Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Dec 5: December is traditionally the peak tourist season along the Karnataka coast. Hotels, service apartments, resorts and homestays usually begin filling up from the first week of December. However, this year, most accommodations have been fully booked since November itself, with the sudden rise in the number of weddings cited as the primary reason.

Many NRIs and families originally from other states but currently residing in Mangaluru have chosen this period for weddings due to the lack of auspicious dates. From December 16 to February 2, 2026, Moudya (inauspicious period) will be in effect, during which weddings and other auspicious ceremonies are avoided. As a result, families are opting to complete such events between November and December 16.

A significant number of wedding guests, especially relatives of North Indian families settled in Mangaluru, have arrived from their hometowns, leading to bulk hotel bookings. Over the past one to two weeks, not only premium hotels but also mid-range establishments have reached full occupancy. Hoteliers say that once the wedding season ends, bookings will rise again for year-end festivities.

The Mangaluru–Udupi region has more than 10 five-star hotels and over 70 mid- and lower-mid-range lodges in the city alone, all of which see full bookings during the year-end season. Beach resorts and homestays too are filling up rapidly.

City gearing up for Christmas and New Year

Mangaluru attracts a large influx of tourists during Christmas and the year-end holidays. Many NRIs take time off to return home during this season and prefer to stay at hotels. Tourists from other districts also flock to Mangaluru, with the city’s beaches drawing the highest crowds. Weekend rush at beaches has become increasingly common.

Tourist arrivals on the rise