Tourism sector shows green shoots, dept confident of handling New Year, Pongal demand

The bookings to hotels have picked up in Chennai and the situation at hill stations like Ooty and Kodaikanal are also looking bright, a tourism department official said. The bookings are showing green shoots after two years, but still lower than the 2017 and 2018 levels, the official said.

The State is also gearing up for the annual music and dance festival to be inaugurated by the third or fourth week of December, targeting the Tamil diaspora. Tourism department secretary B Chandramohan had also instructed the officials to rope in artists and budgetary allocations have already commenced, the informed official said.

Similarly works to resume the annual music festival for tourists thronging Mamallapuram are also underway. The facelift works at TTDC-owned properties at Mamallapuram, Muttukadu and Mudaliyarkuppam were also reviewed and new motorboats and water sports equipment will be put to use during the Pongal holidays, the official said.

Meanwhile, director of tourism and TTDC managing director Sandeep Nanduri advised adventure tour operators in the State to get regularised.