and Chikamagalur districts that had become popular among the tourists in the absence of adequate number of hotels.

“So far, the department has finalised and issued certificates to 194 home-stay units, and many more have evinced interest in getting certified,” Mr. Somashekar said.

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