The tourism department is planning to organise "Bengaluru Retail Festival" by roping in malls and commercial establishments on prime streets and localities to offer attractive discounts for shoppers across the city.
Bengaluru is not new to shopping festivals, but these have been confined to busy and popular hubs like MGRoad, Brigade Road, CommercialStreet or individual malls. The tourism department wants the shopping festival to be held under a common umbrella and simultaneously across Bengaluru.
The festival will be modelled on the lines of Dubai Shopping Festival. While the tourism department will take initiatives to attract tourists to Bengaluru, retailers can provide exclusive offers and promote their products among consumers.
"The project is still in its conceptual stage. But, we have made a beginning by holding talks with malls and commercial establishments about having such a festival," Minister of State for Tourism,Priyank Kharge, told DH.
The thinking is that the festival can be an annual event and held for three to four weeks. Besides discounts and attractive offers, lucky dips, contests and prizes will also be part of the festival. The event could also help in providing a fillip to the hotel and entertainment industry. For the Bengaluru Retail Festival, the period between Dasara and Deepavali is being considered or if things fall in place it could be held at an earlier date, official sources said.
Kharge said the proposed festival is part of the 'Brand Bengaluru' initiative. While it will take some time for the retail festival to materialise, the department is keen on putting in place open street festivals across Bengaluru from January.
To start with, open street festivals will be held at Basavanagudi, Indiranagar and on MGRoad every two to three months. Traffic will be barred on the road where the festival is celebrated.
Kharge said that last week, the tourism department launched an app-based 'circuit tour' within the confines of Cubbon Park, guiding visitors to explore the flora, fauna and heritage buildings inside the lung space.
Bengaluru is not new to shopping festivals, but these have been confined to busy and popular hubs like MGRoad, Brigade Road, CommercialStreet or individual malls. The tourism department wants the shopping festival to be held under a common umbrella and simultaneously across Bengaluru.
The festival will be modelled on the lines of Dubai Shopping Festival. While the tourism department will take initiatives to attract tourists to Bengaluru, retailers can provide exclusive offers and promote their products among consumers.
"The project is still in its conceptual stage. But, we have made a beginning by holding talks with malls and commercial establishments about having such a festival," Minister of State for Tourism,Priyank Kharge, told DH.
The thinking is that the festival can be an annual event and held for three to four weeks. Besides discounts and attractive offers, lucky dips, contests and prizes will also be part of the festival. The event could also help in providing a fillip to the hotel and entertainment industry. For the Bengaluru Retail Festival, the period between Dasara and Deepavali is being considered or if things fall in place it could be held at an earlier date, official sources said.
Kharge said the proposed festival is part of the 'Brand Bengaluru' initiative. While it will take some time for the retail festival to materialise, the department is keen on putting in place open street festivals across Bengaluru from January.
To start with, open street festivals will be held at Basavanagudi, Indiranagar and on MGRoad every two to three months. Traffic will be barred on the road where the festival is celebrated.
Kharge said that last week, the tourism department launched an app-based 'circuit tour' within the confines of Cubbon Park, guiding visitors to explore the flora, fauna and heritage buildings inside the lung space.