‘Tourism strategy to focus on developing satellite sites’

As it sets sights on an increased influx of visitors, the government’s tourism strategy will focus more on developing satellite sites of interest to diversity the tourism experience, Jayanta Kumar Ray, Tourism Secretary said on Friday.

In his key-note address at the launch of the ‘Journees du Patrimoine 2024 (Heritage Days)‘, a conclave on Puducherry’s heritage, cultural preservation, and sustainable tourism at Alliance Francaise, Mr. Ray said the Union Territory had attracted an estimated 2 million domestic tourists and about 1.5 lakh international visitors in 2022, primarily from US, UK, Europe and Asia.

The tourism sector, which contributes to 25% of Puducherry’s GDP, expects these numbers to be around 2.5 million domestic sight-seers and over 2 lakh overseas visitors this fiscal by developing satellite sites of tourist interest to spread out the footfalls.

The three-day event, organised by the government in collaboration with the Centre-Val de Loire region of France and a host of agencies, has assembled officials, experts and key stakeholders across sectors for deliberations on a range of issues around sustainable tourism.

According to Mr. Ray, once in place, the tourism plan would move tourists away from the heavily concentrated Boulevard hub and toward beaches, backwaters, peri-urban lakes, Chola-era attractions and spiritual sites that would complement the already popular destinations of Sri Aurobindo Ashram and Auroville.

Referring to the limitations of air connectivity as a major handcap for tourism to truly take off in Puducherry, Mr. Ray said the proposal for expansion of the airport runway, which currently only accommodates turboprop limited-seat aircraft, is under active consideration. Once the airport is fully developed, expectedly in the next year or two, wide-bodied aircraft will be be able to operate out of Puducherry.

One of the proposals that he found interesting is the “Pondicherry Necklace”, a three-mode mangrove trail project spanning Murungapakkam, Arikamedu and Veerampattinam. Encouraged by the Blue Flag certification for the Eden Beach in Chinnaveerampattinam, the government is bidding for similar status for three other beaches, Mr. Ray said.

Under the Centrally supported Swadesh Darshan projects, spiritual circuit tourism was being promoted by developing sites in Puducherry, Karaikal and Mahe, the official said. The Tourism Department is also collaborating with Alliance Francaise for cross-cultural events and the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) for heritage walks, multi-lingual digital augmentation and heritage festivals.

Étienne Rolland-Piègue, Consul General-designate of France in Puducherry-Chennai, said his two top-most priorities would be to develop stronger ties between Puducherry and UNESCO and to bring French Nobel Laureates to the city.

Laurent Jalicous, Director of Alliance Francaise, Ashok Panda, INTACH co-convenor, Sarah Arbez, Val de Loire Region, Michael Dominic, CEO, CGH Earth Group of Hotels, Coumar Ananada, founder, Pondichéry City & MuseumLab Foundation and Prasad Radhakrishnan, co-founder Catamaran Brewing company were among those who participated.

The “Journées du Patrimoine 2024 handbook” was also released on the occasion.

Among the French delegates are Sophie Martinez Almansa, Florian Brzenczek, Florence Vassal, Michael Mariet from the Centre-Val de Loire Region, Benoit Lonqueu (Maves), Fiona Guerra (Bourges) and Kamala Marius (University of Bordeaux, Montaigne).

An exhibition on the event theme is open to the public at the Alliance Francaise.

Published - September 20, 2024 09:28 pm IST