Kochi, Dec 16: Plugging tourism as the ''next big revolution'' in Karnataka, its Tourism Director C Somasekharan said the state is targeting investments to the tune of Rs 300 crore to Rs 400 crore at a major tourism investors meet, to be held at Bangalore, next month.

Talking to reporters here last evening, he said that hotels and resorts and world class golfing facilities were among the areas in which the state was looking for investment on a public private partnership basis Talking of the shortage of hotel rooms, he said in Bangalore alone, there was a demand for 20,000 rooms while only 5,000 were available.

For its part, the state government had hiked by almost 300 per cent from last year the budget allocation for tourism, which now stood at Rs 148 crore.

He said a ''landstock'' had been created in all districts of the state and this can be used for putting up tourist-related infrastructure. Near the World Heritage site of Hampi, a 232 acre area was being developed with all major tourist facilities.

In view of the increased demand for professionals for the industry, two Food Crafts Institutes were being set up apart from tourism-related courses in one college under each university in the state.

UNI