Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Feb 6: Coastal Karnataka boasts of the vast sea on one side and green Western Ghats on the other. This natural bounty is enough to attract tourists but over the years, it can be safely be said that departments have failed to properly utilise the forest, ghat and sea for tourism development although they open up tremendous opportunities.

The government-owned Jungle Lodges and Resorts Company Ltd is planning to base its plans on the natural beauty of the coast. It wants to attract tourists by undertaking projects which help the tourists to stay and enjoy their holidays between Karwar and Talapady coastline. Its plans include setting up of boat houses.

 
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Under instructions from the central and state governments, with permission from the district administration, chairman of the concern, M Appanna, has been conducting spot inspection in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Uttara Kannada districts. He said that the process of selecting the venues would be completed and the government will be approached with a request to undertake further action. He said that the tourists will also be introduced to the rich folklore variety of coastal Karnataka including sports and cultural heritage.

The company currently manages 18 jungle resorts and it also runs four resorts on contract basis. It has five forest camps where adventure sports, nature watch, heritage tourism, safari etc are included. These camps are in Uttara Kannada district and not many in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada.

Appanna says that with the resorts, locals will get job opportunities. He feels that through seven jungle resorts, about four to five thousand people will get direct and indirect employment.