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| Chettinad belt emerging as a major tourist attraction Nov 5, 09 |
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MADURAI: The Chettinad belt in and around Karaikudi, which abounds with many majestic but lesser known palaces, is being developed as the next major tourist attraction for foreigners in south Tamil Nadu.
Towards this objective, a major two-day Heritage Festival was organised recently by the State Tourism Department.
The highlight was a massive rally taken out by students and folk artistes to create awareness of various tourist places.
Efforts were being taken to bring into limelight more places and local events such as ‘jallikattu’ at Siravayal near Pillayarpatti held annually a few days after Pongal, State Tourism Department sources told The Hindu on Tuesday.
While around 15,000 foreign tourists visit the Chettinad belt annually, Sivaganga district attracts more than 20 lakh domestic tourists.
Officials opine that these figures could increase by at least 15 per cent more if lesser-known places are popularised.
Locals to be recruited
As a first step, plans were afoot to recruit locals in 74 villages in Chettinad belt around Karaikudi to show around heritage buildings in their localities, sources said.
With Madurai and Kanyakumari already a major draw among foreigners, the State Tourism Department hopes to put Chettinad belt also in the tourist map owing to its proximity to Madurai, sources said.
Non-governmental organisations have been roped in. With their initiative, village tourism development committees had been formed at places such as Pallathur making the local community a stake holder in the Tourism business.
UNESCO project
Another effort in this direction is a project of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to conserve the Chettinad buildings. A team recently visited the areas and studies are under way.
Source: Hindu 5/11/2009 |
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