Destination Hampi: Babus to hit the road with women bikers to promote tourism

BENGALURU: With an aim to give wings to the state’s plan to promote bike tourism, five bureaucrats will lead an expedition to Hampi and back along with 10 women riders this weekend. The objective is to get a first-hand experience before a concrete policy is put in place.
The department of tourism, which is looking to create an ecosystem for bike tourism across the state, has tied up with Bengaluru-based bike rental and tourism company Wicked Ride.
L Atheeq Khan, principal secretary to the chief minister, Atul Kumar Tiwari, resident commissioner of Karnataka in New Delhi, Naveen Raj Singh, tourism department secretary, Sarfaraz Khan, BBMP joint commissioner, and Vijay Sharma, managing director of Jungle Lodges and Resorts, will ride Harley Davidsons and Royal Enfields among other two-wheelers to experience the grandeur of the historical site. They will be guided by Candida Louis, 26-year-old woman biker from Hubballi, who has covered 40,000 kilometres on bike across India and heads the tourism vertical of Wicked Ride. Their trip will begin at 6am from Bengaluru on Saturday.
“Bike tourism is still difficult in India for a lone woman but my parents encouraged me to take it on. The tourism department’s initiative will make it easier for bike tourists to explore destinations in Karnataka. Leh-Ladakh has become a popular bike expedition among Indians as well as foreigners, but Agumbe, Hampi, Gokarna and other places in coastal and Western Ghats regions are easy to explore and experience on bikes,” Candida said.
Around 20-25 bikers will be taken to Hampi, and barring the bureaucrats and the 10 women bikers, others will be selected through a competition, said Wicked Ride.
“People think bureaucrats make policies but never experience whether it is doable or not. We want to take this trip and lead by example that this type of tourism is possible in Karnataka,” tourism secretary Naveen Raj Singh said, adding that motorcycle tourism has picked up across the globe and that these are times when one can easily hire a superbike and take a trip.
“The concerns over camping sites will be resolved soon. The government will set up two camping sites outside Mysuru and one in Belur. Tourists can avail the camping equipment and kitchen facilities on rent for a night. We will provide environment-friendly toilets and facilities like a mini-amphitheatre for cultural events to be held in the evenings for people who stay at the camp,” he added.