TOURISM IN TAMIL NADU: Growth and Development

1. Introduction, 2. Spiritual Heritage Tourist Centres in Tamil Nadu, 3. Cultural Heritage Tourist Centres in Tamil Nadu, 4. Natural Heritage Tourist Centres in Tamil Nadu, 5. Fairs, Festivals and Folk Entertainments in Tamil Nadu, 6. Tourism Plant Facilities in Tamil Nadu, 7. Conclusion and Suggestions. - PREFACE: “Tourism in Tamil Nadu - Growth and Development” is a captivating theme. Man has been fascinated by travel and tourism from the earliest historical period. He always has had the urge to discover the unknown, to explore new and strange places, to seek changes of environment and to undergo new experiences. Travelling to achieve these ends is not new, but tourism is of a relatively modern origin. Tourism is distinguishable by its mass character from the travel undertaken in the past. This is largely a post-second world war phenomenon. Until recently only affluent people participated in tourism. Increased leisure, higher incomes and greatly enhanced mobility have combined to enable more people to participate in Tourism. Revolution in transport, technological progress and the emergence of a middle class with time and money to spare for recreation, has led to the growth of tourism—”the modern holiday industry”. Thus tourism is no longer the prerogative of a few but is an accepted part of life of a large number of people. India is one of the oldest civilizations with a kaleidoscopic variety and rich cultural heritage. For centuries India has been a centre of attraction for different people for different reasons. The ancient invaders viewed it as a goldmine with unlimited wealth to plunder; the learned were fascinated by its mystic spiritualism and profound philosophy; the uninitiated saw it as a land of naked fakirs and snake charmers; while the others were simply charmed by the sheer beauty of its natural attractions and amazing variety of its flora and fauna.