As a tourist visiting Karnataka, an obvious destination is Mysore. The second largest city after Bangalore, Mysore is often called the cultural capital of the state. In fact, the city is home to several heritage buildings that have withstood the test of time. Given its rich tradition and culture that have been kept intact for several centuries now, Mysore is poised to change the way tourism is perceived in the State. Says Dr C Somashekhara, Director, Department of Tourism, "Mysore is a heritage city and has been accorded this status by the Government itself. In fact, it still manages to retain an old-world charm and has a unique combination of being a destination that has a mix of religion, leisure and heritage." As per the government’s tourism policy, the State would be divided into at least four regions for the purpose of developing tourism. These are - the coastal belt, the Uttara Kannada region, the Hampi region (inclusive of the Badami caves), Aihole and Pattadakal, and the Mysore region, inclusive of Bangalore.

On the right track
Two years back, the then Chief minister H D Kumaraswamy had announced a Rs 312-crore package for fast-tracking the growth of Mysore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM). Arguably, however, the feather in the cap has been the recent launch of the heritage train, the Golden Chariot. Joining the league of the Deccan Odyssey and the Royal Orient, this train journey seeks to reposition Mysore on the international circuit and boost ‘Brand Mysore’ as a destination for all seasons and all reasons.

Another initiative is that of Home Stays that was launched to help bridge Mysore's peak tourist season accommodation crunch. Home stays facilitate tourists to get an insight into local traditions and give them an opportunity to feel the real culture and hospitality of the City. Another important infrastructural push has been given in the form of the Mysore Airport that is slated to be operational by 2009. The airport would be developed on 416 acres of land and would be developed with an additional 500 acres of land for building bigger runways to accommodate bigger aircrafts. “Once the airport becomes operational, we will have more high end travellers flying directly to Mysore,” opines Giri P V, Chairman, The Windflower Group. Also, the improvement in terms of road connectivity, is ensuring a heightened tourist inflow. One of the best times to visit the City is during the annual ten day-Dasara Festival, usually held in September/ October. The Mysore Palace attracted 25 lakh people last year, which is as good as the Taj Mahal. We also intend to promote the Dassara festivities in our road shows abroad," says Somashekhara.

Tourism authorities are also preparing a master plan to develop Chamundeswari temple. The Archaeological Survey of India and the State Department of Archaeology and Museums, are said to conceive a master plan to improve the surroundings.The MUDA had notified over 680 acres of land at the foot of Chamundi hills, which would be maintained as open space. The tourism department has also been doing its bit to make a few additions to the attractions in the palace like introduction of Son-et-Lumiere (Sound & Light) system inside the palace premises. Buoyed by the response, there is, in fact, a proposal to use this sound and light route to drive footfalls towards select temples and forts of historic importance. JSS Mahavidyapeetha has helped establish an Urban Haat with the support of the Department of Industries and Commerce, Government of Karnataka. This is a permanent structure located in the picturesque campus of 5 acres to help artisans across the country by providing a marketing platform. Theme based exhibitions are conducted through the year.

Medical tourism
Mysore has emerged as the hub of the tourism industry in Karnataka, attracting about 2.5 million tourists in 2006, expected to double in the years to come. The Union Budget 2008 gave the University of Mysore a special grant of Rs 100 crore to be developed as a centre of excellence.

The City is home to numerous ayurveda and yoga centres and houses some of the best spas as well. Emerge Spa, located at the Windflower resort, is India's only ISPA certified spa that offers rejuvenation and curative treatments from the ancient traditions of Bali, Europe and India. Also well known is the Indus Valley Ayurvedic Centre, listed by Britain's leading lifestyle magazine, Harpers, as one of the 100 finest spas in the world. “Until about a decade ago, Mysore was perceived as a quintessential one night stop-over town where tourists from India and abroad, went to see the Mysore Palace, KRS and Chamundi Hills while they were on their way to Ooty or Kerala. That image changed quite drastically when Karnataka Tourism started projecting Mysore as a destination town and encouraged tourists to stay for a minimum of two nights. It was around this same time that the Yoga boom also started in Mysore and we had hordes of yoga students descending on Mysore each year.

This trend brought about a very unusual development  — the growth of Mysore as a centre for medical tourism.
Since Yoga and Ayurveda are allied sciences, Mysore soon came to be known for offering alternative systems of medicine as well. One perceptible change that I do see is that a lot more domestic travellers are now choosing to see places of interest within India and are willing to experiment a little more by opting to stay in boutique resorts and wellness centres. Also, with Coorg becoming an increasingly fashionable holiday destination, Mysore is reaping the benefits of being in close proximity to Coorg,” explains Vinita Rashinkar, Spa Director, The Windflower Spa & Resorts. 

With the entry of big hospitality players like Oberoi, Radisson and Hilton in the near future, things are certainly looking up for Mysore. And if you were wondering where to take that next holiday, check out Mysore and it is sure not to disappoint you.