Date:07/11/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/11/07/stories/2009110753860500.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Gujarat invites tourists to join in celebrations

Special Correspondent

— Photo: S.Thanthoni

Kamlesh Patel, Chairman, TCGL, releasing a guide on tourism in Chennai on Friday.

CHENNAI: The Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL) is betting on a spate of festivals, tented accommodations, midnight desert safaris on full moon day and cultural programmes to attract visitors, said its chairman Kamlesh Patel on Friday.

TCGL has listed about 19 fairs and festivals that would keep the visitors busy throughout the year. The forthcoming fairs and festivals have been published in a booklet starting from December 2009 to December 2017.

On the anvil is Rann Utsav 2009 at Bhuj from December 1 to 3, followed by Kankaria Carnival from December 25 to 30 and International Kite Festival from January 10 to 14. Talking to reporters, Mr.Patel said “Apart from inviting people from other states and countries to visit the fairs and festivals, we are also asking them to visit the neighbouring and lesser known tourist places.”

Making a presentation on the forthcoming Rann Utsav, TCGL Resident Manager, Sanatan Pancholi said “we are offering attractive packages which include transport, tented accommodation, food and guided sight seeing. The tourist camp at Dhordo will have 450 tents and the cost per person is Rs.7,000. We are also planning to hold International Kite Festival in Porbandar.”