Mysuru vibrantly celebrated World Tourism Day, with key players in the hospitality and travel sectors coming together to champion the city as a captivating destination for all seasons. The festivities saw the hotel owners’ association, travel service providers, and other significant stakeholders collaborating to mark the occasion.
As a warm welcome, over 500 tourists visiting the iconic Mysuru Palace in the morning were greeted with traditional garlands and sweet treats. The day also featured a lively procession, officially launched by Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy and Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait. Starting from the palace grounds, the parade wound its way through K.R. Circle and along Sayyaji Rao Road, featuring vibrant cultural and folk performances. Students from Mahajana College, Vidyavardhaka College, and St. Philomena’s College actively participated, adding youthful energy to the event.
Prashanth from Safe Wheels, a company specializing in tourist logistics, noted that while Dasara consistently draws visitors, hotel occupancy peaks only during the final four days of the festival. He advocated for more aggressive promotion to attract international tourists, whose current numbers are quite low. Mysuru’s tourism is predominantly driven by domestic visitors. However, a significant portion of those arriving from Bengaluru often opt for same-day returns, largely due to the convenient two-hour travel time back to Bengaluru at night.
Despite the city expanding its accommodation options with over 800 new rooms—adding to an existing 8,000—many still choose to head back to Bengaluru on the same day. This trend poses a significant challenge for local hospitality businesses.
Tourism is a cornerstone of Mysuru’s economy, drawing nearly 3.5 million visitors annually, including those exploring nearby attractions. This sector directly employs approximately 80,000 people and creates numerous additional jobs in related industries.
Therefore, industry leaders are urging for enhanced global marketing of Mysuru at international tourism and travel events, positioning it as an appealing destination throughout the year. However, there are also growing concerns that the city’s current tourism capacity might be reaching its limits, and any substantial growth would necessitate considerable upgrades to its existing infrastructure.