THOOTHUKUDI: Tourists visiting the Gulf of Mannar can soon visit the marine national park and have a glimpse of the pristine coral reef, flora, and fauna in a glass-bottom boat.
In order to uplift ecotourism, tap the huge tourism potentials in the long coastline and provide job opportunities for the locals, the forest department has chalked out a plan to boost tourism in Tharuvaikulam. The Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve Trust (GoMBRT) has been working on launching community-based ecotourism at Tharuvaikulam beach for tourists.
The project which is being implemented under the aegis of GoMBRT will have a glass-bottom boat, snorkelling accessories, eco-huts for sheltering tourists, and an exhibition centre to display coral reefs models and other marine articles.
When contacted, an official said the ecotourism will have three aspects — firstly, visiting the coral reef patches located 3-4 km off the shore, second being the 2 km boating at the buffer area of the marine park during offseason, and the third is snorkelling at the shallow waters. “The trust has purchased a glass-bottom boat with a boarding capacity of 20 persons for ecotourism. Since it is community-based ecotourism, the local villagers will be roped in for employment,” he added.
Thoothukudi range officer R Raguvaran said an exclusive wooden jetty has been established for the purpose of ecotourism at Tharuvaikulam. The tourists will be taken for a ride by seven trained ecotourism volunteers who have completed a lifeguard training course from a reputed institution at Mandapam, he explained, adding that the tourists will be given safety jackets and buoys, and the fee for each aspect will differ.
Speaking to TNIE, Gulf of Mannar’s wildlife warden Bakan Jagdish Sudhakar said Tharuvaikulam community-based ecotourism will be the second in the Gulf of Mannar, next to Ervady in Ramanathapuram. Over 60 percent of the revenue generated out of the ecotourism will be allocated for conservation and the remaining 40 per cent will be spent for community development, he added.