Tourism & Heritage
TOURISM OF TAMIL NADU
Scenario in Tamil Nadu:
Tamil Nadu is a State with several distinguished tourism genre. It has cerulean mountains, verdant vegetations, sandy beaches, mammoth monuments, timeless temples, fabulous wildlife, scintillating sculptures and reverberating rural life. It has picturesque spots, continuing heritage, cultural confluence and aesthetic magnificence.
Tamil Nadu has excellent hill stations like Ooty, Kodaikanal, Yercaud, Elagiri, Javvadhu Hills, Kolli Hills, Sirumalai Hills, Valparai, Topslip, Parvathamalai Hills and Pachamalai Hills. It has silvery cascades in Courtallam, Hogenakkal, Thiruparappu, Monkey falls, Thirumurthi Malai, Akasa Gangai and Papanasam. It has excellent National Parks like Guindy National Park and Anamalai National Park. It has wildlife sanctuaries in Mudumalai, Kodiakarai, Kalakkad, Mundanthurai and Berijam. It has Botanic Gardens in Ooty, Kodaikanal and Coimbatore. It has UNESCO declared monuments like living Chola temples at Thanjavur, Darasuram and Gangaikondacholapuram, monuments at Mamallapuram and Nilgiris Heritage Train. The vast coastline of Tamil Nadu has many silvery beaches like the Marina, Elliots, Thiruvanmiyur, Tiruchendur, Rameswaram and Kanniyakumari. The temples of Tamil Nadu reverberate with spirituality and music. Madurai, Rameswaram, Kumbakonam, Chidambaram, Thanjavur and Tiruchirappalli have innumerable temples with different deities. The finely hewn grandeur sculptures reflect artistic excellence and cultural splendour.
As Tamil Nadu has its unique culture and abundant tourism potential, tourists from upcountry and abroad flock the tourist spots throughout the year. The spots get over-crowded during the seasons. To facilitate the tourists, Tamil Nadu Tourism has been taking enduring efforts to promote tourist places by providing basic infrastructure like public convenience, rest shed, drinking water, road improvement, car parking, etc.
Tamil Nadu Tourism
Tamil Nadu Tourism comprises Tourism Department in the Secretariat, and a Commissionerate of Tourism functioning to formulate policies and implement programmes for the development of tourism sector in the State. Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation is a state owned public sector undertaking to initiate novel ventures and innovate new schemes for providing demonstration effect to the private sector. In performing this role, Tamil Nadu Tourism coordinates the activities of various other Government Departments / agencies and the private sector.
Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) has been operating Hotels, Youth Hostels, Restaurants, Tours, Boat houses, Telescope houses as a forerunner for the private sector to follow as new area of business proposition.
TOURIST WEALTH OF TAMIL NADU
Tamil Nadu is a unique and fascinating State, where technology co-exists with tradition, old architecture blends with contemporary vitality and where nature is at its unsullied best. These make Tamil Nadu a year round destination. It boasts of abundant tourist wealth, which can be broadly grouped under the following heads:
Hill Resorts: They are a beautiful mix of mountain ranges and plains with pastoral landscape, exotic plants and shrubs, and grassy hillocks. Here tourism remains environmentally benign. The notable hill resorts are Udhagamandalam, Kodaikanal and Yercaud.
Beach Resorts: Out of 7100 km long coastline that India enjoys, Tamil Nadu has a 1000 km long spectacular coastline with sugar-white bays and sun -drenched beaches. Marina beach is the second longest in the world. The recent beautification drive launched by Government on the Marina has earned the appreciation of all and Marina has been restored to its past glory.
Waterfalls: They present an awesome spectacle with the colossal cascade of water. Hogenakkal, Kutrallam, Thirparappu, Kumbakarai, Papanasam etc. are worth mentioning here.
Wildlife sanctuaries: Mudumalai, Anamalai, Mundanthurai, Kalakkadu will attract the attention of youngsters and wildlife enthusiasts.
Zoological Parks: They have abundant wildlife that can be seen and appreciated in their natural habitat.
Bird Sanctuaries: These visitors can be seen in close range during their sojourn to India, when the climate is inhospitable in their homelands.
Botanical / Horticultural Gardens: For those who have a green thumb and for those who can understand the aesthetics of colour and fragrances, these gardens that are immaculately maintained will provide a visual feast.
Temples / Churches / Mosques: To understand, appreciate and value our heritage which firmly believes in the by-line that there is Unity in Diversity. The wealth of the artistry and sensitivity that goes into the idols, carvings that are exquisite and extravagant will make the individual feel generous in spirit. The carvings, statues, pillars and buildings are delicate and distinct but at the same time are integrally linked with each other. It displays the ingenuity and artistic skill of sculptors and artisans. The history of some of the pilgrim centres dates back to more than a 1000 years and we realize that when compared the life of a human being is very small and very transient.
Heritage Monuments: This is where the architecture is unique and inspiring, and has made time stand still for those who want to appreciate the past. They are marvels of engineering of the bygone era.
