Though Tamil Nadu has numerous attractive spots, with many of them being unblemished, there are certain areas where adequate attention ought to be bestowed to transform the tourist destinations spick and span.
Sharing the concerns of the Union tourism ministry over the dip in the arrival of foreign nationals due to unhygienic and unclean spots in some areas, the state government has planned to launch the ‘Campaign Clean India’, soon. About Rs5 crore has been set apart for taking up a massive campaign across the state.
According to sources, the campaign would be taken up at Marina beach, Besant Nagar beach, certain important temples, heritage centres, waterfalls, hill stations and boating areas. Steps will be taken to create awareness on taking up solid waste management projects in such places. Students and various organisations would be involved to spread awareness among the public, especially the tourists, on keeping the tourist spots clean and hygienic.
In order to ensure the campaign a success, the government would involve the district collectors, schools and colleges, besides certain government departments to keep the tourism destinations clean and hygienic. The private sector would also be roped in for the campaign.
The department would formulate an action plan to provide toilets and rest rooms of high standards at all tourist centres through public private partnership basis. The Centre has agreed to fund the scheme for this fiscal.
Tamil Nadu is ranked second in the country in terms of attracting foreign tourists and third in attracting domestic visitors. As per statistics available, 11.16 crore domestic tourists and 28.05 lakh foreign tourists visited Tamil Nadu during 2010. The arrivals increased to 13.68 crore (domestic tourists) and 33.08 lakh (foreigners) respectively in 2011.
Cleanliness campaign on fast track
The Union tourism ministry’s initiative: Campaign Clean India, to ensure an acceptable level of cleanliness and hygiene at various public places, is gaining momentum. The idea to take up the ‘campaign’ was first mooted at national-level during the fag end of 2011.
It was only recently that the Union tourism minister Subodh Kant Sahai launched a pilot project under the CCI at Qutub Minar. The campaign is a part of the efforts to increase the foreign tourist arrivals to 12 million under the 12th Five Year plan.
The targeted increase in foreign tourists arrivals and also the domestic tourists visits would take the foreign exchange earnings to Rs1,34,383 crore, resulting in an additional FEE of Rs69,494 crore. This will add up to 77.5 million direct and indirect jobs in the tourism sector across the country.
While the cleaning of the Marina beach by the state machinery is on, private players too have chipped in. Recently, the students of the Hospitality and Hotel Administration, SRM Institute of Hotel Administration, participated in a campaign to clean up the beach at Mamallapuram.