The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Thanjavur News : Tourism Dept. training taxi drivers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Thanjavur

Tourism Dept. training taxi drivers

By Our Staff Reporter

The Thanjavur District Tourism Officer, R. Dandapani, distributing a certificate to a taxi driver in Thanjavur on Monday. — Photo: R. Shivaji Rao.

THANJAVUR, MARCH 29. With a view to training taxi drivers to serve tourists in a better way, the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department has been conducting a five-day training programme for taxi drivers of Thanjavur district. Two hundred taxi drivers are participating in the programme, which started on March 26 and will go on till March 30, training 40 drivers a day.

According to R. Dhandapani, Tourism Officer, the drivers are being taught the importance of tourism industry, besides etiquette, right behaviour and first aid among other things. Professors, doctors, police officers, traffic wardens and Red Cross members take classes for drivers on these aspects. The Tourist Officer awards certificates to participants at the end of the class each day.

The Thanjavur Collector, M. Veera Shanmugha Moni, who inaugurated the training programme on Saturday, said Thanjavur had important tourist attractions such as the Big Temple, the Palace built by the Nayak and Maratta kings, famous temples in nearby places such as Darasuram, Swami Malai, Kumbakonam, Navagraha Kshetras such as Kanjanur, Thingalur, Thirunageswaram and Suryanarkoil, besides Grand Anicut, Manora and Poondi Pudumai Matha Basilica.

Thousands of domestic and international tourists frequent Thanjavur district to see these places. So taxi drivers have an important role to play in attracting more tourists to the district. Their courteous service would go a long way in increasing tourist flow to the district. Taxi drivers could earn a good name for our country among foreign tourists by their good behaviour, he said.

Mr. Dhandapani said the department has given some guidelines to be followed by taxi drivers to attract tourists. For instance, they should welcome tourists warmly, treat them well and provide accurate information. They must collect reasonable fare from tourists, must wear uniform while on duty, provide security to their belongings such as camera, drive vehicles at an optimum speed and avoid night travel.

They should not smoke or drink while on duty, follow traffic rules, keep first aid box in the vehicle and welcome foreign tourists as guests and send them back as friends.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu

News Update

Stories in this Section

Tourism Dept. training taxi drivers