TIRUCHY: Eyeing the opportunity from the gulf between the tourist footfall and the availability of luxury hotels in Tiruchy, several hospitality brands are expanding their base in the city, as is evident from some of them already having obtained no-objection certificate (NOC) from multiple government agencies towards execution of their projects.
The heightened interest, in turn, would only accelerate the city's economy, say tourism enthusiasts. SA Mubashir, joint secretary of the Tiruchy Travel Federation, said the growing footfall of foreign and domestic tourists has created demand for upmarket business and family-friendly hotels in Tiruchy and surrounding districts.
"After the Covid-19 pandemic, the travel industry has grown enormously. The number of domestic as well as foreign tourists visiting Tiruchy is increasing. The railway is frequently announcing new trains and airlines are operating additional flights to cater to the needs of travellers, particularly tourists. There, however, are only a few brand hotels in and around Tiruchy, which leads to unavailability of accommodation," he added.
Tourism and aviation authorities also echoed the same. Currently, Tiruchy has premium hotels such as Sangam Hotels (under the Courtyard by Marriott brand) and two units of Hotel Tamil Nadu (one formerly run by the SRM Group) by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC). Murali Krishnan, executive director of Sangam Group of Hotels, which is moving with its new hotel project near the Tiruchy railway junction, said, “We need to obtain NOCs from multiple local, state and Union government authorities, including the municipal, fire, health and police departments. We received the NOC from the airport authorities (AAI) two weeks ago. Preparations are on for the execution of the project. It will take at least two years for completion of the project from the date of commencement."
TTDC is also searching for an optimum site near the new Panjappur integrated bus terminus to set up their unit, a senior official said. Brands such as Taj, ITC, Marriott are also keen on establishing their hotel units in the city to address the growing demand from foreign tourists and related stakeholders, sources said.