Mangroves: These forests at Pichavaram in Cuddalore District are one of the largest mangroves in the world. Mangroves are also found in Muthupettai in Thiruvarur District.
Lakes : The Pulicat Lake is the second largest saltwater lagoon in India, after Chilka Lake in Orissa.
SEGMENTS OF TOURISM IN TAMIL NADU
All the people visiting tourist locations in Tamil Nadu from within Tamil Nadu or other States in India or other countries are called "Tourists", irrespective of their caste, colour, creed, age or sex. The Tourism Department in the last three decades gained rich experience in interacting with all categories of tourists. On an analysis, it is seen that each tourist has certain individual priorities. Tamil Nadu possesses the tourist potential to satisfy their aspirations. The different tastes the tourists have in mind are epitomized below.
Leisure Tourism:
Some tourists visit Tamil Nadu only for fun or enjoying their leisure. They usually visit hill stations, beaches, waterfalls, zoological parks, etc.
Pilgrimage Tourism
Tourists especially senior citizens are interested only in visiting temples and offering worship to their favourable deity. They move to tourist canters only if time permits and provided the trip is easy on the purse. It requires planning and meticulous follow up.
Adventure Tourism
Adventure travel appears to have developed out of the broader, wider growth of traditional outdoor and wilderness recreation during the 20th century. Unlike other forms of recreation, adventure travel offers a unique opportunity in which participants become more experienced and pursue extended scales of "adventurous endeavours." Traditional forms of recreation usually involve elements of skill in a specific outdoor setting. It is this "setting" that provides the primary attraction in special interest travel. However, in adventure travel, it is the "activity" that attracts travellers as participants. This study argues that adventure travel is primarily associated with activities where the purpose of trip is to be engaged in experiences through participation rather than in sightseeing at traditional tourist attractions. To define adventure travel, various components including activity, motivation, risk, performance, experience, and environment must be considered.
Tamil Nadu Tourism is promoting adventure tourism activities in all tourist spots. Adventure boats are available at Muttukadu and Mudaliarkuppam. Trekking equipments are given on hire to the tourists by Tamil Nadu Tourism. Apart from providing adventure sports activities, Tamil Nadu Tourism is also coordinating with Youth Hostels Association of India in conducting Trekking programme in the hilly region. Water scooters, Speed boats, Kayaks and Banana Boats in Mudaliarkuppam provide thrill to the youngsters. Variety of adventure sports have been introduced in island grounds with private participation. Paragliding in Yelagiris attracted tourists in large numbers. Parasailing is going to be introduced shortly in Mudaliarkuppam.
Cruise Tourism :
Rail and road transport are very common among the people. Some tourists, go in for Air / Cruise mode of transport even if it is costlier. At any cost, the tourists desire to enjoy the holiday even before they reach the actual tourist spot. Tourists who are reaching Chennai and Thoothukudi Ports by cruise are taken to the nearby tourist destinations i.e. Mamallapuram and Madurai.
Rural Tourism
To showcase rural life, art, culture and heritage of rural locations in villages and to benefit the local community economically and socially as well as to enable interaction between tourists and local population for a mutually enriching experience, the Tamil Nadu Tourism has decided to develop and promote rural tourism.
The rapid industrialization has forced the people to move out of villages. As a result, people especially children do not know what constitutes a village. The parents are keen to show their children the idyllic surroundings of our native villages. The way of life of the inhabitants is an important tourist product which attracts a large number of tourists.
The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has partnered with the UNDP for Endogenous Rural Tourism as pilot projects for capacity building. Within prescribed limits, the hardware projects are funded by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and the funds for capacity building are provided by the UNDP through Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. The software component was implemented with the involvement of an NGO identified by the UNDP in co-ordination with the District Collector and the local community. The GOI also extends the scheme of Capacity Building for Service Providers (CBSP) to other rural sites beyond those covered under partnership with the UNDP.
Responsible Tourism
Tamil Nadu Tourism has been taking ceaseless efforts for the promotion of rural areas as we have the responsibility to showcase our villages, its way of life to tourists especially to the younger generations. This strategy turns rural areas tourist friendly and it develops the socio economic status of the local inhabitants. The aim of Responsible Tourism is to inculcate the responsibility of the local populace (hosts) towards fragile eco-system, best practices and caring the guests and also make the visiting tourists more responsive towards culture, conventions and customs to avoid exploitation.
Business Tourism
Top business executives toil throughout the year to make more and more profits. They rarely find time to go anywhere except where the business demands their presence. Whenever they find even a small gap, they will not hesitate to make a short visit to the nearest tourist spot.
Eco Tourism
Some of the tourists evince keen interest in nature. There is abundant natural wealth in Tamil Nadu viz. hill stations, waterfalls, forests, bird sanctuaries, beaches, etc. A separate Eco-Tourism Wing is being set up by Tamil Nadu Tourism by posting an officer from the Forest Department. The vision is to make Tamil Nadu a world renowned destination specialising in sustainable tourism through focused efforts on creating synergy among all stakeholders, encouraging capacity building and public-private partnerships with revenue generating strategies.
To know more details kindly Policy Note 2019-20 clickhere