Tourists, locals flock to see illuminated palace as festival fervour fills Mysuru

Mysuru: The city of palaces wore a festive look on Sunday as tourists flocked to see places and locals busied themselves buying flowers at 124-year-old heritage Devraj market notwithstanding the fact that prices tripled and the Covid pandemic is lurking. Smile returned to the faces of hoteliers and others who depend on tourism as occupancy rate of hotel rooms touched 30 percent. The tourism industry in Mysuru and Mandya districts that looked bleak a couple of days ago started regaining its old glory after the state government lifted ban on the entry of tourists.

A large number of people flocked to see the illuminated Mysuru Palace in full glory from outside the compound. The cultural programmes being organised at the palace are out of bound for the general public in view of Covid restrictions. They are being live streamed on TV channels and social media platforms. It will be lit up for two hours from 7 pm to 9 pm every day during Dasara cultural programmes. Several visitors were seen clicking selfies with the illuminated palace in the backdrop.

Undeterred by Covid-19, Sunday saw as many as 1703 tourists including eight foreigners flocking to see Mysuru Palace.

Speaking to The Hans India, hotel owners association president C Narayangowda said, "While there are 405 hotels with 9,500 rooms in Mysuru, 70 percent of them are open now. And 30 percent of the hotel rooms were occupied on Sunday. And we now have only domestic tourists from our own State. The occupancy of hotel rooms had dropped to less than 10 percent on Thursday and Friday after the district administration announced closure of tourism destinations. And 5 percent of the rooms were booked for the last three days of Dasara. It is for the first time we are seeing advance bookings for hotel rooms in Mysuru after lockdown restrictions were lifted and hotels got permission to open on 8 June," he said.

"Every year during Dasara, 40 percent of the tourists used to be from other States, and five percent foreigners, and 60 percent domestic tourists. By now 80 percent of our rooms would have been booked for Dasara. However, only 50 percent of the hotels were open and the tourist and occupancy of hotel rooms was 5 percent in June when hotels and tourism destinations got permission to reopen. But tourists and hotel occupancy has picked up since September," Mr Narayangowda said.

Mysuru approved tourists guides association president S J Ashok said, "Last year over 1000 foreigners from Korea, France, Isreal, UK and others were in Mysuru to witness Dasara jumbo savari procession. But this year since it is made virtual and also due to travel restrictions owing, we do not have any inquiry from foreigners to visit Mysuru for Dasara this year. Those foreigners visiting Mysuru Palace now are mainly those who had come to Mysuru before March to learn yoga and are continuing to stay due to travel restrictions and also since their courses were not completed. And domestic tourists to Mysuru now are mainly business people and IT employees and those from Bengaluru. Resorts around Kabini reservoir in Nagarahole forest belt in Mysuru district were 100 percent occupied this week end with those domestic travellers. And there are some enquiries from tourists from neighboring Tamil Nadu and Kerala for last three days of Dasara," he said.