Severe restrictions on tourism in animal camps and other sites have impacted the business of homestays in Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru districts in Karnataka. The homestay owners have urged the government of Karnataka to relax the rules for survival of the ecosystem.
Sagar Ganapathy, Treasurer of the Coorg Hotels and Resorts’ Association, criticised continued closure and severe restrictions at several major tourist attractions in Kodagu.
He said, “It has significantly reduced tourist inflow. Raja’s Seat, Mandalpatti, Dubare, and Thadiyandamol — Kodagu’s highest peak — have either remained closed for extended periods, or are functioning under heavy restrictions. The administration appears to have overlooked the economic impact on hotels, resorts, taxi operators, tourist and trekking guides, and many small businesses that depend on tourism. Several stakeholders have reportedly been forced to seek alternative livelihoods.”
He urged the government to adopt a scientific and balanced approach that ensures visitor safety while keeping tourism destinations open, and support the livelihoods of thousands of families dependent on the sector.
Kaverappa, a nature guide in Kodagu, said, “Due to less income and decreased tourists, many people like me are forced to work as labourers in coffee estates. If tourism has to thrive, government has to relax some rules.”
In Chikkamagaluru, homestays have had moderate footfall, but they continue to suffer financial losses, especially on weekends, for various reasons.
Mullayanagiri, Baba Budangiri, Hebbe falls, and Kalhatti falls are the major tourist attractions in the distict.
Kudremukh National Park in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka. Homestay owners believe that the restriction on the movement of vehicles is the main reason for drop in footfall. | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar
H. L. Girish, owner of Saaranga Homestay and member of Chikkamagaluru Homestay Association, said, “Our homestay is a few kilometres away from Bhadra Wildlife Sanctuary, which is a tourist attraction, especially for wildlife enthusiasts. From the past 10 days, bookings have reduced due to heavy rain. But even in June and July, we had moderate footfall on weekends. Footfall has reduced from 10,000 to 2,500-3,000 during weekends.”
Mr. Girish believes the main reason is the restriction by the Tourism Department on the movement of vehicles. “They have launched a portal where it is mandatory for tourists to make an online booking if they are travelling by car to Chikkamagaluru.”
“Only 600 cars are allowed to enter this area each day. The entry point is Mullayanagiri. Whenever a car enters, they need to show the online booking pass to the guards. However, if you go to this portal to book, it shows all slots are booked because private cab drivers would have booked all 600 slots. Individuals, who do not have a pass, are forced to get into the cars of these private cab drivers and pay them for the ride.”
Recently, the homestay association reported this problem to the local MLAs who promised to apprise Tourism Minister K.J. George.
Jeevan Gowda, a techie who planned a trip to Chikkamagaluru recently, said, “I tried booking a slot for a short trip. For one week, the portal showed that all slots are booked. We travelled by bus and then by cab to see Mullayanagiri.”
In response to this, a senior official from the Tourism Department said, “The route where cars have been restricted is a ghat section and a small single road. Hence, it is not feasible to allow thousands of cars to ply on a single day, as it might lead to a traffic jam. However, the issue of cab drivers booking hundreds of tickets will be looked into, and the problem will be solved in co-ordination with the local homestays.”
Published - August 03, 2026 01:19 pm IST
Source: The Hindu - India News
