Mysuru: The recent decision to increase the entry fee for foreign tourists visiting the iconic Mysore Palace from `100 to `1,000—a nine-fold hike—has triggered strong opposition from stakeholders in the tourism industry.

Tourism representatives have urged the Mysore Palace Board to reconsider this decision, stating that the new rates, effective from Friday, could adversely affect the number of foreign tourists visiting the palace, thus impacting the broader tourism sector.

Critics of the decision argue that the Palace Board implemented the hike without consulting key tourism stakeholders, which they believe is an unfair practice. Compared to pre-pandemic years, the number of foreign tourists visiting the palace has already seen a significant decline. Tourism operators fear that this fee hike could further deter visitors from coming.

B S Prashanth, President of the Mysore Travels Association, condemned the decision, expressing concern over how this abrupt change would affect their operations. “As travel agents, we book tours for foreign tourists months in advance based on existing ticket rates. We had planned tours and collected payments accordingly. Now, with this sudden hike, how are we supposed to explain this to our clients?” Prashanth asked.

He added, “How do we cover these unexpected losses? We should have been informed about this decision at least six months in advance. Instead, the sudden and steep increase in ticket prices is not acceptable, and we strongly oppose it.”

C Narayanagowda, President of the Mysore District Hotel Owners’ Association, voiced similar concerns. “The Palace Board decided to increase the entry fee without any consultation with tourism stakeholders and enforced it overnight. The number of foreign tourists visiting Mysore has already decreased, and this fee hike will only cause it to decline further. A reasonable two-fold increase might have been manageable, but a nine-fold hike is excessive and unjust,” he said.

Travel agents also pointed out the practical challenges they face. “We quoted an entry fee of `100 to our clients when booking their tours. For a group of 35 tourists, we calculated a total fee of `3,500. Now, that amount will increase to `35,000. This will not only affect our profits but also disrupt our business operations,” they lamented.

B.S. Prashanth of the Mysore Travels Association has urged the relevant authorities to reconsider the hike, emphasizing that the increased fees could be a setback for Mysuru’s tourism sector, which has been recovering post-COVID.

T.S. Subramanya, Deputy Director of the Mysore Palace Board, defended the decision, stating that the revision was made as per the decision taken during the board meeting. “The entry fee of `100 for foreign tourists has been in place for a long time, and the revision was necessary.”

Nevertheless, industry representatives hope that the decision will be reassessed to avoid any negative impact on the tourism sector in Mysuru, a city renowned for its rich cultural heritage and historic attractions.