Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Tourism sector looking to Govt. for support

By T.S. Shankar

CHENNAI April 27. A combination of factors topped by the absence of a professional approach has a cascading impact on the growth of tourism in the State.

Tamil Nadu being endowed with rich and varied attractions and a favourable socio-economic milieu, the tourism sector is now looking to the Government for support. Especially when the neighbouring Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh are going all out to promote tourism, even by organising roadshows in Tamil Nadu.

Notwithstanding the tall claims that the sector is being given a fillip, the major deterrent remains the 25 per luxury tax on the hospitality industry. ``This is the highest in the country,'' say industry sources.

An action plan mostly remains on paper despite the Union Tourism Ministry's keenness to ``visibly promote'' south India, in particular Mamallapuram, a heritage monument. There is also the ambitious plan of the Jayalalithaa Government to push tourism, laying greater emphasis on ``lesser known attractions''.

The Regional Director-South, Government of India Regional Tourist (GOIRT) Office, C.R.V. Rao, says ``though there has been no phenomenal increase in overseas tourist arrivals to Chennai, gateway to south India, the recent trend points to encouraging signs of growth''.

Statistics available with the GOIRT indicate that 2,83,867 overseas tourists arrived through the Chennai airport in 2001. This figure represents a two per cent fall compared to the previous year. Interestingly, 2001 witnessed to the infamous September 11 incidents in New York, besides a global recession.

``French arrivals are encouraging and with Chennai playing host in October 2003 to the SKAL World Congress, a confluence of international body of trained travel-trade professionals'', the tourism sector would get a boost.

On its part, the State Tourism Department is chalking out an integrated plan. Despite several constraints, the TTDC recently took part in the World Travel Mart in London and the Berlin travel meet to attract larger tourist groups.

Efforts are on to finalise acquisition of 700 acres of land on the East Coast Road en route to Mamallapuram for putting up a modern Rs. 1,500-crore ``convention centre'' with private sector participation.

With the State Government increasing the allocation for tourism for 2002-2003 to Rs. 25 crores from Rs. 17.5 crores in 2001-2002, the travel-trade and related industries including the airline and hospitality sectors are pinning their hopes on the Chief Minister constituting a ``high-level task force'', to help to frame a ``workable and viable policy'' to put Tamil Nadu on the global tourist map.

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