Karnataka is making a strategic push to establish itself as a premier destination for high-value weddings, directly challenging Rajasthan's dominance in this lucrative sector. The state government has unveiled comprehensive plans to position Karnataka's diverse landscapes and heritage circuits as attractive alternatives to traditional wedding destinations like Jaipur and Udaipur.
Building the Wedding Tourism Ecosystem
The state's latest tourism policy includes dedicated wedding packages and pilot projects designed to make Karnataka competitive in the destination wedding market. Rajasthan currently dominates this segment, having attracted high-profile celebrities from Hollywood and Bollywood, including US President's son Trump Jr, who recently attended billionaire Raju Mantena's wedding.
Tourism officials confirmed that formal discussions have already begun with wedding tourism experts from Jaipur to learn from their successful model. A comprehensive mapping exercise is currently underway to identify potential wedding venues across both government and privately owned properties throughout Karnataka.
Identifying Unique Venues and Streamlining Processes
"We have to identify mines, forts and other spaces where government and private stakeholders own land that can be used for wedding tourism," revealed a senior official to TOI. The government has invited wedding planners from Jaipur to Bengaluru to assist in this identification process, acknowledging that "wedding tourism is far more organised in Jaipur."
The administration is conducting inter-departmental meetings to explore the possibility of permitting weddings at select heritage locations. Chitradurga fort is among the prominent sites being studied for this purpose. The official added, "We are in discussion with the mining department and others. The Events Association of Karnataka is also interested. We want to give the industry in Karnataka the first opportunity."
Substantial Economic Potential and Competitive Advantages
Industry experts believe Karnataka possesses all the necessary ingredients but requires better packaging. Shravanth Vasisht, founder of Tim-Tim Holidays, explained, "What draws people to Rajasthan is the feel — the hospitality, the warmth of the hosts and staff, and the royal infrastructure that has been converted into commercial wedding models."
Prathima Manohar, co-founder of GoodPass and expert member of World Economic Forum's Future Council on Experience Economy, highlighted Karnataka's unique advantage. "India is a very young nation and weddings are only going to grow exponentially in the next decade. Weddings today are not just ceremonies — they are experiences. The feel of the place matters: its identity, craft, food and the sense of belonging it creates."
The economic potential is substantial, with recent studies valuing the Indian destination wedding market at $1.9 billion. Manohar calculated that "even if Karnataka captures just 3% of that — a very conservative starting point — it translates to about Rs 6,000 crore a year. With the right branding of our unique circuits and a single digital inventory of venues and services, Karnataka can rapidly climb the destination wedding ladder."
Vasisht emphasized the multiplier effect a strong wedding tourism ecosystem could create. "With domestic vacations already costing around Rs 70,000 per person for a six-day trip, imagine that spend multiplied across an entire wedding party. If Karnataka gives its own feel and streamlines permissions, the ecosystem will work beautifully," he concluded.
