H.K. Patil | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR Despite tourist footfalls in the State seeing a fourfold increase since the pandemic, the arrivals of foreign tourists remain low, a concern for many years now. In an exclusive chat with The Hindu, Tourism Minister H.K. Patil opened up on the vision and future plans. Edited excerpts from the conversation: Published – April 18, 2026 08:16 pm IST Share this: Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Click to share on Threads (Opens in new window) Threads Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window) Telegram Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email More Click to print (Opens in new window) Print Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window) Pocket Click to share on Mastodon (Opens in new window) Mastodon Click to share on Nextdoor (Opens in new window) Nextdoor Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky Like this:Like Loading... Post navigation Eight India-bound ships return after attempting to cross Strait of Hormuz Mega Fire Service demo displays skills of firemen