The surge in COVID-19 cases across the State has put paid to any hopes of a revival of tourism, which is evident in the low number of visitors to places of tourist interest.
Two weeks after the reopening of the monuments under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and other places of interest, the response is next to nil at most places, which have ticketed entries.
The Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) introduced five packaged tours to revive the sector, but an official claimed that not a single trip could be operated due to lack of response.
Information from Keshava or Chennakeshava temple in Somanathapura in Mysuru district and Dariya Daulat in Srirangapatna in Mandya district indicate that the number of tourists is negligible. The number does not exceed a handful of visitors on any given day, and most of them are locals out to beat the lockdown boredom.
Tipu Sultan’s palace in Bengaluru is out of bounds for visitors, as it is in a containment zone.
At Somanathapura and other ASI controlled monuments, entry is only through e-ticket. But many of the curious visitors from rural areas could not complete the electronic transaction. They were forced to turn back as physical tickets are not being issued at the counters.
Among the worst affected are the guides who depend on tourists and charge a fee for explaining the historical significance of the monuments. Scores of guides at Belur, Halebeedu, Srirangapatna and Somanathapura were dependent on the weekend tourists from Bengaluru. But any hope of a revival in their fortunes has been blown away by the surge in COVID-19 cases in Bengaluru.
“Srirangapatna, Somanathapura, Belur and Halebeedu are among the popular weekend getaway destinations for lot of people from Bengaluru, but the pandemic has forced every one to put off their travel plans indefinitely,” said Devaraj, a licensed guide at the Keshava temple at Somanathapura who has now relocated to his native village in Hassan district. “I have not earned anything since March. By relocating, I am saving on room rent,” he added.
B.N. Satyanarayana Gupta, a senior guide at Belur, said despite the temple remaining open throughout the day, there are no visitors. “Many guides have taken up temporary jobs as security personnel while a few have joined the construction sector to earn a livelihood,” said Mr. Gupta.
Though there was a rush in the initial phase of unlocking to Bandipur, Chikkamagalur and Kodagu, the surge in COVID-19 cases prompted local authorities to clamp a ban on the entry of tourists.