Bengaluru, July 6 (IANS) The Karnataka government will hold a high-level consultation workshop at Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, on Tuesday to identify and finalise the first set of tourist destinations to be developed to global standards as part of its vision to position the state as a leading international tourism destination.

Addressing the media here on Monday ahead of the workshop, Tourism Minister K.J. George said that the consultation marks a significant milestone in Karnataka’s efforts to build a world-class tourism ecosystem.

As part of its ambitious plan to transform Karnataka into a globally competitive tourism hub, the state government will convene a state-level high-level consultative workshop on “Developing Global Standard Tourist Destinations” at Hampi on July 7, he said.

“By bringing together the government, industry, investors and tourism experts on a common platform, we aim to formulate a clear roadmap for developing globally competitive tourist destinations. The decisions taken during this workshop will shape the future growth of Karnataka’s tourism sector over the next decade and strengthen the state’s position on the global tourism map,” he said.

The workshop will be chaired by George and attended by Union Joint Secretary, Tourism, Suvashish Das, state Tourism Secretary Trilok Chandra, Tourism Commissioner Dr V. Ram Prasath Manohar, senior officials of the Tourism Department, representatives of the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC), Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR), tourism investors, hospitality industry leaders, tourism experts and other key stakeholders.

The consultation aims to chart the future course of Karnataka’s tourism sector through comprehensive deliberations on identifying destinations with the potential to be developed into global-standard tourism hubs.

Discussions will focus on key aspects such as infrastructure development, visitor experience, private sector investment, environmental sustainability, community participation, connectivity, destination branding, international marketing and sustainable tourism models.

Experts from various sectors are expected to present recommendations and share global best practices to help formulate a long-term strategy for tourism development.

Based on the recommendations emerging from the workshop, the government is expected to finalise the first set of priority destinations that will be developed under the Global Standard Tourist Destinations initiative.

According to the government, the selected destinations will be equipped with world-class infrastructure, improved visitor facilities, sustainable tourism practices, strategic private investment, and international branding to strengthen Karnataka’s position as one of India’s leading global tourism destinations.

–IANS

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