Going global: Tourist hub Mysuru waits for food street, house boats

Mysuru: Tourism stakeholders in Mysuru have sought a five year master plan for development of Mysuru tourism to bring it on par with international standards and to promote it as a brand. 

They have mooted measures to improve basic infrastructure facilities, creation of new tourism attractions, measures to showcase and promote tourism at the international level including  the appointment of a brand ambassador. 

They have also proposed a Yoga University to give certificates to those who get training in Yoga. The stakeholders  urged Tourism Minister Sa Ra Mahesh to focus on creating a better night life in Mysuru to attract more tourists  and retain them for a longer period.  

Mr Mahesh held a meeting with the stakeholders ahead of the meeting on tourism with Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on June 25. MLC Sandesh Nagaraj pointed, "While over 30,000 people visit Mysuru the number of people who stay back is a mere 6000."  So in order to retain more tourists for a longer period, he wanted an active night life with night markets, food streets, hosting of cultural events (which are restricted mostly to the Dasara period now) round the year by giving opportunity to local talent. 

The stakeholders  wanted a calendar of events to be released on websites. Some of them even proposed a jumbo savari procession on a daily basis at the Mysuru palace premises, where a common man is taken around in a model of the Golden Howdah. They also wanted spot lights to be installed on heritage buildings during the night.

The tourism stake wanted circuit buses connecting various tourism destinations in the city, preferably battery operated buses to keep it pollution free. An international convention centre in Mysuru to hold symposiums and international conferences for corporates was also proposed.

Some of the other suggestions are house boats, promotion of water sports in Varuna lake and the KRS backwater, paragliding at Chamundi hills, hot air balloon, sky diving and a vintage car museum at Lalitmahal premises.

A multi level parking facility in front of Mysuru Zoo, completion of the Aquarium project at the Zoo premises, more tourism information centres, trained tourist friendly police, exemption from entry tax for out of state tourists were some of the other suggestions made at the meeting. 

Mysore airport director, Mr Manoj Kumar said Mysuru gets 35 to 40 lakh visitors and at least 7 lakh  of them are foreign tourists. So Mysuru airport has got security clearance for the construction of an underpass and the extension of the runway for the development of Mysuru airport, The state government must speed up procedures including acquisition of land., he said.