Stakeholders may wow tourists to Ooty with unexplored spots during 2nd season this year

Tourists flow took a beating in the last second season due to Kerala floods and cyclone Gaja. Polls in Karnataka and the recent elections in North Indian States took a toll on the tourist flow to the popular hill station. Hoteliers and people running resorts expect a good turnout of tourists.

“We hope the turnout during the winter season is as good as the summer. Last year our business was badly hit due to natural calamities,” said T Krishnaraj, president of Nilgiris Hotel and Restaurant Owners Association.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in association with Tamil Nadu Travel Mart Society is organizing Tamil Nadu Travel Mart to showcase the potential of the State’s tourism on a global platform from September 19 to 22 in Chennai.

“We will make use of this opportunity to showcase unexplored destinations in The Nilgiris. Travel agents participating in the mart will be taken on a trip to Pollachi, Coimbatore and Ooty for a familiarization trip to promote and attract tourists. 

They will be exhibited to more unexplored tourism options like eco-tourism, trekking, farm stay, heritage and tribal culture tourism for this off season. These tourism operators will help bring more tourists to Ooty,” Krishnaraj added.

The second season, which starts in the middle of September, will end in December. Meanwhile, officials of the Horticulture Department have made all arrangements for planting of saplings in Government Botanical Garden.

“For the second season, more than 2.5 lakh plants including 10,000 potted plants of 125 varieties will be showcased. Plants are grown in green houses of the department and they will bloom in the middle of September,” said an official.

Floral varieties like Inca and French marigolds, calendulas, salvias, celosias, dianthuses, begonia, dahlias and petunias are likely to be the major attractions in the Government Botanical Garden.