Footfalls dip, Hampi tourism in ruins

Hike in travel vehicle licence fee, European recession chief causes

A combination of factors has led to a recession in the tourism-dominated economy of the heritage town of Hampi in the taluk, adversely affecting the lives of thousands of local people

Travel guides, owners and staff of hotels and travel companies are all in the throes of the downturn. The number has seen a year-on-year fall of 40 per cent, from 66,270 in 2013 to 39,140 in 2014.

Those in the travel industry highlight two major causes: Recession in Europe, especially Russia, and a hike effected by the State government in the fees collected for licences to vehicles from other states.

V Shivaprakash, proprietor of Hamsa Travels in Hosapete, said that most tourists visiting India made it a point to tour Hampi. Since owners of vehicles entering the State from other states were having to bear a huge burden, following the implementation of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 2014, the tourist numbers showed a steep fall. For a vehicle ferrying seven people, the fee has gone up from Rs 1,500 to Rs 16,660.

Apart from the increased fees, it has also been mandatory for owners of vehicles to avail one-year licences. But the tourist season in Hampi is only for six months in a year and a one-year licence is unnecessary, Shivaprakash adds.

The economic downturn in Russia in 2014 has been a major contributor to the dip in the footfalls in the heritage town, say analysts. Russians form the biggest chunk of travellers, given their liking for the erstwhile capital of the Vijayanagar Empire.

Lakhs of tourists from Russia visit Goa in December-January and most of them usually travel down to Hampi. But around one lakh of these tour-ists, who had availed the visa this year, cancelled it. The reason could be the fact that 45 banks in that country went bankrupt this year, said Manjunath Gowda, a travel guide in Hampi, quoting a Russian tourist.