More toilets and better drinking water facilities, mobile medical vans and battery/electric carts to carry senior citizens around the area, were some of the facilities demanded by the more than 300 tourists who responded to a survey conducted by the tourism department and the Entrepreneurship Development and Innovation Institute (EDII) at the Government Botanical Garden on Thursday.
Thomas Rex Vaz, training coordinator at the EDII, said that the Government Botanical Garden, the Ooty Lake, and Boat House were among 19 popular tourist spots identified across Tamil Nadu for the survey.
Visitors to the garden said that a children's play area, a mini theater explaining the significance of the species of plants and trees in the garden, and tourist guides at the park, were necessary.
The team conducting the survey, put up the list of demands, and also the list of available amenities at the entrance to the garden. A similar survey will be conducted at the Ooty Lake and Boat House on Friday.
“After the completion of the surveys, we will submit a report to both the tourism department and to the Asian Development Bank, which may lead to some of these demands being made by tourists being implemented,” said Mr. Vaz.
Around 25 small entrepreneurs around both locations, mostly street vendors and small business owners will attend a seminar conducted by the EDII and the Hotel Tamil Nadu between January 21 and January 25.
