Rains dampen tourists’ turnout at Kodaikanal Flower Show this season

MADURAI: Despite the best show of flowers organised by the Department of Horticulture and Kodai Vizha by the Tourism Department in Bryant Park, Kodaikanal, a popular hill station in Dindigul district witnessed a low turnout of tourists in the summer season this year.

Municipal Commissioner of Kodaikanal, P Sathiyanathan on Sunday said initially the Kodaikanal-bound tourists hesitated to avail e-pass, a system mandated by the state, for outsiders to enter the hill station, as it reduced the flow of tourists for about three days, but consistent rain over the days this month played a role in trampling down on the turnout.

Kodaikanal Deputy Director of Horticulture B Gayathri, said the turnout of visitors during the 61st Flower Show, which commenced on May 17 and concluded on May 26, was not as good as last year. On the concluding day of the show, she said around 40,000 visitors turned up until Saturday (May 25), whereas the turnout was over 89,000 last year.

Rainfall was one of the major reasons for the low turnout as the Bryant Park in Kodaikanal witnessed showers for almost nine days since the beginning of the Flower Show. District Tourism Officer H Govindaraj said the Kodai Vizha, which hosts a programme of cultural events, received a positive response from tourists, especially from Kerala.

On the other hand, Dasprakash, tourist guide, said the once thriving hill station of Kodaikanal lost its tourism now because of the e-pass system. The aggrieved guide said the summer season is drawing to a close in another few days, but the hill station is still unusually empty. A Abbas from Kodaikanal, said even the ‘179th Kodai Day’ was celebrated in a low key manner on Sunday.