Karnataka Plans 'Karnataka Mantapa' on Lines of Delhi's Bharat Mandapam

Karnataka is examining a proposal to build a large convention and events complex, to be called 'Karnataka Mantapa', on the lines of Delhi's Bharat Mandapam. Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the government was considering sites near metro stations, including Jakkur, Mysore Lamps and NGEF.

The Chief Minister was speaking after inaugurating the first-ever Karnataka Tourism Awards, held at Palace Grounds on Sunday to mark World Tourism Day. The ceremony was organised by the Department of Tourism and the Karnataka Tourism Society to recognise stakeholders who contribute to the tourism sector.

Awards were presented for the first time across 35 categories. These included best business hotel, eco-friendly resort, best educational institute in tourism, rural tourism project, wellness retreat and tourism startup, among others. Mr. Shivakumar handed the awards to the winners.

Addressing the gathering, Minister for Energy and Tourism K.J. George said tourism must move beyond digital marketing towards a fully connected digital ecosystem that improves the entire visitor experience.

He said Artificial Intelligence should be used not merely to make tourism smarter, but to make it more inclusive, sustainable and meaningful. The benefits of such a transformation, he added, must reach not only large companies but also homestay owners, tourist guides, artisans, small entrepreneurs and young people.

Mr. George noted that AI-based tourism services could help visitors build personalised itineraries based on their interests, travel duration and requirements, provide multilingual information and connect them with recognised tourism service providers. The Tourism Department, he said, is working towards developing such technology-driven solutions.