Mysore city requires to identify its ‘chief attractor’, through which tourists can be attracted from all over the world. Chief attractors ensure a good number of tourists. If the city tries to market several attractions, then it wont be viable, said Aravind Jadhav, Additional Chief Secretary, here on Tuesday.
He was speaking at a seminar on ‘Mysore as the most preferred International Tourist Destination - Bottlenecks and Solutions’, organised by Rotary Mysore West in the city.
He said that a combination of several factors were essential to boost tourism in the city. Connectivity, cleanliness and a Unique Selling Point (USP) were the necessary factors, he said.
Speaking on the conditions of the airport, he noted that only three flights operated from the city. “A demand should be made from the people of Mysore to have flights to Goa or Hampi. Linkages beyond Karnataka must be ensured,” he said.
Criticising the city plan, he said that there was no plan for a bigger airport, despite efforts made towards it. Outer Ring Road too did not provide connectivity to the airport, he pointed out.
He said that the city must become “infrastructure friendly” and “utility friendly”.
Steps should also be taken to improve ‘experiential tourism’, by which tourists of the country should be told about the significance of historical places in the city, rather than “dumping them from one tourist attraction to another”.
Public participation was an essential aspect of improving tourism in the State. A campaign should be launched to make Mysore the “next global city of Karnataka”. “Most importantly, Mysore should come out of the shadows of Bangalore and project itself differently,” he said.
Deputy Commissioner, C Shikha, said that land issues had hindered expansion of Mysore airport at Mandakalli. “Land issues are also haunting the expansion of roads,” she said.
She noted that there was a need for better road connectivity, towards H D Kote as it has several historical locations and water sports facilities. Roads can even be developed up to Periyapatna and Kodagu to tap the tourism potential of the regions, she said.
German tent for expo grounds
Additional Chief Secretary, Aravind Jadhav said that a new ‘German tent’ will be installed at Exhibition Grounds in the city.
According to sources, the tent will cover an area of 20,000 square feet and will cost an estimated Rs 35 lakh.
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