MYSURU: Mysuru Palace and Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens recorded higher tourist footfall during the 2026 Dasara festivities, with the palace attracting 1.10 lakh visitors over nine days and the zoo welcoming 1.57 lakh visitors over 11 days.

The figures highlight the continued popularity of Mysuru’s major tourist attractions during the annual festival, which draws visitors from across Karnataka and neighbouring States. The celebrations, cultural programmes, illuminated streets and festive atmosphere contributed to tourist activity across the city.

The zoo also recorded gate revenue of Rs 1.93 crore during the 11-day period, compared with Rs 1.91 crore during the corresponding Dasara season last year. Although the increase in revenue was modest, the zoo’s overall visitor numbers rose marginally from 1.56 lakh in 2025 to 1.57 lakh in 2026.

Mysuru Palace attracts 1.10 lakh visitors

Mysuru Palace remained a major attraction during the Dasara celebrations, receiving 1.10 lakh visitors over nine days, including the Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadashami holidays.

The historic palace is one of the city’s most prominent tourist landmarks and usually attracts large crowds during the annual festivities. Visitors come to see its architectural features, attend cultural events and experience the atmosphere surrounding the Dasara celebrations.

The palace and its surroundings become particularly busy during the festival period, when Mysuru hosts a range of cultural programmes and public events. The illuminated streets and attractions across the city also encourage visitors to explore beyond the main Dasara ceremonies.

The reported footfall reflects the palace’s role as a central attraction during the festival. However, the available figures do not provide a directly comparable nine-day visitor count for 2025, making it difficult to quantify the year-on-year change at the palace using the reported data alone.

Mysuru Zoo welcomes 1.57 lakh visitors

Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, popularly known as Mysuru Zoo, received 1.57 lakh visitors during the 11-day Dasara period in 2026.

The zoo recorded 1.56 lakh visitors during the corresponding period in 2025. The latest figures therefore indicate a marginal increase in overall attendance.

Zoo Executive Director P. Anusha said the institution generated gate revenue of Rs 1.93 crore during this year’s Dasara season, compared with Rs 1.91 crore last year.

The zoo is one of Mysuru’s major family tourist attractions and houses a wide variety of animals and birds. Its popularity during the Dasara holidays makes it an important part of the city’s tourism activity.

The increase in visitor numbers was modest, and attendance on the two principal festival days was lower than in 2025. On Ayudha Pooja, October 20, the zoo recorded 20,264 visitors, while Vijayadashami on October 21 brought in 19,745 visitors.

By comparison, the zoo had recorded 27,033 visitors on Ayudha Pooja and 27,272 on Vijayadashami in 2025. The figures show that, despite the marginal rise in total seasonal attendance, the two major festival days experienced lower footfall this year.

Zoo revenue rises despite lower festival-day turnout

The zoo’s gate revenue increased from Rs 1.91 crore in 2025 to Rs 1.93 crore in 2026, even as visitor numbers on Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadashami declined.

The figures underline the difference between total seasonal attendance and the turnout on individual festival days. While the two peak days recorded fewer visitors than in the previous year, the zoo’s cumulative attendance across the 11-day period remained slightly higher.

The available data does not establish the precise reasons for the revenue increase. However, the figures provide an overview of the zoo’s performance during one of Mysuru’s busiest tourism periods.

The zoo also acknowledged the cooperation of visitors, police personnel and staff in maintaining cleanliness and ensuring orderly conditions during the celebrations.

Tourism activity extends beyond the main festivities

Mysuru’s Dasara tourism extends beyond the palace and zoo, with street illuminations, food fairs and cultural programmes attracting visitors to different parts of the city.

The decision to hold Yuva Dasara at a venue outside the main city was also reported to have helped ease traffic congestion in central Mysuru. Meanwhile, tourism stakeholders have expressed hopes that the continuation of the city’s festive illuminations until October 31 will encourage more visitors to arrive after the main celebrations.

Hotels in Mysuru reportedly recorded full occupancy during the festival period, providing a boost to the hospitality sector. Continued tourist arrivals could benefit hotels, restaurants, transport operators and businesses serving visitors.

The palace and zoo figures offer a useful measure of activity at two of the city’s major attractions. While the zoo recorded a slight increase in overall footfall and gate revenue, the lower turnout on Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadashami indicates that visitor patterns varied across the festival period.

With the extended illuminations expected to continue drawing visitors, Mysuru’s tourism sector will be watching whether the festive momentum carries into the final days of October.