In all, 169 delegates of the 17th National Youth Festival went for local sight seeing tour organised by Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) from January 12 to 15, according to Ajith Kumar, Manager (transport), KSTDC, Mangalore.
They were from Goa, Punjab, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry, he told The Hindu .
Trip
“It was above our expectation,” he said. There were two categories of local tours. The half day tour covering 50 km from 8.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. and the afternoon trip covering 100 km from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The forenoon trip covered Gokarnanatheswara temple, Kudroli, Mangaladevi temple, Someshwara Beach, and Manjunatha temple, Kadri. The fare per person was Rs. 100.
The afternoon tour covered Kadri Park, Pandavas Caves in Kadri, Pilikula Nisargadhama covering Shivarama Karantha Biological Park and amusement park, New Mangalore Port, Panambur and Tannirbavi Beaches. The fare per person was Rs. 200.
Mr. Kumar said the KSTDC had charged subsidised fare. “We have given 50 per cent discount,” he said.
He said 18 delegates toured on January 12, 55 delegates on January 13, 64 delegates on January 14, and 32 on January 15.
He said there were no takers for three more tour packages chalked out by the corporation.
Package
It covered Kollur, Udupi, and Malpe Beach in a package, Moodbidri, Kodyadkka Annapoorneshwari Temple, and Karkala in the second package; and Dharmasthala, Southadkka, and Kukke Subrahmanya as the third package.
Mr. Kumar said 13 delegates had booked for the forenoon local tour on January 16. The KSTDC had set up its desk at T.M.A Pai International Hall for the convenience of the delegates.
M.R. Prakash, Assistant Director, Department of Tourism, Udupi and in-charge of Dakshina Kannada, said the delegates were more interested in visiting beaches and enjoying water sports.
Mr. Kumar said the KSTDC had arranged for taxis for tourists on rental basis in Mangalore. Its office was in Mangalore City Corporation's commercial building at Lalbagh.
