Mangaluru: The National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI) on Thursday launched its Mangaluru & western Karnataka chapter. The chapter was inaugurated at The Avatar Hotel & Convention Centre in Mangaluru.Speaking on the sidelines of the inaugural, chapter head Prashanth Rao Aroor told reporters that Mangaluru and Western Karnataka have emerged as one of the country’s most promising hospitality markets. He said the new chapter will help restaurants and hospitality businesses work together, share knowledge and promote the region’s unique culinary identity at the national level.The NRAI chapter will not only cover restaurants and bars, but also formalise catering, food trucks, kiosks, semi-formal street food vendors and cloud kitchens, said NRAI past president and trustee Anurag Katriar, and called the launch of the chapter ‘significant,’ stating that the region possesses a strong combination of culinary heritage, tourism potential and entrepreneurial culture that make it an important market for the hospitality sector.NRAI vice-president Pranav Rungta said Karnataka remains one of India’s most progressive hospitality markets, and that Mangaluru’s rich seafood traditions and evolving dining ecosystem offer significant growth opportunities. The chapter will be led by a core committee headed by Aroor, along with representatives from Mangaluru and Udupi.
