<p>Mysuru: Influx of year-end tourists to heritage city-Mysuru taking up vacation for relaxation has picked up from the past weekend.</p><p>Flower show and cultural events held as part of the 10-day Mysuru winter festival, by Mysuru Palace Board at Mysuru Palace premises have been drawing more tourists. However tourism stakeholders feel that, the influx of national and international tourists would have been higher by another 15% if ban on safaris in Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger Reserve would have been lifted.</p>.Safari ban leaves jungle resorts in Karnataka struggling ahead of holiday season.<p>Mysuru Zoo (Sri Chamarajendra zoological garden) saw 15,092 visitors on Saturday; 14, 975 visitors on Sunday; and 13, 285 visitors on Monday, according to Mysuru Zoo Executive Director P Anusha. </p><p>According to Mysuru Palace board sources, there were 16,874 visitors including 132 foreigners on Sunday and 11,399 visitors including 129 foreigners on Monday. </p>.<p>Mysuru Hotel owners association president C Narayangowda informed that, in Mysuru city, there are about 10,500 rooms in twenty five-star category hotels and 400 hotels and lodges. </p><p>The occupancy of hotel rooms in Mysuru has been 80 per cent since December 20-Saturday. 90% of the rooms are booked from December 25 to 31. After Safari was banned, the occupancy from November 7 to December 19 was just 40% during weekdays and 65-70% during the weekends. Now though the occupancy has picked up, going by previous years' trend, it should have been 100% from December 20, he said. </p><p>SKAL International (a global network of travel and tourism professionals) Mysuru president C A Jayakumar said, "National and international Tourists had dropped by 40% during the regular tourists' season (from November to December 19 after Dasara) after Safaris were banned in NTR and BTR. They have picked now during this limited tourists' season (from December 20 to January 10) due to Mysuru winter fest, especially since people are taking vacations for relaxation purposes during the year end. But outside tourists from other States and Countries would have been 15% higher, if the ban on Safari would have been lifted," he said. </p><p>Narayangowda said, "Now 50 per cent are domestic tourists from our own State and 50% are from other States." </p><p>The Safaris were banned on November 7 owing to demands by farmers' organisations, followed by four back-to-back incidents of human-animal conflicts between October 26 and November 7 in the fringes of BTR in Sargur taluk of Mysuru district resulting in deaths of three farmers and injury of one person.</p><p>"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Forest minister Eeswar Khandre should hold a meeting with tourism stakeholders. They should impose strict SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and restart Safaris to enhance tourists' influx, and support those depending on tourism," added Narayangowda.</p>
<p>Mysuru: Influx of year-end tourists to heritage city-Mysuru taking up vacation for relaxation has picked up from the past weekend.</p><p>Flower show and cultural events held as part of the 10-day Mysuru winter festival, by Mysuru Palace Board at Mysuru Palace premises have been drawing more tourists. However tourism stakeholders feel that, the influx of national and international tourists would have been higher by another 15% if ban on safaris in Bandipur and Nagarahole Tiger Reserve would have been lifted.</p>.Safari ban leaves jungle resorts in Karnataka struggling ahead of holiday season.<p>Mysuru Zoo (Sri Chamarajendra zoological garden) saw 15,092 visitors on Saturday; 14, 975 visitors on Sunday; and 13, 285 visitors on Monday, according to Mysuru Zoo Executive Director P Anusha. </p><p>According to Mysuru Palace board sources, there were 16,874 visitors including 132 foreigners on Sunday and 11,399 visitors including 129 foreigners on Monday. </p>.<p>Mysuru Hotel owners association president C Narayangowda informed that, in Mysuru city, there are about 10,500 rooms in twenty five-star category hotels and 400 hotels and lodges. </p><p>The occupancy of hotel rooms in Mysuru has been 80 per cent since December 20-Saturday. 90% of the rooms are booked from December 25 to 31. After Safari was banned, the occupancy from November 7 to December 19 was just 40% during weekdays and 65-70% during the weekends. Now though the occupancy has picked up, going by previous years' trend, it should have been 100% from December 20, he said. </p><p>SKAL International (a global network of travel and tourism professionals) Mysuru president C A Jayakumar said, "National and international Tourists had dropped by 40% during the regular tourists' season (from November to December 19 after Dasara) after Safaris were banned in NTR and BTR. They have picked now during this limited tourists' season (from December 20 to January 10) due to Mysuru winter fest, especially since people are taking vacations for relaxation purposes during the year end. But outside tourists from other States and Countries would have been 15% higher, if the ban on Safari would have been lifted," he said. </p><p>Narayangowda said, "Now 50 per cent are domestic tourists from our own State and 50% are from other States." </p><p>The Safaris were banned on November 7 owing to demands by farmers' organisations, followed by four back-to-back incidents of human-animal conflicts between October 26 and November 7 in the fringes of BTR in Sargur taluk of Mysuru district resulting in deaths of three farmers and injury of one person.</p><p>"Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Forest minister Eeswar Khandre should hold a meeting with tourism stakeholders. They should impose strict SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) and restart Safaris to enhance tourists' influx, and support those depending on tourism," added Narayangowda.</p>