Mysuru is bustling as tourists flood the city for the year-end holidays. Most hotels are fully booked till December 28. Hotel owners expect a last-minute rush to fill the remaining rooms from December 28 to 31. C. Narayana Gowda, president of Mysuru Hotel Owners Association, said, "All hotels and available accommodation within 4 km of the city centre are full till December 28." He added, "About 70 per cent of rooms are booked from December 28 to 31, and we expect bookings to close soon." There are nearly 430 hotels and lodgings in Mysuru with around 10,500 rooms, catering from budget to luxury tourists. Half of the visitors come from across Karnataka, while others travel from Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. However, hotel occupancy could have been even higher if not for the suspension of wildlife safaris in Bandipur and Nagarahole tiger reserves. The ban came after three farmers died in tiger attacks in November, attributed to habitat disturbance caused by human activity. This suspension has impacted bookings from December 15 onwards. Mr. Gowda noted, "Many tourists visit Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu—just minutes from Bandipur—where safaris still operate." Tourism is a key economic driver in Mysuru, generating about 80,000 to 100,000 direct and indirect jobs. The city also serves as a gateway to other popular spots like Wayanad, Ooty, and Kodagu. Each year, Mysuru welcomes roughly 3.5 to 4 million tourists, mostly domestic travelers. Entry ticket sales at the Mysuru Palace, which tourists rarely miss, help estimate these numbers. Yet, international tourists make up less than 3 percent of visitors, and little effort is made to grow this segment, which could boost the local tourism economy further.