Udupi administration, Tourism Department rope in bloggers to promote tourism in coastal Karnataka

Department of Tourism and the Udupi district administration hosted 13 bloggers who have more than 800,000 followers and whose articles and videos have more than 3 crore page views. They were taken to places of tourist interest on September 27-28

A view of the nearly 850-year-old Kere Basadi in Varanga village in Udupi district. It is one of the places that the tourism department wants to promote.

In a novel way to promote tourist attractions in Udupi district, the Department of Tourism and the district administration roped in bloggers to introduce places of interest to a wider audience through social media.

A two-day meet of bloggers was organised in Udupi on the occasion of World Tourism Day. The meet concluded on September 28 after the bloggers visited several places of interest in Udupi district.

In all, 13 bloggers who have more than 800,000 followers and whose articles and videos have more than 3 crore page views attended the meet, and visited places of tourist interest on September 27-28.

Of them, four came from Goa, one from Hyderabad in Telangana, one from Jharkhand, three each from Bengaluru and Mangaluru, and one from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.

According to Clifford Lobo, in-charge Assistant Director, Tourism, Udupi, the department briefed the bloggers on the importance of places they were taken to.

After covering all the places, the bloggers interacted with Udupi Deputy Commissioner M. Kurma Rao and Udupi MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat on September 28 evening.

The bloggers visited Malpe beach, Sea Walk, House Boat, kayaking spots, Manipal Hastashilpa village, Sri Krishna mutt, Kaup light house, Padubidri Blue Flag beach, Attur church, St. Mary’s island, Varanga basadi, Gommata betta in Karkala, Salumarada Thimmakka Tree Park, and some other places.

Mr. Lobo said that the content produced by the bloggers is expected to increase footfall of tourists to the district.

Mr. Lobo said that the department and the administration are planning to organise another such meet on a larger scale after three months.