CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Tourism Department has initiated an effort to prepare a detailed project report (DPR) to develop relatively lesser-known spots by equipping them with modern tourist facilities and infrastructure. The chosen sites are spread across the State, including Keeladi and St Thomas Mount.
The other regions include Pottalpudur, Kodiampalayam, Poompuhar, Piranmalai, Kanadukathan, Maatu Oorani, Vairavanchetty Oorani, Periya Kovil Street, Heritage Entrance Area, Pudupattinam, Velankanni Church Streetscape, Old Nagapattinam Beach, Dutch Cemetery, Gopalapuram Church, Poolampatti Phase II, Manathal Eri, Mookaneri Lake, Therikaadu, Athisaya Manal Matha Church in Thoothukudi, Thovalai, Edapalaiyam Lake, Pennycuick Manimandapam.
The plan, said a senior official from the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), is to offer unique travel experiences for tourists visiting these destinations. As part of the DPR preparation, the private consultant will assess the current infrastructure facilities at the destinations and identify gaps or deficiencies.
"Based on this assessment, the consultant will propose solutions for overall development, facelift the existing attractions, and recommend new projects for implementation," he said, adding, “It has also been planned to improve a comprehensive tourism destination in these areas focusing on sustainable tourism development that aligns with the unique ecological, cultural, and socio-economic characteristics of the destination."
The proposal will also promote and develop unique, state-of-the-art tourism destinations, which provide exclusive, enriching, entertaining and eco-friendly tourism experiences, said the official. The research and data collection will include a utility survey, topographical survey, soil survey, tourist survey, and survey of stakeholders such as hoteliers and tour operators."
There would also be secondary data collection by the consultants, which will include demographic and economic profile, rainfall and wind reports, tsunami data (if any), travel demand behaviour of people, government and private land availability, environmental data and land use and land falling in the study area.
“The DPR will be finalised by the experts in the Tourism Department, and the development works for these tourism spots will be taken up soon.”