JLR To Unveil Four More Properties By 2004

Vyas Sivanand - Bangalore

Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR), the premium wildlife and eco-tourism company of the Government of Karnataka, plans to operate four new properties by 2004 in the state. With high priority focus on eco-tourism and promotion of outdoor activities, JLR has chosen prominent wildlife areas, the Bhadra and Bandipur for two of its properties. The Bhadra property is slated to be operational by October 2004. "The Bhadra property is ideal for outdoor activities as it can provide both water based as well as wildlife based activities for guests. Initially we are going in for only eight to ten cottages and log-huts and depending on the response we will increase our inventory," says Vinay Luthra, managing director, Jungle Lodges and Resorts.

According to Luthra, the other resort will be operational in Bandipur National Park next year. "We are taking over a KSTDC (Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation) resort and converting it into a wildlife lodge with outdoor activities," says Luthra. JLR will also unveil two properties in Mysore, which are the Metropole, a heritage hotel with 20 rooms and the KRS, an existing property undergoing renovation near the famous KRS dam with 24 rooms. JLR has recently opened the Dubare Elephant Camp which offers guests an intimate experience with elephants where guests can watch the pachyderms being groomed, fed and obeying commands. A naturalist guide will accompany them to explain all about elephant ecology, history and conservation.

The latest offer from JLR targets the adventure seekers. This package provides the tourists with a three-hour river rafting experience on River Cauvery at Coorg. It is for the first time in South India that such a unique activity has been introduced. The only other place that offers organised white-water rafting in Karnataka is at Dandeli on River Kali also pioneered by JLR. "We have gained access to a 12-km stretch of the rain-fed, free flowing River Cauvery in Coorg from Dubare to Nisargadhama, passing through the Dubare Reserve Forest. We have capatalised on our strengths, which is our outdoor locales, to offer people this exciting activity in a remarkably wonderful destination, Coorg. The river rafting activity offers not just thrill and excitement, but also a whole new way for people to experience the landscape of Coorg. Also, JLR has an impeccable and uncompromising safety record and ensures the highest international safety standards for its guests," reinforced Luthra.

JLR has ensured that the rafts used are imported and self-bailing and the guests are provided with life jackets, helmets and a paddle each. Also the guides accompanying the guests are professionally trained to the International Rafting Federation standards. JLR also has plans to expand the river rafting sport to Sita Nadi, another gorgeous rain fed, free flowing river near Hebri in Dakshin Kannada.

JLR is presently encouraging home stays as well as encouraging guests to stay in the near by resort, Orange County. "We are planning to come up with about 8 tented cottages and log-huts which can accommodate about 15 people. Our priority is to increase outdoor activities without much overheads," points Luthra. JLR has tied up with Coorg Adventure Club to offer para sailing, Kayaking, canoeing, etc, soon. The offer at River Cauvery comes up as a strategy to divert its clientele who visit the Dandeli Adventure Resort for river rafting as it is closed down during the monsoon.

JLR is extensively marketing its offers in Western India apart from South. "We are very aggressively marketing our offers in India because over a period of time the domestic market has really grown. We now get about 75% guests from the domestic market. We are using the Internet effectively to promote our destinations apart from having 400 agents in country selling our offers," says Luthra. Presently Jungle Lodges has nine operational resorts and camps in the state.