Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi   

`Adventure tourism' mooted

R. Krishnamoorthy

Department plans to develop Puliancholai and Pachamalai

TIRUCHI: A considerable decline in number of foreign tourists visiting Tiruchi has prompted the Tourism Department to develop Puliancholai and Pachamalai as `adventure tourism' spots in deference to reflections of tourist guides.

Dormitories were constructed at Puliancholai a year ago for the convenience of tourists opting for an overnight stay.

The district administration is in the process of developing Pachamalai on similar lines at a total cost of Rs.50 lakhs, according to official sources.

Temples alone cannot sustain the interest of foreign tourists and hence the need for shifting focus to `adventure tourism,' says S. Rangarajan, a tourist guide. Tourists have, in the past, expressed their desire to explore beyond temples.

For such people, Puliancholai and Pachamalai hold the potential. Thuraiyur could be developed as a base, and relaying of the road from there to Pachamalai should be prioritised.

In the absence of adventure tourism, Srirangam ranks first in the list of preferred spots in Tiruchi.

The 20-odd tourist guides in the city, depending on assignments they get from three travel and tour operators, find it difficult to carry on their job as a full-time vocation during the first half of the year. But, in the latter part, coinciding with winter, their importance is significantly felt.

The guides hope that the district administration would take steps to make Tiruchi an indispensable tourist spot round the year.

Why they skip Tiruchi?

So far, among the Southern States, Kerala has projected itself as a better tourist destination with the `God's Own Country' tag. Even within Tamil Nadu, tourists limit their visits to Mamallapuram, Madurai, Thanjavur, Darasuram, and Gangaikandacholapuram, spots known for their temples of exquisite architecture. Hence, they do not have qualms skipping Tiruchi.

There is an increasing need to sustain tourism potential, in the wake of recession in European countries, leading to a decline in outflow of tourists to other countries. Added to it are attempts made by several countries zealously opening up their tourism sector with an eye on foreign exchange.

The ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka is another reflector to the downtrend of tourism activities in Tiruchi. The fall in number of foreign tourists to Sri Lanka has had an adverse impact. Under ideal conditions, foreign visitors to Sri Lanka, would have a natural inclination to fly to Tiruchi, which is proximate and treat it as a base to visit places of tourism importance in Tamil Nadu.

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