Bengaluru, Jan 3 (IANS): Karnataka would soon be hosting its first international travel expo in order to promote its tourist hotspots to travellers from across the world, state Tourism Minister Priyank Kharge said on Tuesday.

"The expo will provide an impetus to the inbound travel and tourism and would enhance the efforts of Karnataka Tourism to promote our destinations to the world travellers," he said at a preview event held here.

To be held from February 28 till March 2, the Karnataka International Travel Expo 2018 expects over 1,000 delegates from over 25 countries.

This will be the southern state's first such international expo in the tourism sector.

Through the three-day event, the state aims to promote its cities and towns through adventure and wildlife tourism, world heritage sites, pilgrimages, and Karnataka's festivals.

"The expo will be largest business-to-business (B2B) travel event in the country," claimed Kharge, adding that travel agents, tour operators, hotels, resorts from the state, international and domestic travellers among others are expected to be a part of the event.

Karnataka had received about 13 crore domestic tourists and nearly 7 lakh foreign tourists last year, he said, adding this made it ninth among Indian states in attracting international tourists and fourth in the number of domestic tourists.

Karnataka is home to two United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation world heritage sites -- a group of monuments in the village of Hampi, about 350 km north of Bengaluru, and Pattadakal, about 450 km northwest of Bengaluru, for its 7th century Hindu and Jain temples.

The state is also popular for its pilgrimage spots like Udupi, Sringeri in the coastal region and hill stations in the southwestern districts Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru, which are also well-known coffee-growing regions.