From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media  Network - Panaji

Panaji, Oct 16: Alike North Indian tourism circuit, Karnataka tourism department wants a triangle for south India which will attract international travelers to South Indian states, a senior tourism official said recently.

“Unfortunately, whenever foreign tourists come most of them are restricted to Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. Our efforts are to see that these tourists are also attracted to southern states,” Karnataka’s principal Secretary (Tourism) K Jyothiramalingam told reporters in Goa.

He was briefing media during Karnataka tourism road show in Panaji.

Jyothiramalingam said that Karnataka government has planned an international tourism expo in Bangalore, next year, which would be an annual event.

“We will be inviting all the tour operators and travel agents to come to Bangalore and focus there will not only be Karnataka but entire South India as a whole,” he said adding that heart will be put into the efforts to see that international tourists are attracted to South India.

The Principal Secretary said that during a meeting of tourism ministers of southern states in Bangalore, promotion of Southern India circuit was discussed.

“The thought was given to the aspects like parity in the luxury tax between the states,” he added.

Jyothiramalingam said that Southern tourism council is yet to be materialized and Karnataka would like to take a lead in forming it.

Karnataka tourism director K Viswanatha Reddy said that as an effort to weave together southern states, Golden Chariot train promoted by Karnataka government, has announced its `Southern Splendour’ package.

“As per the package, the train will cover Bangalore, Chennai, Mammalapuram, Pondichery, Madurai, Tanjavur, Kanyakumari and Kerala’s destinations like Trivandrum, Kovalam, Alleppy and Kochi,” he said.