Tourists flood heritage city Mysuru as school vacation ends

All hotel rooms in Mysuru were 100 per cent occupied from Friday night, according to officials

Even as summer vacation for school children is coming to an end, tourist destinations in the heritage city of Mysuru were flooded with tourists on Saturday and Sunday.

All the hotel rooms in Mysuru were 100 per cent occupied from Friday night, according to Mysuru hotel owners association head C Narayangowda.

Mysuru Palace had as many as 28,292 visitors including 23,557 adults, 4,706 children and 29 foreigners on Sunday. It had 25,527 visitors including 21,040 adults, 4,446 children and 41 foreigners on Saturday according to Mysuru Palace Board Deputy Director T S Subramanya.

Chamaraja Zoological Garden (Mysuru Zoo) had 27,011 visitors including 21,867 adults and 5,144 children on Sunday. It had 25,311 visitors including 20,178 adults and 5,133 children on Saturday, according to Mysuru Zoo Executive Director, Ajit M Kulkarni.

Narayangowda informed that 50 per cent of these tourists were from other states including Tamil Nadu, Andra Pradesh, Kerala and even states in North India.

"Tourists inflow started in mid-April after exams concluded for school children. We are seeing at least a 15 per cent further rise in tourists after legislative assembly elections, due to summer vacation. After the elections, we had over 75 per cent occupancy of hotel rooms in the Mysuru district during weekdays and 100 per cent occupancy during weekends. After covid pandemic period during the off-season we had over 45-50 per cent occupancy during weekdays and 70 per cent during weekdays," Narayangowda informed.

Mysuru travels association head C A Jayakumar said that they are seeing over a 30 per cent increase in their business due to summer vacation. After the Covid pandemic period, during the off-season, their business was touching up to 50 per cent. Now due to summer vacation, their business has touched up to 80 per cent. They have good inquiries up to June 15, he said.

Vice President of Karnataka tourism forum, M Ravi informed that all popular resorts and tourism destinations in other parts of the State too were full during this weekend. Most of the major resorts are all 100 per cent booked till June 1, he informed.