Govt ropes in experts to turn Bengaluru into tourist hub

Bengaluru: The government has instituted a committee comprising urban experts, senior officials, academicians and historians, to shore up the IT capital's brand value as a tourist hotspot.
Headed by IT/BT and tourism minister Priyank Kharge, the 10-member Bengaluru Tourism Advisory Committee (BTAC) has been directed to formulate an action plan in the next three months to create Brand Bengaluru."A detailed project report will be prepared based on the panel's suggestions. The implementation will start in the fifth or sixth month," Priyank said. The panel has been asked to identify tourism circuits in the city and draw up an annual calendar of events, he said.
"Bengaluru turns 480 this year and we are planning to hold an event to celebrate the city, and turn it into an annual affair," Priyank added.
Altho ugh Kempegowda International Airport registered 18 lakh passengers in 2015, the city had failed in converting them into tourists, he pointed out. "It is estimated that if at least 25% of the travellers spend one day in the city, a minimum revenue of USD 450 million will be generated," Priyank said.
A notification for constituting an advisory committee for Hyderabad-Karnatak region will be issued in a couple of days, he said. On the controversy surrounding Venkatappa Art Gallery, Priyank said, "We are examining the legal options and will arrive at a decision soon."
Ex-additional chief secretary Subir Hari Singh, urban expert V Ravichander, architects Naresh V Narasimhan and Narendra Pirgal, legal expert Siddartha Raja, hospitality expert Sunder Raju and conservationist at Intach Satya Prakash Varnasi are among the members.