Coronavirus hurts Mysuru tourism

Mysuru: Tourism and hospitality industry in Mysuru city alone which is a major tourism destination where in over 70 percent people depend on tourism in one way or the other, has been hit badly due to covid pandemic situation. And in the past five months hotel industry here has suffered loss of atleast Rs 150 Crores and travel industry here has suffered loss of over Rs 40 Crores.

In Mysuru Palace alone, which has the fame of having second highest number of visitors after Tajmahal, there has been whopping decline in 95 percent of number of visitors in August this year compared to August last year due to Covid 19 situation. There were 10537 visitors including 22 foreigners to Mysuru Palace in August this year, and in last year August there were 2,07,081visitors including 3,434 foreingers to Mysuru Palace.

Mysuru hotel owners association head Mr C Narayangowda told The Hans India, "in the past six months due to lockdown and covid situation, hotels and lodges in Mysuru alone have suffered a loss of atleast Rs 150 Crore. And the occupancy of hotel rooms has still been just 5 percent with decline in tourists to Mysuru though inter State and intercity travel restrictions are lifted. Though the hotels and lodges are permitted to be open from June, and there has been permission from the beginning of this month, to open pubs and bars, atleast 25 percent of the hotels and lodges are yet to open. There are 405 hotels and lodges with 9500 rooms which employ atleast 25,000 people. While over 100 of them are yet to open, atleast 100 of them including famous Southern star, Ramya hotel and others are permanently closed," he said.

Mr Prashanth B S, head of Mysuru travel agents association said, "While Mysuru is a major tourism destination, atleast 70 percent of people in Mysuru depend on tourism in one way or the other. The travel industry in Mysuru alone has suffered a loss of atleast 40 Crores for the past six months," he said.