Mysuru, long celebrated for its magnificent palaces, royal legacy and grand festivities, revealed a lesser-known side to tourism professionals through the Karnataka Tourism Forum’s (KTF) two-day “Mysuru Beyond Heritage – Tourism Discovery Tour”, held on August 29 and 30, 2026. The initiative brought together KTF members, tourism professionals and travel content creators to discover distinctive experiences that can be developed into new itineraries and promoted to travellers. Designed as an industry-oriented discovery initiative rather than a conventional sightseeing tour, the programme enabled participants to experience destinations firsthand and assess their potential for experiential, cultural, spiritual, culinary and special-interest tourism.
The journey from Bengaluru began at Janapada Loka, where participants received a traditional Karnataka welcome with garlands and a vibrant Dollu Kunitha performance. The group explored the folk heritage centre and participated in pottery, Channapatna toy experiences, a traditional Tanga ride, Grameena Aata, Janapada Nritya and Geete. Traditional vegetarian cuisine, including a plantain-leaf lunch, further enriched the experience. The group subsequently visited the Oriental Research Institute, discovering Mysuru’s scholarly and intellectual heritage and exploring opportunities beyond conventional royal tourism. The day concluded with Hi Tea at KSTDC Mysuru, followed by a networking cocktail dinner with KTF Mysuru members, supported by the Mysore Travel Association (MTA), Mysore Hotel Owners Association (MHOA) and Sandesh The Prince. The evening strengthened B2B connections between Bengaluru and Mysuru’s travel, hospitality and tourism stakeholders.
Day Two introduced participants to another range of experiences, beginning with St. Antony’s Church, Dornahalli, and Gomatagiri, highlighting the region’s spiritual and cultural diversity. The Mysore CAT Museum offered an unusual addition to the itinerary, while World of Mysore Pak showcased the culinary heritage behind one of Mysuru’s most recognisable delicacies. Lunch at Dakshina Paaka, sponsored by MHOA President Narayan Gowda, was followed by Hi Tea at KSTDC Srirangapatna and a Sound of Healing experience. Four travel bloggers and content creators accompanied the group, documenting the journey through photographs, videos and digital stories. Their participation helped connect the travel trade with the growing digital travel community and created opportunities to showcase Mysuru’s lesser-known attractions to wider audiences. KTF President Patrick George, Joint Secretary Vinutha Kiran, the Core Committee and Prashanth Shenoy were appreciated for conceptualising and executing the programme.
“Mysuru Beyond Heritage” reinforced a simple industry principle: travel professionals must experience destinations firsthand to confidently recommend and promote them. By bringing together heritage, folk traditions, spirituality, cuisine, museums, wellness and networking, the initiative demonstrated the potential to position Mysuru as a destination offering far more than its iconic landmarks.