Mysuru struggles to attract foreign tourists amid strong domestic turnout
Known to be a destination for all seasons, Mysuru's quest to boost international tourist footfall has not been successful, though it continues to be among the more popular tourist places for domestic travellers.
In the financial year 2024-25, the Mysuru palace recorded 39,35,108 visitors, of which only 44,909 were from abroad, which is just 1.14% of the total tourist traffic. In 2023-24, out of 40,56,975 tourists, merely 34,606 (0.85%) were foreign nationals. The year before, the number of foreign tourists was 23,168 out of 33,92,274 total visitors, and the percentage of foreign tourists was a mere 0.68%. While the percentage of foreign tourists visiting Mysuru in 2024-25 is slightly higher, the difference is marginal compared to the previous years.
Stakeholders say the figures are glaringly disproportionate when compared to the city's potential, which has yet to be tapped.
C. Narayana Gowda, president of the Hotel Owners' Association, said that the need of the hour was to market Mysuru and blamed the government for not doing enough on this front.
The hospitality sector has pinned its hope on the increase in the footfall of foreign tourists visiting Mysuru, as they tend to stay longer than domestic travellers and spend more. But the trend of low footfall of foreign tourists is showing little signs of reversing.
Mr. Narayana Gowda said almost 70% of the domestic tourists are those with a 'same-day return' itinerary chalked out before coming to Mysuru. 'We get a majority of tourists from Bengaluru and Kerala. While those from Bengaluru prefer to return to the capital, tourists from Kerala travelling in groups tend to spend only a day in Mysuru, before heading for the next destination as per their tour plan,' he added.
An analysis of the last 15 years of data indicates that foreign tourists have constituted less than 2% of the total visitors to Mysuru, raising questions about the city's positioning on the global tourist map.
Other stakeholders have called for greater marketing of destinations in Mysuru that are frequented by foreigners, like in Kerala or Rajasthan, apart from promotion in international travel marts. Besides, they have called for strong promotion of the Belur-Halebidu-Somanthpur, which are now recognised by UNESCO as World Heritage sites.
While Mysuru may be a household name among Indian travellers, failure to lure international tourists means not realising the full economic potential of tourism. This is reckoned to be inexplicable as Mysuru is rooted in history, tradition, wildlife (Bandipur-Nagarahole-Ranganathittu), Yoga, etc., and can provide the kind of experiences that international travellers seek.
Notwithstanding the potential, stakeholders believe Mysuru continues to be held back by weak global marketing, inadequate high-end or luxury infrastructure, and a lack of international connectivity, from emerging as a major international tourist centre.
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