CHENNAI: Though Tamil Nadu has opened up tourist places, the fear of Covid is still looming large.
For a drive down, people prefer to travel in their private vehicles, rather than approaching tour operators.
The operators are mostly getting bookings for tour destinations to other States like Karnataka, Kerala in South and Jammu Kashmir in the North and the response for Tamil Nadu is still dull.
Sriharan Balan, Managing Director, Chennai based Madura Travels said, “Tourist destinations like Jammu and Kashmir and Jaipur are really doing good. We are also getting lots of enquiries about Kerala and Karnataka. But, Tamil Nadu has become just a drive down destination for locals. This may be because tourist places here opened up very late so people think the State is still a hot spot for Covid.”
“Many States opened tourist destinations as early as September, October or November. But Tamil Nadu opened them only in December,” added Sriharan.
As far as Chennai is concerned Mahabalipuram on East Coast Road (ECR) is seeing a good crowd on weekends.
Many people are driving down on their own and prefer to stay in villas and star hotels along ECR, said tour operators.
“Mainly youngsters are preferring to travel and destinations like Kerala, Coorg, and Goa are their favourites. But when it comes to TN they are not approaching tour operators,” said Anandaveloo, Managing Director, Arunlekha Travels and former Chairman, Tamil Nadu Chapter, Travel Agents Federation of India.
T Natarajan, Secretary, South Indian Hostel & Restaurants Association said, in cities like Chennai business travellers arrival is yet to pick up.
“In metro cities like Chennai the speed is yet to pick up as people travelling for business are really less.”
Tamil Nadu not among the top favorites of travellers
Operators are getting bookings for tour destinations to other States like Karnataka, Kerala in South and Jammu Kashmir in the North.