Thiru. Sandeep Nanduri - The proud and devoted Managing Director of Tourism and TTDC said “Tamil Nadu takes pride in being a top priority tourist destination of the country as the state has been a witness to one of the highest domestic and foreign tourist arrivals every year.”
Q. Tell us about TTDC potential business prospects and expectations under consideration from this year 2021?
TTDC is responsible for conducting package tours, operating hotels (Hotel Tamil Nadu), restaurants, boathouses, telescope houses and other activities that aid in promoting and developing tourism. The prime focus of TTDC is on strengthening the brand through various initiatives on three major verticals, namely, enhancement of tourist experience by upgradation of existing TTDC products and services, new product development and introduction of mutually profitable collaborations with leading industry partners. Major projects introduced in this regard include the development of a floating restaurant at TTDC Boathouses at Muttukadu and Mudarliarkuppam and the creation of tourism infrastructure at the island near Mudaliarkuppam Boathouse. A breakthrough initiative of TTDC is the unveiling of the listing of Hotel Tamilnadu properties on the websites of leading travel aggregators for seamless booking of TTDC hotels. As social media has proved to be an effective tool for facilitating tourism recovery, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, TTDC has given great impetus to incorporate social media marketing as a key strategy for its marketing campaigns. Immense focus is given to social media promotions in order to facilitate profitable exposure and audience engagement. TTDC has launched social media handles to promote hotels, boathouses, telescope houses and tour packages operated by the organization.
Q. What makes TTDC a strong and splendid trademark for excellence?
A. Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation strives for perfection by providing remarkable hospitality services to tourists. Efforts are underway to provide the best of comfort and convenience through the various centrally located hotel properties of TTDC. With strict compliance to COVID-19 protocols and implementation of the latest technology trends, TTDC attempts to redefine the tourist experience in Tamil Nadu through the provision of a hassle-free splendid experience.
Q. With the pandemic affecting the tourism industry, what is your secret behind being the second most popular tourist destination in the country as per the 2020 Ministry of Tourism Report?
Tamil Nadu takes pride in being a top priority tourist destination of the country as the state has been a witness to one of the highest domestic and foreign tourist arrivals every year. In 2020, Tamil Nadu emerged as the top state for Domestic Tourist Visits, accounting for 23% of the total domestic tourist visits. The state also occupied the second spot for Foreign Tourist Visits for 2020, accounting for 17.1% of the total foreign tourist visits to India. It has been the constant endeavour of the Department to work towards strengthening tourism growth in the state with the objective of increasing tourist footfalls and tourist spending and making a conscious effort to increase the average length of stay of tourists in Tamil Nadu. It is the variety of tourist experiences that attracts tourists in huge numbers to the state. Furthermore, it is the ease of access, provision of tourist-friendly infrastructure and frequent connectivity to the destinations that aid in retaining the top spot. Tamil Nadu has a well-developed road network and an extensive rail network providing excellent connectivity to all major tourist destinations.
A noteworthy project taken up for destination development is the preparation of Master Plans for 300 tourist destinations to develop amenities on par with international standards. This will aid in strengthening the tourism infrastructure in the state. The state also plans to launch a Tourism Policy that aims to confer an industry status to the tourism sector, thus contributing immensely to the development of the sector. The Department is also working on the introduction of a Tourism Destination Development Scheme that will focus on the comprehensive development of various tourist destinations in the state. Also, the Department of Tourism has launched many social media campaigns to engage the public and showcase the hidden tourism potential of the state and promote many emerging tourist segments. Dedicated efforts are being taken to position Tamil Nadu as a state where stories never end with unique tourism offerings.
Q. We are curious to know about your new projects under the pipeline to welcome back the inbound tourists.
The Department of Tourism is focussing on facilitating the creation of a safe environment for the conduct of tourism activities. Immense focus is emphasized on social media promotions to create awareness about the tourist destinations of the state and various tourism services offered by TTDC. The idea is to position Tamil Nadu as a state with unlimited tourism offerings. The Department of Tourism strives to provide enhanced tourism experiences through innovative projects like the introduction of helicopter services at Rameswaram and Kodaikanal, setting up of adventure and eco-camp at potential sites in the state, upgradation of popular tourist destinations, development of dam sites and reservoirs, illumination of major monuments like Ayyan Thiruvalluvar statue using state-of-the-art technology and introduction of cable car facilities at potential sites and development of niche tourism avenues like rural and plantation tourism, just to name a few noteworthy initiatives. Various promotional videos will be launched for highlighting the attractiveness of tourist destinations by showcasing mesmerizing landscapes, splendid cultural heritage, stunning architecture, pristine beaches, mesmerizing waterfalls, traditional art forms, renowned crafts and cuisine. These videos will be helpful for effective social media promotions and position Tamil Nadu as a high-priority tourist destination across the globe.
Q. Share with us the lessons you learnt on your journey to magnificent success?
The biggest lesson that my journey has taught me is that hardwork never fails. The key is to set goals in life and keep putting in dedicated efforts for achieving the same.
Q. Disclose your motto in life which reflects in your professional establishment?
For any activity or initiative that I take up, I ensure that I give my 100% because the fruit of success is best enjoyed only when you’re fully involved in the task.
Q. How do you define failures? What advice would you give to the youth to be able to handle rejections and failures well in order to succeed?
I see failure as an opportunity for self-improvement and betterment. Failures let us introspect and take up necessary measures for reworking on our strategies for achieving our goals. It is important to learn from our failures and stay focussed on the path of success.
Q. T3FS caters to travel, tourism, hospitality and lifestyle sector that connects a wide variety of spectrums together with versatility. As a dedicated reader of T3FS magazine, what message would you like to convey to its readers?
The tourism sector has been one of the worst affected sectors that witnessed huge losses due to the outbreak of pandemic. With the gradual lifting of travel restrictions, it's time to explore the various domestic tourist destinations while following COVID protocols strictly.