The Naada Habba Dasara may be a low-key event in view of the pandemic but the stakeholders in the tourism sector are optimistic of an improvement in their financial and economic situation.
For, not withstanding the Government’s decision to scale down this year’s festival, the hospitality industry is witnessing a surge in accommodation bookings. In Mysury city alone which is home to nearly 180 to 200 hotels, there is an occupancy rate of 60 per cent from October 10 to 15. In all, there are about 8,000 rooms catering to different segments of tourists and about 60 per cent of them are booked, which is an encouraging sign, according to C. Narayana Gowda of the Hotel Owners Association in Mysuru.
He said this is almost equal to the bookings that used to take place during the pre-pandemic times and in case the third wave was averted, they are optimistic of better fortunes by as early as December 2021.
“As the Dasara is a low-key event this year, not many tourists are coming to witness the festival. But as it also coincides with their holiday people have started making bookings and this is being fuelled mainly by tourists from Karanataka’’, he added.
In the pre-pandemic times tourists from Kerala and Tamil Nadu used to account for almost 50 per cent of the traffic but this time people from other parts of Karnataka are exploring the State, giving a fillip to the tourism sector.
There is a general perception among the stakeholders that the peak tourism season in Mysuru which coincides with Dasara every year, is set to take off by the second week of October. The sense of optimism has also been bolstered by the increase in the coverage of the vaccinated segment.
Devaraj, a guide at the Somnathpur temple, said that things were improving with a steady increase in the number of tourists visiting monuments. “There are 6 active licensed guides at Somnathpur and we take turns and work on alternate days. The scenario is definitely better than what it was during the same stage last year and things are bound to improve by November/December,’’, he added.
However, among a section of the tourists there are concerns of free interaction with guides due to the pandemic and hence some of them were avoiding hiring them at all, according to Devaraj. Meanwhile, the bookings for hired cabs too have picked up indicating a traction in the travel sector.
Tourism is a major revenue and employment generator in the Mysuru region. The sector provides direct jobs to nearly 80,000 people as per various estimates besides triggering ancillary jobs. The tourism traffic to Mysuru in the pre-pandemic times had peaked at around 3.5 million per annum and stakeholders opine that though the footfall has increased, it is unlikely to breach those numbers before the middle or end of next year.
