Dakshina Kannada district admin plans for night tourism initiatives

MANGALURU: The Dakshina Kannada district administration is contemplating starting night tourism activities soon. Speaking at the World Tourism Day celebrations, and laying the foundation stone for the Blue Flag beach works at the Tannirbhavi Beach on Tuesday, deputy commissioner K V Rajendra said the administration is considering launching night tourism initiatives, keeping in mind the sentiments of locals, and by giving prominence to safety and security.
The DC said the tender process for the ecotourism project and setting up of Jungle Lodges and Resorts, in 28 acres of deemed forest area in Sasihithlu, is on.
The DC said the district has several opportunities to promote tourism. While beach tourism is important, the district can also expand tourism activities through temple tourism, Western Ghats, rivers and forests. In this regard, the district tourism committee is planning the development of Sasihithlu, Surathkal, Panambur, Someshwara and Ullal beaches.
The tenders for developing Panambur Beach as per the PPP model, have already been called. Panambur Beach will be taken up as a model project, based on which other beaches will be developed. “A meeting with district minister Sunil Kumar and MLAs will be held in the coming week, to discuss organising Karavali Utsav, aimed at promoting tourism in the district,” Rajendra said.
MLA Y Bharath Shetty said the district will be developed as a prominent tourism hub, and in this regard Blue Flag beach works are being taken up. Action is being taken to develop ‘kudrus’(islands). He said they will again request the Union government to consider the development of Iddya Beach into a Blue Flag beach. Earlier, the district administration had sent a proposal to develop two beaches.