Karnataka launches Bengaluru Tourism Advisory Committee

The Department of Tourism, Government of Karnataka has unveiled the newly formed Bengaluru Tourism Advisory Committee (BTAC) under the chairmanship of Priyank Kharge, Minister for Tourism and IT & BT. The scope of the committee is to provide quick action plans for developing Bengaluru region as a tourist destination by creating Brand Bengaluru, identifying different circuits and trails, offering tourism technologies, drawing a calendar of events, promoting art and culture, attracting PPP projects and engaging in inter-city-cooperation concepts. Understanding the tourism potential of Bengaluru and to brand it as a global city and the most favourable urban tourism destination, BTAC was formed after a month of brainstorming sessions and deliberations. Further the committee will help in positioning the state capital as a well connected holiday destination by involving local talent pool and the effective development of local employment and subsequent revenue generation. The committee will also be responsible in enhancing positive perceptions about the city through engagements with travellers across the world which, in turn, will help drive tourism, thus making Bengaluru a SMART global city.
The committee will consist of the top officials in the Tourism Department and also experts from verticals such as heritage, urban, landscape, hospitality, architecture and conservationists who can contribute towards branding Bengaluru.
As per the statistics provided by the Kempegowda International Airport Bengaluru (KIAL), the international airport alone received 18 million travellers during 2015. Yet, Bengaluru has not been able to convert these travellers’ figures into tourists. It is estimated that with at least 25% of KIAL travellers spending one day in the city, a minimum revenue of $450 mn per year can be generated.