Tamil Nadu tourism department to promote dawn festival

TN welcomes private initiatives in tourism - Time of India
10 Mar 2009, 0411 hrs IST, V Ayyappan, TNN

CHENNAI: Public Private Partnership (PPP) is going to be the watchword for Tamil Nadu Tourism, which is planning to tie-up with industry and
private firms to provide better facilities, logistics and even packages for tourists.

Sources said that the department was planning to open up more spheres for PPP initiatives, encouraged by the feed back received from industry in a recently held seminar on role of corporate sector in tourism promotion.

Construction of accommodation
, infrastructure development, providing basic amenities to tourists and managing and maintenance of tourist spots will be some of the areas that may be outsourced to private agencies in the future.

"We have received good response from industry for partnership. They have expressed interest to promote tourism promotion, development of tourist spots, and provision of infrastructure at tourist
spots," said Tourism commissioner M Rajaram.

Taking a leaf out from the India Tourism initiative to lease out heritage monuments, Tamil Nadu Tourism also wanted to outsource maintenance of state owned tourist monuments and tourist spots for maintenance and upkeep, he added.

"It will be a good idea to lease out monuments like Tarangambadi to private agencies to maintain it and also to provide and operate facilities for tourists. The India Tourism's
initiative to lease out heritage monuments will have to be implemented when the project is expanded to other states also."

Tourism secretary V Irai Anbu said that "tourism department will like the corporate sector to provide accommodation and install infrastructure facilities at lesser known and small tourist spots across the state. Infrastructure and accommodation for tourists are two areas that require more attention."

Tourist arrivals to the state have not decreased even after economic slowdown has reduced the number of tourist arrivals to other parts of the country. And Tamil Nadu expects more tourists to visit its tourist attractions in the coming months.

Hence, "we will need better facilities at tourist spots. Already, we are receiving good support from private firms to develop eco-tourism and rural tourism spots. Dhan Foundation is doing a good job by developing and maintaining eco-tourist village," said Rajaram.

Cycle tourism, launched in April 2008, is a good PPP example. TI Cycles have provided bicycles at Mamallapuram and Madurai. These can be hired by the tourists, especially foreign tourists to pedal around the town for sight seeing.


"More such innovative ideas from private sector will be useful in attracting more tourists," said an official.

Tamil Nadu tourism already has tie-ups with corporate to promote boat festival, food festival, summer festivals at Ooty and Kodaikanal, Chennai Sangamam, heritage walk, hop-on hop-off tour, bed and breakfast scheme rural tourism and dawn festival at Cuddalore.

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Dawn festival is conducted in Pichavaram to promote the eco-tourism. Anybody knows what is "bed and breakfast scheme rural tourism" ?

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A dawn fest at Pichavaram

Dawn Fest 2008

To know more about Dawn Fest and about mangrove forest in Pichavaram, visit the following link to district administration's official website.

A DAWN FEST AT PICHAVARAM

Shoring up Pichavaram as tourist centre

Shoring up Pichavaram as tourist centre - The Hindu

A.V.Ragunathan

“Dawn Fest 2008” kicks off to a colourful start

— Photo:C. Venkatachalapathy

PROMOTING TOURISM: “Dawn Fest 2008” being celebrated at Chinnavaikkal at Pichavaram in Cuddalore district on Sunday.

CUDDALORE: The two-day “Dawn Fest 2008” got off to a colourful start in the backwaters of Pichavaram near Chidambaram on Saturday. District Collector Rajendra Ratnoo, who inaugurated the fete, said the myriad hues of the sky before sunrise in the backdrop of the mangroves were a sight to behold.

Mr. Ratnoo told reporters that the aim of the event, conceptualised by him and funded by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department, was to showcase Pichavaram as an eco-tourism destination to the stakeholders of the tourism industry such as tour operators, tourism consultants and hoteliers.

He said Cuddalore district held out rich tourism potential of various nature including heritage and pilgrimage tourism (as it housed renowned temples such as Padaleeswarar temple, Natarajar temple and Hayagrivar temple), classical art forms (being promoted through the famed Natyanjali festival and Annamalai University), and beach tourism along the 54-km coastal line, including Chinnavaikkal, Thazhanguda and Silver beach.

The sunrise could be viewed from the Chinnavaikkal islet replete with lush coconut groves that could be easily accessed by boat ride in the backwaters. The islet was illuminated for the occasion and filled with strains of classical music presented by the students of the Music Department of Annamalai University.

While the guests were sailing the boats in the early hours on Sunday the students of the Centre for Advanced Study in Marine Biology, Annamalai University, who accompanied them explained the ecological importance of the mangroves that were home to large number of migratory birds, sources of livelihood to thousands of fishermen and Iruals, and bioshield at the time of natural disasters such as cyclone and the tsunami.

Pichavaram used to attract migratory birds such as seagull from Mongolia in April and after a brief sojourn the winged visitors would return to their native place. The Pichavaram area is now awash with dense colonies of seagulls.

As the sun was rising, the students of the Centre for Yoga Studies, Annamalai University, struck various postures or asanas, signifying paying obeisance to the mighty nature.

The evening was filled with cultural events, mostly in folk forms such as thappattam, karagattm, silambattam, fire show and Irulas’ kolattam.

A handful of foreign tourists too enjoyed the occasion.