Why is Mysore so popular as a tourism destination?
There are many reasons ranging from historic to geographic, and to some extend even economical factors that made Mysore a sought after destination.
 
This had been the capital for a very happening place in this part of the world. This artistic and political activism spinning over many centuries added to the very heritage of the region where Mysore belongs to.
Geographically, Mysore sits on the edges of the fertile Deccan Plateau and the thickly forested Western Ghats.
There are quite a few hot spots in this region, be it Nature, heritage or any genre of tourism. Mysore sits in the middle of it all.
Mysore city as such is a richly packed tourism destination. And scattered around Mysore are many popular destinations. And of course Mysore is a well connected, well maintained modern city with lots of character. In that way Mysore dual as a base for many destinations and attractions around.
 
So from a traveler's perspective it is feature rich place with way too many choices. With 100 plus attractions in the region, the diversity of options are mind boggling. It's just a question of pick and chose. In other words, customizing your tour based on time and budget. Oh Yes, the word budget came at the end!
Mysore is not just another tourist trap.This place is a lot conservative when it comes to practical tour budgets, weather you do it on your own or opt for one of the many packages the tourism industry offers. That explains the popularity, particularly among the budget tourists. It is value for money, all-in-one tourism.
Having said that Mysore do have quite a few premium themes, be it staying at one of its palaces or in the hunting lodges in the forests used by the erstwhile rulers. And Mysore is in the itinerary of the Golden Chariot.  All these aimed at the ones with deeper pockets, and the flair for such things.
 
For the literary oriented, R.K. Narayan's "Malgudi Days" is often quoted to be set in the background of Mysore. Of course Malgudi is a fictional place. But people try to parallel it with places and situations in Mysore. That's because Mysore was R.K. Narayan's home for 7 decades.
 
For those nursing culinary delights, quite a few delicacies are named after this city ranging from the accidently invented Mysore Pak to Mysore Masala Dosa to Mysore Bonda.
 
Though getting fast commercialized, Mysore is a new found destination for Yoga training. At least the beeline of aspiring Yoga trainers from around the world says so. In any case this has been a Yoga center for long, without much of the fanfare.
 
Mysore has a fair share of industries, some are even quite big. But this city can be hardly called an industrial town. Rather its is more known for its educational and research institutions, be it the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) , University of Mysore or the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL). Historically this place has been profiled as a place of art,literature and learning. And Mysore hold on to that legacy.