Mysuru: A lacklustre Dasara, poor marketing and no sign of a brand ambassador to promote the state's tourism is taking its toll on the city of palaces, Mysuru. Fewer tourists have visited both the Mysuru Palace and the Mysuru Zoo , two of the city’s major attractions, this financial year as compared to the last .
Even more disturbing, there has been a sharp fall in foreign tourists visiting the city over the last four years. While Mysuru Palace received 33,19,159 visitors in 2015-16, this is lesser than the 33,87,434 who visited it in 2014-15. The zoo saw only 31,85,903 tourists in 2015-16, as against 32.63 lakh in 2014-15.
Also, only 60,882 foreign tourists arrived in Mysuru in 2015-16, when as many as 69,272 had visited it in 2014-15, and 72,483 in 2013-14, making the decline quite apparent.
The zoo is proving a lesser attraction as it has received no new animals either from abroad or from other zoos in the country. The deaths of 47- year- old African jumbo Timbo, 29 -year- old zebra, Erina, and a 26 -year- old chimpanzee, Mirella besides Royal Bengal tiger, Sanjay has left it with fewer animals as well.
“We have lost a major chunk of tourists as the last Dasara celebration was very low key despite the Jumbo Savari and the cultural programmes. There has also been absolutely no marketing to promote Mysuru or Karnataka tourism. We have neither a brand ambassador nor an ad movie like Gujarat has,” complains Mr Prashanth B S of Mysuru Tourism Forum, adding, “Neither do we have souvenirs dedicated to Mysuru.
Also, the entry and luxury taxes are so high that tourists are now going to Bangkok which is cheaper and more tourist- friendly.” Lack of air connectivity is another hassle , according to him. Unless the government wakes up, things will only slide further, he warns.
