The Hindu : Karnataka / Mysore News : Tourism hit by lack of infrastructure

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 18, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

Tourism hit by lack of infrastructure

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, OCT. 17. Lack of publicity and inadequate infrastructure have dealt a severe blow to tourism in Mysore as tourists prefer a day's visit instead of staying overnight at this historic city.

Many in the tourism sector are worried over the fact that most tourists prefer to return to Bangalore the same day after a whirlwind tour of Mysore and other places.

This is also true with tourists coming to Mysore from north Kerala, who prefer to go back after the tour.

Chander K. Baljee, chairman and managing director of Baljee Groups of Hotels, said that this was because of the fact that tourists were not being guided properly.

Also, he added that the authorities should make Mysore more attractive as an inducement for tourists to stay back.

Giving illustrations, he said the tourists could be made to stay back if the authorities decided to illuminate the Mysore Palace at least for an hour every day or continued the illumination of some important heritage structures on a daily basis.

Introduction of night safari at the Mysore zoo could also be considered, he added.

Many hoteliers also believe that the tourists should be given enough inducements to force them to stay back.

Without such attractions, the tour operators take the travellers around for nearly four hours before driving to the Brindavan Gardens, they say.

Domestic tourism

Mr. Baljee said domestic tourism had suffered for many years because of competition from countries such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore.

But with leading airlines engaged in a price war, travellers were now showing interest in domestic travelling, he added.

This trend, he said, should be tapped and facilities should be created for convenient travelling to tourist destinations.

Mr. Baljee also disclosed that during an interaction with the Union Tourism Minister, Renuka Choudhary, he had sought the upgrading of platforms at the Bangalore Railway Station.

He said platform number 5 and 6 from where trains left for Mysore could be developed and made more tourist friendly.

Further, toilet facilities and signboards should be provided at every tourist destination in Mysore.

"There are around eight to ten popular tourist destination frequented by tourists in Mysore. An investment of Rs. 1 crore should be sufficient to improve the facilities at these places," he said.

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