Mysuru: The hike in entry ticket price by tenfold for foreign tourists at Mysore Palace has not affected the Mysore Palace Board as it has recorded increase in footfall, especially foreign tourists, which has doubled since the increase in entry ticket price. The Mysore Palace Board had recently increased the ticket price from Rs. 100 to Rs. 1,000 for the foreign tourists.

It was also said that, the Mysore Palace would witness decrease in foreign tourists’ footfall because of the steep hike in ticket price. However, it has been exactly opposite with a total of 952 foreigners visiting the Mysore Palace from Oct. 25 to Oct. 31, while only 634 foreigners has visited the Palace in the same period last year. The number of visitors had dropped to 310 during COVID pandemic  in 2022.

In the first week of November this year, a total of 899 foreign tourists have visited the Palace while their numbers were 781 in 2023 and 389 in 2022. The Palace Board along with increasing the ticket prices also inaugurated the cloak room, slipper stand and toilet facilities inside the Palace complex.

The hike in Palace ticket price, especially for the foreign tourists, was criticised by various organisations associated with tourism industry.

In fact, they were wary about the possibilities of foreign tourists refraining from having Palace on their itinerary owing to price hike. However this has proved wrong. Despite this, one of city’s tour operators, who wished not to be named, expressed that it would be wise to reduce the price to Rs. 500 to avoid any adverse effect in the future.

Despite the increase in entry ticket price, the number of foreign tourists visiting the Mysore Palace has increased compared to two previous years. None of the foreign tourists have expressed their opinion to either reduce the entry ticket price. Meanwhile, the number of foreign tourists visiting the Palace has increased, said T.S. Subramanya, Deputy Director of Mysore Palace Board.