Tourism sector in Mysuru saddened by booster shot shortage

The tourism industry in Mysuru is saddened by the lack of incentives given to the sector in the budget presented by Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa. Stakeholders said the sector was badly in need of an incentive through new initiatives, projects and higher allocation to protect against the shock of the COVID-19 epidemic.

Ahead of the budget presentation, stakeholders met the Chief Minister and concerned ministers, including Tourism Minister CP Yogeshwar, and submitted their wish list.

Moreover, the demands of the industry are not new as they have been patiently presenting their wish lists every year with the hope of giving more to the tourists coming to Mysuru, whose economy mainly depends on tourism development.

BS Prashanth, president of Mysuru Travels Association, said, “The tourism sector has the potential to invest more to improve tourism on behalf of the government. Time and again it is being proved that despite being a potential area for reviving the economy, tourism is a neglected sector. ”

There is nothing to revive the area, except for the allocation for a theme park at Kabini Dam. Demands for expansion of Mysuru Airport, establishment of Dasara Authority and Mysuru Tourism Development Authority, involving five districts and maintaining Film City in Mysuru, which could have helped to develop tourism, have been ignored.

“Even the allocation of at least ₹ 50 crore would have given the airport expansion a start which goes a long way in taking the city on the path of progress,” he said, explaining the Mysuru Chief Minister Should not fail. Like other districts in obtaining allocations for the areas of their choice.

The hospitality sector does not declare a crisis-prone industry, other than that there is a lack of drive to improve tourism.

“If an authority was formed by merging five districts including Mysuru, Kodagu, Hassan, Chamarajanagar and Mandya, it could focus on furthering tourism development projects. Hotel Owners Association President Narayan Gowda felt that circuit tourism covering all five districts could be promoted.

Mr. Gowda said that the industry wants a clarity on the Film City as the government is neither developing the Film City in Mysuru nor the project in Bengaluru. The stakeholders want the Film City to be maintained in Mysuru as it will give more tonic to the tourism sector.

“Budget announcements should not be on paper. The government should implement them in the same year of the declaration. The Film City project is one such example of how projects remain on paper. The government should remove the uncertainties regarding this project.

Confusion over the fate of the project had alarmed stakeholders who opposed its relocation to Bengaluru. When Mr. Siddaramaiah was the Chief Minister, he had announced the project and earmarked 100 acres of land at Himavu in Varuna constituency.