Nilgiris warming up to receive winter visitors

Visitors from the neighbouring States are allowed into Nilgiris only if they have Covid Negative certificate or proof of double dose vaccination. 
Nilgiris warming up to receive winter visitors

COONOOR: After a prolonged spell of showers, winter has started in the Nilgiris and tourists are expected to visit the hill station for Christmas and New Year holidays.

Government Tourism Officer for The Nilgiris D Uma Shankar said, “There is an increase in tourist flow every day to enjoy the winter.  Nearly 70 per cent of the tourists are from Tamil Nadu and the rest is from Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana”.

Visitors from the neighbouring States are allowed into Nilgiris only if they have Covid Negative certificate or proof of double dose vaccination.   There is no foreign tourist inflow now”, he said, adding tourist flow is likely to increase on Christmas and New Year weekends and last till Pongal holidays.

The hospitality sector is eagerly awaiting Christmas-New Year to make good the huge loss due to the lockdown. Secretary of Nilgiri Hotel and Restaurant Association Chandra Shekar said, “Hotels have received good enquiries for booking rooms from this Friday.  We expect busy time until New Year”.

 “Normally, this is the time for foreign visitors as well but this winter, we will miss them because of the Omicron threat and the newer restrictions to be followed on their arrival in Indian airports besides the mandatory 7-day quarantine”, he said.

Cluster General Manager of Savoy Hotel in Ooty and Gateway Hotel in Coonoor Ritesh Choudhary said, “The response for Christmas-New Year booking is overwhelming as people are interested to move around after being confined for long.  We have made usual arrangements for celebrations but with double caution due to Omicron spread.   This makes us cautiously optimistic this winter”.

 “Because of the restrictions in many countries due to Omicron, Indians are unable to travel abroad.  This adds to larger number of domestic tourists to The Nilgiris now”, he explained. 

 Managing Director of Quality group of Restaurants G Ujjual said visitors from Kerala are already visible in large numbers, especially on weekends.

Secretary of Tamil Nadu State Local Administration Merchants’ Welfare Association M A Raheem said, “The livelihood of merchants, especially small vendors, was wiped off last two years due to stoppage of tourism activities and lockdown.  This winter seems to be promising to revive part of our lost income and we look forward to increased footfall during Christmas and New Year weekends”.

Joint Director of Horticulture Sivasubramania Samraj told TNIE, “Minimum temperature has fallen to four degrees Celsius last two nights in Government Botanical Garden in Ooty.  Consequently, ground frost had occurred but we are taking precautionary measures to protect vital parts of the Garden from frost damage.  We water the spacious lawns in the garden with sprinklers from 3 to 4 am and also by 6 pm.  This keeps the grass warmer and greener”.

Winter visitors to the Garden are growing in numbers.  Samraj said, “Daily, we get about 3,000 visitors but more on weekends.  Last Sunday, there were some 9,000 visitors.  We expect not less than 10,000 visitors each day coming weekend which is two-day holiday for Christmas and the following weekend for New Year”.

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