Bryant Park here will be beautified and new tourist attractions such as para jumping and elephant safari introduced to mark the 50th summer flower festival in 2011, Collector M. Vallalar has said.
Addressing the valedictory function of a 10-day summer festival here on Saturday, he said that the next flower festival would be the 50th one and to mark the golden jubilee, the district administration and the Department of Tourism had planned to organise it in a grand manner.
A facelift would be given to Bryant Park and more flower plants, including rare varieties, planted to make it colourful and attractive. An arch would be erected near the park to commemorate the golden jubilee.
A rose garden would also be established at an estimated cost of Rs.1.5 crore near the Kodaikanal observatory, he said.
Equal importance would be given to create new tourist attractions to draw more people not only from within the country but also from abroad. Tree-top huts would be established in the forest areas to enable tourists to have a feel of the forest. Hut-type cottages with all modern facilities were being constructed at Thandigudi and lower Palani hills. They would be ready well before the golden jubilee of flower festival.
Trekking, para-jumping and para-gliding would be introduced to attract young tourists. Battery car would be operated for tourists to bring down air pollution in the hills, he added.
The number of visitors to the park had been steadily increasing every year. The park attracted over one lakh tourists this season.
A total of 82,000 tourists had visited the park last season, be observed.
Revenue to the park through entrance ticket was around Rs. 3 lakh. Capitalising on the huge arrival of tourists, 33 self-help groups had earned Rs.9.21 lakh in seven days, he said.
