‘Tourism strategy to focus on developing satellite sites’

Puducherry tourism strategy focuses on satellite sites to diversify experiences, aiming for increased visitors and sustainable growth.

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.