Mangaluru: The next happening place for tourism in Dakshina Kannada (DK) district will be the riverine and backwater systems in the district.

The district administration is planning to harness the tourism potential of these natural systems in the district by banking on a 2-day river festival from Jan 12th 2019 and thereby opening a new-window for tourism in Karavali. The festival planning is reaching its final stages and soon more details are expected to emerge.

Giving a clue to the present development, DK deputy commissioner Sasikanth Senthil said that the aim of the river festival was to promote the entire backwater and river system in the district and thereby divert the tourism focus in the district from only beaches and temples to backwaters and rivers.
The planning of the river festival will also try to add focus to water sports like kayaking, rowing and even stand up paddling in the estuaries, added Mr Senthil.

In order to conduct these activities, the Department of Tourism has approved a grant of Rs 30 lakh for the river festival which will be used to create access to the river front, informed the DC.

The DC said that the idea of organizing food festivals at the pre-designated river fronts, promotion of ferry activities and water sports there has been taken into consideration by the core committee on tourism and the final structure will be given to the idea mulled at the committee meeting, he said.

The development of the river front is an integral part of the Smart City Project of the city. The tourism department has responded positively to the administration’s request to set up floating concrete jetties to be used for floating restaurants on these systems, said the DC.

Speaking on the efforts being made to make a brand out of surfing Mr Senthil said that the success of two international surfing events and the third one planned for May 2019 has pushed for a need to create a brand out of the surfing event at Sasihitlu and added that efforts were being made to promote infrastructure in the area.