Karnataka - Mysore   

Year-end is boom time for tourism industry

Mysore: The year-end has turned out to be a boom time for the tourism industry in Mysore with the city recording unprecedented tourist arrivals, thanks to Christmas holidays and public holidays ahead of the New Year.

With most schools and colleges announcing a weeklong holiday on account of Christmas, Mysore has witnessed the arrival of a large number of tourists and it is expected that the number will go up further in the coming days.

Though economic downturn and H1N1 scare had an effect on the tourism sector here mid-year, the industry recovered from the slump during Dasara celebrations.

Later, there was a brief lull in tourist arrivals but the scenario has changed now with large number of tourists crowding the city. Mysore is the most preferred tourist destination in South India particularly during the festive season and the New Year. No wonder tourist spots, commercial hubs, hotels, restaurants, and malls are all crowded these days. The stakeholders of the tourism industry are extremely delighted with the turnout of tourists in Mysore.

Traffic police are having a hard time as there is a surge in traffic movement with increasing number of tourists coming to the city in private vehicles.

The occupancy in almost all hotels is full and the rooms had been booked a week in advance.

Those who could not book hotel rooms in advance had to settle down in smaller hotels. In fact, a few of them have preferred to stay in hotels near the city.

When enquiries were made with some hotels here to find out the occupancy rates, most of them admitted that the occupancy is almost full till the year-end. While some said the occupancy went up a day before the festive season began, others said that they had full bookings a fortnight ago. Usually hotels here are full during Dasara season but the end of 2009 has revived their business.

Mysore Palace, Mysore Zoo, Chamundi Hills, St. Philomena’s Church, Brindavan Gardens, Nanjangud, Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Srirangapatna are among the tourist hotspots in and around Mysore. The Mysore Zoo received about 20,000 visitors on Saturday making a collection of over Rs. 7 lakh.

“This number will indeed rise by the year-end,” a zoo official said.

The resurgence in the tourism sector has brought smiles back on the faces of the people who solely bank on tourism. It is believed that once the airport becomes operational and the track doubling work between Bangalore and Mysore is completed, tourism sector will see further boom.

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