Tamil Nadu Tourism will focus on FAM (familiarisation), farm and palace and temple (PAT) tours with the objective of attracting more tourists into the State and making them to stay longer.
Though Tamil Nadu has large number of tourist attractions spots like its southern counterparts, the tourists prefer well known destinations, while skipping lesser known places. Hence, the department is making a conscious attempt to spread the tourists to different location to reduce the burden on places such as Kodaikanal, Udhagamandalam, Rameswaram and Madurai.
Currently, the State ranks second in number of foreign tourists arrival into the State and third in domestic arrivals. New initiatives are planned to top the list by providing more facilities to the pilgrims.
Last year, the State received 33.08 lakh foreign tourists against 28.04 lakh in the previous year.
Talking to The Hindu, a top official said that the average stay of 20 per cent of foreigners in Tamil Nadu was about eight to ten days, while those who visited under business and leisure categories stayed for three to four days. The idea was to prolong the stay of visitors for eight days.
“Usually foreigners planned two weeks of southern trip of which one week was set apart for Kerala. In the short duration, they visit Chennai, Kancheepuram, Mamallapuram, Puducherry, Tranquebar, Kumbakonam, Tiruchi, Madurai and Kanyakumari. Domestic tourists visited Yelagiri, Yercaud, Kolli hills, Kurangani, Megamalai and other places,” he said.
With a view to popularising lesser known places, FAM tours would be conducted for travel writers and tour operators.
Apart from availing the help of charter flight operators and cruise operators, the officials would take part in the World Travel Mart in London in November 2012 and International Tourism Bourse in March 2013.
Marketing meets are planned in Switzerland, Netherlands and France in co-ordination with Indian Tourism Development Corporation to highlight the State's potential through aggressive publicity and marketing campaigns.
“By participating in the previous editions of international travel shows, we were able to create awareness about places such as Tranquebar, Alamparai Fort and Megamalai,” said the official.
As part of its strategy to attract more number of domestic tourists, the department has started focusing on the unexplored areas in and around Pollachi and Thanjavur, where a large number of private farm houses have come up over the years to attract members of film fraternity.
The absence of polluting industries in Pollachi and Thanjavur is sufficient to attract tourists.
Last year, the State received 13.68 crore domestic tourists compared to 10.30 crore in the previous year. During this year, road shows will be held in Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, the official adds.
Keywords: Tamil Nadu Tourism, palaces, temples
As a person who partook of a "Temple Tour" in 2007, I can certainly agree with all the points made above. We too, Canada and USA have had to "clean up our act" in growing out of the 19th century up to today. Now we have been conditioned to this environment. It can be done and I'm sure will be done in TN.
It would also be nice to visit your State and country without feeling like prey.
There are many temples to be seen in Tamilnadu. The Tamilnadu Government should be more cautious in attracting more tourists from all over the India and also from abroad. The tourist attraction centres must be equipped with Budget hotels, fresh food, Sanitation, Hospitality from all cadres. Further the fare to be charged from piligrims should be visible with all fecilities. If a tourist is received by Tourist Department, they should show more courtesy against them. There should not be any hidden costs. Every thing must be displayed transparent and known how must can a tourist can afford for the Tour. If the tour programme is successful, he himself will propagate so and so Government is giving more fecilities to tourists. This itself attracts more piligrims and tourists. Besides that the propaganda must be very transparent and there should not be any hidden costs.
I fully endorse the views expressed by my friend, Ram Venkat. If TN want to have numero uno position in tourism sector ( now it is second in foreign tourists inflow and third in domestic tourists inflow - source Tourism Dept. Govt. of India), more attention should be paid to cleanliness of the places where the tourists flow is there. Tiruvarur, Thiruvannamalai, Thanjavur are some of the temples I visited recently and I am very impressed by the cleanliness around the temples. Each and every tourist spot should be kept neat and clean and there should be provision of fine/imprisonment for the people practicing open defacation. It should be implemented vigorously.
The Auto drivers and the car tour operators are the main people who makes problems with the tourists.They invariably charges them and most of the times the journey ends in altercations.The Govt failed to control the Auto drivers for fixing the Meters,where as our neighbors, Kerala and Karnataka are doing a wonderful job in controlling the Autos and taxis.TN Govt should take a strong step to control the Autos by fixing Meters,so that the tourists can enjoy their trip in Tamil Nadu like they enjoy in Kerala,and Karnataka.
More than decent accomodation, good modern Western toilet facilities have to be built and maintained with water and toilet paper etc. and that would attract domestic and foreign tourists. The cleanliness of the surrounding areas,especially, vigilance against open defacation on the roadside by locals, is very essential. Sanitary facilities for the local people should be provided adequately.
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@ Badri; Well said. In addition to Hospitality factor, cleanliness should also be focussed upon to impress upon the visitors, who mostly hailing from various foreign countries would normally expect such atmosphere, leave alone the open defecation practised in the state concerned. The slogan should be "Talk less Work more". Unfortunately India (all states inclusive) had already become hostage to the self-styled politicans and bureaucrats to do the spoil sport. The need of the hour is perfection and to excel as much as possible in all the fields that we (both the government and the subjects)choose to endeavour. The mind-set should change. Will it happen? Let's see.
I think focusing on palace and temple tours must be secondary. To boost tourism the first and foremost requirement is Hospitality towards tourists. I think that's were TN has to start from grounds up.
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