Stakeholders urge for Dasara Pradhikaara to pull more national, international tourists

"Government should come up with an international convention centre led by Pradhikaara to showcase our rich culture, host cultural events", C Narayangowda, President of Mysore Hotel Owners' association said.

Mysuru: Even as Dasara has concluded, tourism stakeholders have urged the State Government to fulfill their long pending demand to form Dasara or Tourism Pradhikaara in Mysuru.

With this they feel that Dasara can be planned well in advance more systematically to pull more tourists from other States and Countries. With different wings in it, they can strive to conserve the identity of Mysuru be it city's heritage structures or heritage trees or roads. Even as the cultural events are just restricted to mainly Dasara, this Pradhikaara can help to plan and organise cultural events round the year and to pull the same tourists influx round the year.

C Narayangowda, President of Mysore Hotel Owners' association said, "For this year's Dasara, only 30% of the tourists were from other States and a very few from other Countries. If the Pradhikaara is formed, we can organise Dasara more systematically, plan quality events, book artists of national international acclaim, well in advance. We can market, promote Dasara in other States and Countries and can pull atleast 20% more national and international tourists. We can ensure that the seats for gold card holders are reserved and they can enter the venue and enjoy them even if there is a slight delay. This Pradhikaara should have Chief Minister, District in-charge minister, DC and all the concerned officers. It must involve tourism stakeholders, experts and concerned citizens to seek their suggestions, opinions and ideas, to understand what is required by the tourism sector, to host tourists well."

C A Jayakumar of Mysore Travels Association said, "Dasara created a good platform for entertainment for mainly local crowds. If we need to have a boom for tourism, we need tourists from other States and Countries. Pradhikaara can even help host cultural events round the year by utilising platforms in front of illuminated Mysuru Palace on Sundays and general holidays, open air theatre, Kalamandira and promote cultural tourism in the cultural capital of the State and pull good tourists influx all through the year."

Narayangowda added "Government should come up with an international convention centre led by Pradhikaara to showcase our rich culture, host cultural events, even Yoga and provide a platform for women entrepreneurs to market their products round the year."

Narayangowda also said, "Since UDAN routes are taken off from Mysuru Airport and there are only a few flights, recently the venue of a national conference of hotels and restaurants was changed from Mysuru to Bengaluru. So we need to get our UDAN routes back to pull more tourists from other States, Countries. Besides dazzling illumination we should also have basic infrastructure and ensure roads like Bannur road or new DC office road are free from potholes. They should ensure there are street lights on all roads like T Narsipura road near Lalitha Mahal. Pradhikaara can stress on what is required for Mysuru to showcase Mysuru well in the international arena."

Heritage expert, N S Rangaraju, "about 1000 parrots reside on trees on Sayyaji Rao road. The trees are chopped to install stands for illumination. Dasara illumination can be more dignified. We can ensure they do not wrap our trees nourished by visionary Maharajas and save them and creatures depending on those trees. So if heritage experts are involved in Pradhikara, they can suggest ways to ensure celebration doesn't hamper our heritage aspects."

Jeevan Narayan, a Mysurean felt, "CESC had put stands on footpaths, hanged wires around poles upto three feet from the ground, which were detrimental to public safety. Pradhikaara can involve concerned citizens to suggest on public safety while organising Dasara."