Mysuru: Hotels, lodges see cent per cent occupancy in cultural city

Mysuru: The hospitality industry in cultural city was worst hit by Covid pandemic since two years. Most of the hotels, lodges, resorts wore a deserted look pre Dasara , now owners have reason to cheer.

The state government decided to celebrate Dasara in grand manner as the tourists are flocking the city. The long wait of two years by hotel owners did not go in vain. In the wake of mid-term vacation for Nada Habba, Mysuru Dasara and AICC former president Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra, all the rooms at hotels, guest houses and clubs in the city are full. That apart, the authorities concerned have even taken the marriage halls. The tourists irrespective of inter-state and international have booked the rooms in advance.

Dasara holidays are declared for schools from September 30 to October 6. Hence all types of rooms in and outside the city near outer-ring road junctions are 100 per cent occupied, said C Narayan Gowda, president of Hotel Owners Association, Mysuru. There are over 10,500 rooms in and around the city, added Gowda. Though it was predicted that it might take months for the nosedived industry to get back on its feet, major city hoteliers say that business has picked up though not on full scale. It is showing signs of full recovery and the sector will revive during the festive season.

For stakeholders this is not the proverbial new dawn as the hotel sector's survival and fortunes hinge on the number of tourists arriving in the city. However, the tourism industry too is showing signs of recovery as more than 16,000 tourists have landed up at Mysore Palace and Mysuru Zoo this week.

Those in the hotel industry and tourism related business are happy as the occupancy rate in hotels and dine-ins have improved. Speaking to The Hans India, S. Vijay Selvaraj, Director, Sales and Marketing, Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, said that recovery after the first wave was sluggish and it took over four months to recover while the recovery now is fast and the industry is showing signs of bouncing back with full vigour.

"People are travelling now and there are increased bookings in terms of people while in the first wave people were not coming out. Now they are more aware of the vaccines and staying on guard. Also, allied industries like the manufacturing segment too are in full swing. I am happy to say that we too were able to start operations quickly and the staff too re-joined us as we had made adequate preparations," he added.