Rain deficit and tourism curbs dampen monsoon travel in Karnataka's Malnad

The El Niño-driven rainfall deficit in June and July, coupled with restrictions and closure of certain tourist camps by the Forest and Tourism departments, has severely impacted monsoon tourism in Karnataka's Malnad region, which includes Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, and Agumbe.

Homestay owners and hospitality associations across these hill stations said the season has been dull compared to previous years, when thousands of visitors arrived to enjoy the rains, scenic views, and waterfalls. Tourism is a major economic driver for the region, and the fall in footfall has affected local livelihoods.

Ibrahim, who owns a heritage estate and runs a homestay in north Kodagu, said the rainfall deficit in June and July left tourists, especially those from north Karnataka and Bengaluru, disappointed, forcing many to cut short their stay. "There was a decrease in footfall over the past two months, but we believe it might pick up soon. At present, we are receiving heavy rains in Kodagu, so once the rains moderate, footfall will definitely increase," he said.

Farhan, owner of another homestay, said the closure of Raja's Seat, a popular viewpoint, by the Department of Tourism has also affected tourism. "Either tourists avoid coming to Kodagu fearing landslides, or they stay away altogether because of the closure of such important attractions," he said.

In Chikkamagaluru, tourist footfall has been moderate due to the rainfall deficit. Sarita, who owns a private homestay in Kallugudde village, said rainfall has reduced by 60% compared to last year. "Likewise, the number of tourists is either moderate or low. Despite the lack of rain, the mist continues to attract visitors. However, most homestays are not making a profit as the prices of commodities have increased and workers' salaries have also gone up. But in a bid to attract tourists, our charges have remained unchanged," she said.

Prasanna, a homestay owner in Mudigere, said the weekend crowd from the IT sector has reduced drastically. "With tourism rules being relaxed in other States, many tourists prefer travelling there instead of exploring destinations within Karnataka," he noted.

A similar trend has been noticed in Agumbe, once known as the place receiving the highest rainfall in the State. Sunil, a member of the hospitality team at a private homestay, said, "We have beautiful waterfalls and viewpoints in Agumbe. Unfortunately, due to the lack of rain, there is little or no water in these places." He said they now inform guests in advance about the situation. "There have been customers who argued with us and refused to pay, saying there is no water," he added.

Mr. Sunil noted that Agumbe has been receiving good rainfall since July 30 and expressed hope that tourism would pick up soon.

Mallesh Doddamani, a tourist from Hubballi who travelled to Agumbe with his family, said he was hugely disappointed. "After reaching there, we realised there was hardly any water in the falls," he said.

The El Niño phenomenon, characterised by warming of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, often leads to weaker monsoon rains in India. The India Meteorological Department had earlier projected below-normal rainfall for June and July, though later months were expected to be better. The recent improvement in rainfall across the region has brought some optimism among tourism stakeholders, who hope that a late revival will help recover some losses.