The Department of Tourism has identified 30 spots in the district to collect data on the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists to Tiruchi district.
Tiruchi continues to attract a large number of domestic and international tourists thanks to the presence of ancient places of worship, historical and architectural landmarks.
The Department of Tourism so long has collected data mainly from Tiruchi International Airport, railway junction and a few temples to arrive at the number of tourists that have visited the district till recently. With a few more places emerging as new hotspots of tourism, the Department has expanded the ambit of tourist footfalls so as to calculate the tourist arrival on monthly basis.
Besides Tiruchi International Airport, and railway junction, the Department considers Sri Thayumanaswamy Temple (Rockfort), Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in Srirangam and Sri Akilandeswari-Jambukeswarar Temple in Thiruvanaikoil as the main centres of counting international tourists.
However, the Department has institutionalised a system to collect data on domestic tourist arrival in 30 locations in the district, that now includes Sri Mariamman Temple in Samayapuram, Murugan Temple in Vayalur, Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Main Guard Gate and Natharsha Pallivasal on Madurai Road. Besides, tourist data are also collected from Mukkombu, Pachamalai and Puliyancholai.
“The Butterfly conservatory near Melur in Srirangam attracts many tourists from different districts.. A section of devotees from other States, who visit Srirangam Temple visits the Butterfly conservatory too It has emerged as a popular spot in the district. Hence, it has been brought under the ambit of data collections in addition to eco-tourism centres in Pachamalai and Puliyancholai,” says T. Jagadheeswari, Tourism Officer, Tiruchi.
She told The Hindu that accurate data was the need of the hour. It had to be corroborated with evidence. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) the Water Resources Department (WRD) and the Forest Department had been asked to provide the details of ticket sales in the temples and other tourist spots. The officers concerned had regularly been submitting the data with evidences to the department regularly.
Ms. Jagadheeswari said that there was already a mechanism to collect both domestic and international tourists arriving at leading hotels and the occupancy rates. The data had been corroborated with evidence so as to arrive at an accurate number of tourists coming to the district. The analytical report with comparative statements was being submitted to the Department of Tourism in Chennai and the Ministry of Tourism in New Delhi once in a month, she added.
