With reservoirs and waterfalls flowing full, tourists in Karnataka are thronging monsoon destinations like Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, and Sakleshpur in Hassan district to catch a glimpse of the water bodies and enjoy the rainfall.
Many waterfalls in the State including the famous Gaganachukki – Bharachukki falls in Chamarajanagara, Jog falls in Shivamogga, and Abbey Falls in Kodagu are all flowing in full strength and attracting tourists.
“Monsoon tourism has definitely picked up this year. The demand has almost doubled for our Madikeri, Jog Falls and Gaganachukki – Bharachukki packages,” said an official from the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation.
Private tour operators also reported similar trends and said that early monsoons have had a role to play in people planning their travels. “Karnataka continues to shine as one of the most popular monsoon tourism destinations in India, known for its lush landscapes and serene getaways. This year, we’ve observed approximately 23% growth in hotel bookings across key locations reflecting the growing interest in exploring the State during the rains,” said Manjari Singhal, Chief Growth and Business Officer, Cleartrip, an online travel agency.
She also said, “Additionally, flights to Bengaluru, Mangaluru, and Mysuru have seen an 8% spike in bookings, further highlighting the region’s appeal.”
Apart from enjoying the monsoons, adventure activities are also seeing more takers in these destinations. “The online tickets for the Tadiandamol trek, which is the highest trek in Kodagu, were sold out the last three weekends despite there being heavy rainfall alerts. We are seeing heightened demand for trekking and even rafting among tourists. When compared to last year, there has been around 30% increase in the arrival of tourists,” said Sagar Ganapathy, treasurer of Coorg Hotels and Resorts Association.
Inflated prices
With increased demand, the prices in hotels and resorts have also gone up, much to the dismay of travellers. “I wanted to travel for a weekend to enjoy the monsoons and look up properties in both Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru. The prices of all good properties start from almost ₹3,000 per night and go up to ₹25,000 per night. I finally settled for a resort in Chikkamagaluru for ₹5,000 per night. I thought this would be off season as summer vacations ended, but was surprised looking at the prices,” said Architha Reddy, a traveller from Bengaluru.
Hotel and resort owners say that they have to impose a marginal increase on the tariffs during weekends as the properties stay vacant through the weekdays.
Demand expected to continue till Dasara
The demand for tourist destinations is expected to continue across the State until the beginning of October this year. “We are expecting monsoon tourism to pick up further in the coming weeks. Moreover, Dasara begins in September itself this year and the government is also willing to celebrate it in a grander manner this year. By September, the demand will peak with even foreign tourists arriving for Dasara,” said K. Syama Raju, president, Karnataka Tourism Society.
