• Bookings open from today; all buses to start from KSTDC Office on JLB Road from Sept. 5
• Travel charges inclusive of accommodation; food expenses and entry tickets to be borne by tourists 

By S.T. Ravikumar

Mysore/Mysuru: The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) that usually announces a special tour package for tourists from Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad, who want to fly to Mysuru for the Dasara festivities and visit tourist spots in and around the City of Palaces, has decided to widen its network through road trips this Dasara and has chalked out a detailed plan to attract tourists.

A brainchild of KSTDC Managing Director G. Jagadeesha and KSTDC Chairman Ka.Pu. Siddalingaswamy to rake in revenues, the Tourism Development Corporation has identified many circuits to operate special tour packages for domestic and international tourists visiting Mysuru.

Bookings for the package tours, to be conducted in air-conditioned buses, opened from today (Sept.1) and tourist spots in Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Mandya and Kodagu districts will be covered in the one-day tour packages.

Bookings are open in both online and offline mode and these packages will be available from Sept. 5 on 13 routes.

Tickets can be booked online through https://www.kstdc.co/ where there is a wide array of ticket booking and destination-focussed tour options to choose from under the section ‘Tour packages from Mysuru.’

Offline tickets can be purchased from the KSTDC Office on JLB Road (Mayura Hoysala Hotel), Mysuru KSRTC booking counter, Central KSRTC Office at Yeshwanthpur in Bengaluru and Kempegowda Bus Terminal (Majestic) in Bengaluru.

This apart, tickets can be booked from the Red Bus portal, KSRTC Avatar and through the authorised tour and travel agents and tour operators.

For more information, tourists can contact KSTDC Mysuru Office on Ph: 0821-2423652 or Mob: 89706-56400 or e-mail:  [email protected]

The rates will be applicable to all those who are above five years of age and the ticket prices are inclusive of travel and accommodation charges. Tourists have to pay for food, beverages and entertainment, and entry tickets to tourist places (local sightseeing) and places of interest, KSTDC Mysuru Assistant Office Manager Chethan told Star of Mysore.

All the tours are conducted in the air-conditioned buses of the KSTDC and if need be, KSRTC buses will be taken on rent to fulfil the tour package commitment. “These packages are being launched only for Dasara. In case of a good response, we will extend the services for a couple of days,” he added. All the buses will start from the KSTDC Office on JLB Road (Mayura Hoysala Hotel).

As the 2020 and 2021 Dasara was low-key celebrations and there was a pandemic atmosphere, the tours and travel sector was dull and reported losses. “We anticipate a surge this time as Dasara is not seen as a reason to spread the pandemic. Local people will definitely travel and we are expecting a lot of outstation and foreign travellers, leading to some impetus to the tourism sector,” Chethan said.