Devotees throng Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple atop the Chamundi Hills, in Mysuru, on Wednesday.
Credit: DH Photo/Anup Ragh T
Mysuru: The Mysuru Palace and zoo received a huge crowd of year-end tourists between December 21 to 31.
The royal palace received 2,47,479 visitors from December 21 to 31. There were 20,693 visitors including 124 foreigners on December 21; 22,062 visitors including 112 foreigners on December 22; 18,804 visitors including 109 foreigners on December 23; 20,547 visitors including 164 foreigners on December 24; 24,206 visitors including 102 foreigners on December 25; 25,375 visitors including 116 foreigners on December 26; 28,139 visitors including 139 foreigners on December 27; 29,642 visitors including 139 foreigners on December 28; 27,875 visitors including 172 foreigners on December 29; 17,587 visitors including 212 foreigners on Dec ember30; and 12,549 visitors including 159 foreigners on December 31, according to the Mysuru Palace Board officials.
During the same period, it received 2,45,004 visitors including 782 foreigners in 2023; and 2,82,333 visitors including 800 foreigners in 2022. During the Covid pandemic, there were 80,259 visitors including 83 foreigners in 2021; and 53,453 visitors including 49 foreigners in 2020.
During the pre-pandemic years, there were 2,40,555 visitors including 2,605 foreigners in 2019; and 2,04,221 visitors including 1,675 foreigners in 2018.
The Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Garden (Mysuru Zoo) received 2,39,852 visitors from December 21 to 31, 2024.
There were 18,907 visitors on December 21; 22,300 on December 22; 21,172 on December 23; 11,582 on December 24; 28,551 on December 25; 24,492 on December 26; 28,475 on December 27; 30,898 visitors on December 28; 27,790 visitors on December 29; 17,772 on December 30; and 7,913 visitors on December 31.
For the convenience of year-end tourists, the zoo was open on Tuesdays (holiday) on December 24 and 31, according to Executive Director of Mysuru Zoo A V Surya Sen.
During the same period the zoo saw 2,83,056 visitors in 2023; and 2,62,149 visitors in 2022.
Mysuru Hotel Owners Association President C Narayana Gowda said that there was a good tourist inflow in Mysuru during the year end, due to the Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana which was held in Mandya and the flower show in the Mysuru Palace premises.
While 80 per cent of the tourists were domestic tourists, 2 per cent were foreigners and the rest were from other states, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
While there are 10,500 rooms in 425 hotels in Mysuru, there was 100 per cent occupancy from December 21. Before December 21, the occupancy was 60 per cent during weekdays and 90 per cent during weekends, he said.
Meanwhile Vice-President of Karnataka Tourism Forum M Ravi said that tourism destinations, resorts and hotels across Karnataka had huge response from December 21. They all are booked till January 2, he said.
M N Dinesh, an officer, said that after Covid, people are now keener on taking up tours, spending time with loved ones and enjoying life, as the pandemic has proved how life can be so uncertain, he said.