More Central funds needed for tourism promotion: Minister

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, SEPT. 28. The Tourism Minister, Mr. N. Rangaswamy has decried the insufficient funds allotted by the Centre to Pondicherry for promotion of tourism.

Inaugurating the World Tourism Day organised by the Department of Tourism here on Wednesday, the Minister said Rs. 2.5 crores allocated by the Centre was not sufficient. The Centre should be more generous, he said.

Stating that the revenue earned by the Tourism Corporation run Hotel Seagulls (the venue of the function) had been coming down what with the handling of molasses for export at the port close to the hotel, he said that when the corporation was planning to promote the tourist activities, there were such obstacles. He said the concentration should therefore spread towards rural areas.

He underscored the need for maintaining peace and tranquility. In this direction, he pointed out the reported fall in tourist arrivals in Bangalore and Jammu and Kashmir.

Mr. B. R. Vijayan, Secretary to Tourism Department, who presided, said the strategies adopted by the department and also the Tourism Development Corporation over the last 12 months had contributed a lot to attracting more number of tourists to Pondicherry.

Mr. Vijayan said showcasing the important places in Pondicherry for both domestic and foreign tourists had proved its worth. The first six month period of this year had shown an 18 per cent growth in arrival of tourists. The tourists from distant pockets such as Delhi and Calcutta had been attracted to visit Pondicherry. Mr. Vijayan stressed on tourism promotion without affecting the environment. The positive response of the administration had enthused investors in tourism and a number of projects were in the pipeline.

A website on tourism would be launched soon. The launching of beach resorts in Chunnambar block had also been part of the policy to promote cost-effective tourism. Conferencing facility would also be made available in the beach resorts.

There was a flow of five lakh tourists into Pondicherry and a 12 to 13 per cent growth could be seen at the end of a year, he hoped.

Mr. George Maaram, Director of Tourism, welcomed those present.

Mr. Basheer Ahmed Khan, Director of Centre for Tourism Studies in Pondicherry University, who spoke on the occasion, said the Union Territory Administration had been active in promoting tourism. He hoped Pondicherry would be one of the places that would have increased tourist activities.

He said presently India occupied 43 position in the world in tourism and its contribution was 5.6 per cent in Gross Domestic Product. He stressed the need for promoting tourism in eco atmosphere and interior pockets in Pondicherry could be roped in to ensure green tourism. The celebration of Tourism Day was projection of cultural features of the country. He said the centre for tourism studies in the varsity had been acting as an avenue for training facilities.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Southern States
Previous : VC assures steps to popularise medical education
Next     : Action plan to curb mosquito menace