The ‘inflated’ entry tax for tourist vehicles visiting tourist attractions in Karnataka, which is considered a bottleneck for tourism promotion, will stay.
Minister for Tourism and Higher Education R.V. Deshpande on Monday ruled out roll back or reduction of the tax, arguing that it was one of the prime incomes for the State to run welfare schemes like Anna Bhagya.
To a question on how to hard sell tourism with such an exorbitant entry tax, he said revenue is tapped from various resources and tourism is one of them. The scenario may change once the Goods and Services Tax (India) Bill was introduced next year, he opined.
Anyway, the tax issue will be discussed with the departments of finance and transport, he replied.
The entry tax for a tourist bus was Rs. 6,000 in 2005, and it had gone up to around Rs. 42,000, according to travel agents here. The tax is exempted only during Dasara festivities.
Admitting that the State lacks aggressive tourism promotion, the Minister said steps had been taken to introduce packages so that tourists stay longer instead of making one-day visits to places like Mysuru.
