Domestic boost to Jungle Lodges

Manoj Kumar, Managing Director of Jungle Lodges & Resorts, which is jointly owned by the forest department and tourism departments of Karnataka, shares how they are getting business from domestic tourists during the pandemic and promoting far-off eco-tourism destinations, along with prime destinations in the state.

Nisha Verma

Manoj Kumar says that Jungle Lodges & Resorts is a company jointly owned by the forest department and tourism departments of Karnataka and has almost 26 properties across the state.

“We have properties across Karnataka and we cater to eco-tourism and adventure tourism. Most of the properties are located inside or close to the sanctuaries, national parks and tiger reserves. Earlier, the department could not manage these nature camps and other things professionally because they had their own responsibilities. Hence, we thought Jungle Lodges & Resorts, as a company that is into the hospitality industry, could take over all these properties with an MoU,” he says.

Amid nature

He revealed that they have three kinds of segments. “One is high-end, on par with any seven-star facility but still catering to eco-tourism. We also have the nature camps, which are for the middle and lower middle segments. They are like trails. Every camp is linked with an activity like trekking. We have butterfly camp, mystery trails, or timber trails. These are theme-based trails. We also offer beach tourism, where we have adventure sports like dolphin watching or other water sports activities. Deobagh is primarily for beaches,” he says.

Promotion strategy

Kumar informs that they have a very close association with IATO and their Karnataka chapter. “We have frequent interactions with the people and we also participate in roadshows abroad. We have promotional videos and theme-based videos, which also shown on internet and digital medium. Nowadays, we are concentrating on digital marketing, and we are present on Twitter, Instagram and other social media channels, where we have huge following,” he shares.

Post-COVID scenario

“Unfortunately, when COVID struck, we were in a bad position,” says Kumar. “However, now as revenge tourism, people have started to love nature more than ever. Hence, fortunately, Jungle Lodges & Resorts are running full. This could also be because Indians are not able to travel abroad owing to restrictions. Another reason could be that they now want to be closer to nature and spend some time in natural surroundings with their families. We are getting a lot of domestic travellers visiting major camps,” he adds.

While they are concentrated mostly in certain parts like the Mysore belt, they have properties in some other places too, which they want to promote. “We also have destinations in north Karnataka that are not that popular, but they are also equally beautiful and good. Now our strategy next year is to ensure that the tourists who are not able to get the properties in popular destinations, which could be called prime properties, they can go to the other properties. Hence, we are designing such a package that if you spend one day at one day at one property, you get two days at the other property. We are curating such packages for the travellers, so that the other properties also get equal share,” he further adds.

State initiatives

Kumar said, “Karnataka is a progressive state. The state has come up with its own tourism policy for 2020–26. We were one of the first states to consider tour operators and guides as frontline workers and put them on priority for vaccination. The state gave industry status to four to five-star classified hotels. Financial support was given to taxi and auto drivers. Relief measures include a 50 per cent reduction in property tax and the waiver of fixed charges on electricity bills for April to June and 50 per cent of the excise licence fee.

“Also, we have a one-time Rs. 5,000 grant to recover tourist guides. We participated in WTM London and went to Birmingham and Manchester for in-person roadshows in November. We will participate in future events in Dubai and Madrid. With the Karnataka Tourism Society, we are trying to build the confidence of the industry. We have started heli-tourism and are working on coastal tourism.”