The two districts that are closer to the Malabar region will benefit from the initiative

Tourism in Kodagu is set to get a boost with the district being assured of getting a stall at the newly-opened Kannur International Airport in Kannur, Kerala, to promote tourism to international travellers landing in the coastal city.

Kodagu and Mysuru have been included in the Malabar Tourism Zone by the Kerala authorities for the development of tourism in Malabar and nearby areas, including vast tourist destinations in the land of coffee and also in the City of Palaces.

Kannur International Airport Limited (KIAL) Managing Director V. Tulsidas said the Tourism Department of Kerala and other agencies have come up with a plan for promoting Malabar tourism. Several projects were being chalked out as part of the Malabar Tourism Zone.

Kodagu and Mysuru, which are closer to the Malabar region and already have tourism links with the neighbouring State with people in the tour and travel industry operating services, will benefit from the initiative.

Mr. Tulsidas was speaking at a seminar on tourism in the Malabar region organised jointly by the North Malabar Chamber of Commerce and the KIAL at Kannur recently. Many stakeholders from the Kodagu tourism sector also attended the seminar. Tourism and economic activities in the areas closer to Kannur would benefit with the launch of the international airport, he opined.

With the launch of several international flights from Kannur, Kodagu’s tourism would see a rise in footfall, he said and added that the hospitality sector in these places should come up with attractive offers for foreign travellers.

Mr. Tulsidas said the Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation has come forward to allot over 5,000 acres of land near Kannur airport for the development of economic activities in the area and called upon investors from Kerala and Karnataka to make use of the opportunity.

Kodagu Hotels, Restaurants and Resort Owners’ Association president B.R. Nagendra Prasad, who attended the seminar, said the association would provide all possible support in realising the objectives of the Malabar Tourism Zone.

Entry tax
Association Consultant G. Chidwilas said tourist taxis from Karnataka were being charged exorbitantly upon their entry into Kerala and this could be a hurdle in attracting the people from the State to Kannur for boarding flights. In reply, Mr Tulsidas said the governments of Kerala and Karnataka need to arrive at an amicable solution to the issue of the entry tax.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Mysuru – February 11th, 2019

Lodges, resorts and homestays in the district saw 85 per cent occupancy on all three days.

Madikeri:

The three-day Kodagu Pravasi Utsav, which ended here on Sunday, attracted a large number of people.

The event was held to revive tourism in Kodagu, the picturesque district which was devastated by floods and landslides in last August.

Lodges, resorts and homestays in the district saw 85 per cent occupancy on all three days. The Department of Tourism and the district administration organised the event for the first time to give flip to tourism.

“This event will go a long way in motivating the people who depend on tourism in Kodagu after the big tragedy in August last,” Kodagu district resorts, hotels and restaurants’ association head Nagendra Prasad said.

“Kodagu Pravasi Utsav should become an annual event henceforth,” P.K. Somaiah, a planter from Murnad near Madikeri, said.

The day-long open street festival on the stretch between MM Circle and Raja Seat in Madikeri on Sunday attracted at least 30,000 people. The event, which began with yoga and zumba, had colourful cultural programmes. Folk artistes performed Chinese lion dance and “maragaalu kunitha”. The event also featured a magic show, live demonstration of pottery making and portrait painting. The venue had shops selling desi clothes, handicrafts and handlooms exhibitions, besides food stalls.

The three-day flower show hosted by the Horticulture Department at the Raja Seat had 15,000 species of plants.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / by Shilpa P, Deccan Chronicle / January 14th, 2019

Recalling that the district administration had banned tourists from Kodagu from August 16 to September 9 until the roads were restored.

Devastated by floods and landslides in August, Kodagu has returned to normalcy with its hotels, resorts, lodges and homestays filling up once again this holiday season thanks to the efforts of the district administration and tourism department.

The 200 hotels lodges and resorts and 4000 homestays of Kodagu have reported 85 to 90 per cent occupancy since December 22 and there is expected to be no let-up till January 1, according to stakeholders in the tourism industry.

But the revival of the tourism industry has not been without effort as the hotels, lodges and resorts which usually charged double their actual room rent end of the year in the past, have this year offered huge discounts of 25 to 50 per cent, reveals honorary advisor of the Kodagu District Resorts, Hotels and Restaurants’ Association, Chidvilas.

Recalling that the district administration had banned tourists from Kodagu from August 16 to September 9 until the roads were restored after the floods and landslides, he says hardly any tourists visited the district in the next few months. But later, tourism minister, Sa Ra Mahesh took special interest and along with the Kodagu district administration began the “Kodagu is Back” campaign in 30 languages on social media to woo them back. ” We also came up with four short films to promote Kodagu as a destination for families, couples, and adventure and nature and yoga enthusiasts on social media,” he explains.

Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and the scion of the Mysuru royal famil, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, who is the tourism ambassador for the Mysuru- Kodagu also gave voice-overs for the short films and the tourism department promoted the district at the Delhi airport and held a “Destination Kodagu” road show in Chennai.

“After all this effort we are seeing good inflow of tourists now. But after January 1 the bookings are still not good enough,” he regrets, adding that an open street festival will be held early next year to draw more tourists to the district.

source: http://www.deccanchronicle.com / Deccan Chronicle / Home> Nation> Current Affairs / by Shilpa P, Deccan Chronicle / January 01st, 2019

Tourists have been visiting Madikeri in large numbers to spend their Christmas holidays and to celebrate the new year.

A large number of tourists visited Raja Seat, Omkareshwara temple, Abbey falls, Madikeri Fort, Dubare, Harangi dam, Talacauvery, Bhagamandala and Irpu.

Following landslides in Kodagu, the turnout of tourists had decreased drastically, which had worried the resort and homestay owners.

The long holidays for government offices, banks, schools and colleges, has made the tourists happy.

Commercial establishments at General Thimayya Road, Kohinoor Road, bus stand and hotels made brisk business.

In some hotels, meals were not available after 2 pm. The hotel owners said that there was a problem in preparing meals as the number of tourists had increased suddenly.

Tourists from different places enjoyed the traditional Kodava cuisine.

There was an increase in the traffic density on the roads. Police had a hard time controlling traffic movement, especially on Monday night.

The shopkeepers and hoteliers are expecting more people in the coming days till the end of the year.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Districts / by Adithya K A / DH News Service / Madikeri – December 25th, 2018