HAPPENING -- 6:

INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL DELEGATES SUPPORT NILGIRI TOURISM

BY P S SUNDAR

Travel industry delegates from India and abroad who visited The Nilgiris on a familiarisation meet have assured to send tourists to the district round-the-year.

More importantly, they have appreciated the efforts of Nilgiri Hotel and Restaurant Association (NHRA) to promote ‘class tourism’ rather than ‘mass tourism’ to support the ecology of The Nilgiris.

“In pursuant to the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to popularise select destinations with value-addition through exposure to local rural culture, we gave orientation visits to these delegates to the flora and fauna, tribal populace, travel by Nilgiri Mountain Railway, tea tasting and indigenous products of The Nilgiris”, NHRA President T Krishnaraj told me.

“Our thrust was that the Nilgiris is round-the-year destination, not just summer resort as it is eco-tourism her with nature donning different countenance in different seasons.  Discerning visitors will benefit from this ‘class tourism’ while the district will benefit from responsible tourists”, he detailed.

At the dinner meet held in ITC Fortune Resort Sullivan Court Ooty, NHRA Committee member R Muralidharan gave a presentation of guided tour into the education, culture, tribes, rural areas, wildlife and local cuisine attractions of The Nilgiris.

Most delegates confirmed that this was among the best orientation visits they have had and would take the knowledge gained forward by bringing in visitors to appreciate all the seasons.

“Only now, I understand the benefits of visiting the Nilgiris.   This area has immense tourism potential.  I shall do my best to bring visitors”, Marzena Magnuszewska, Tourism Promoter from Poland said.

“There is a great liking for Indian lifestyle in my country.  I will explain the excellent experience I have had in The Nilgiris to the professionals back home and promote tourism to this district”, Sherita Kommal from South Africa said.

NHRA Vice President Ismail Khan, Secretary Chandrashekar, former President Murali Kumar and committee member P Vibhakar interacted with the delegates on the infrastructural facilities available in the district.  

 

On the request of the NHRA office-bearers, I made a brief presentation as observations arising from the deliberations.  With investments totalling arguably up to Rs 500 crore, the hospitality sector in The Nilgiris is deeply committed to augmenting ‘class tourism’, rather than ‘mass tourism’ as tool for sustainable tourism.   The Nilgiris means nature tourism or eco-tourism.  This not a place for Vidhan Soudhas or artificially illuminated fountains; on the contrary, there is nature’s bounty everywhere.  Besides, the Nilgiris is famous for education, churches, cemeteries, English and Indian tradition besides indigenous culture. This also means, there is scope for round-the-year tourism.  NHRA is the helping face of the tourism in the Nilgiris with brimming hospitality.

 It was a very nice feeling when NHRA President honoured me as ‘The Face of The Nilgiris’...  

NHRA office-bearers honoured all the delegates with mementoes.

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)

HAPPENING -- 5:

AHEAD OF TAMIL NADU TRAVEL MART..

TRAVEL INDUSTRY PEOPLE VISIT THE NILGIRIS.

BY P S SUNDAR

(article in The New Indian Express, Oct 8, 2017

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)

HAPPENING -- 4:

TEA GIFT PACKS FOR DEEPAVALI, CHRISTMAS, NEW YEAR & PONGAL

BY P S SUNDAR.

It is festive season now and hence gifting season as well.   While corporates and individuals are busy scouting for gifts to be given to their business associates and dear ones, for the first time ever, they have a new option of gifting premium Nilgiri teas in specialised packs with signature tags highlighting their identity.

“This is a unique offer. The packs are garnishing!  The tins are cute and reusable for long.  There is value-addition as consumers can enjoy up to four varieties of the Nilgiri teas.  I tasted some of them and believe that they are a wonderful gift during the forthcoming festive season”, Frank Miller, American writer on tea and coffee industry, told me.

He received the first Festive gift pack of four square tin boxes of Avataa teas flavoured with natural essence of tulsi, vanilla, cardamom and cinnamon at Billimalai Estate.

“This is a fine gift as the receivers can enjoy four varieties of quality teas at one go”, Miller said.

Frank Miller (right) receiving the First Gift pack from Vejayashekara

“We have come out with 13 varieties of festive gift packs containing premium Award winning Avataa teas manufactured from the hand-picked tea leaves with the quality enhanced due to high location of 6,000 feet above mean sea level in Billimalai Estate”, Avataa Beverages Speciality Tea Production Executive ENR Vejayashekara, who released the Festive Gift Packs, said.  He can be contacted on phone: 9443046111. 

“The consumer packs include Avataa teas which have won Golden Leaf India Award of Tea Board and UPASI, the tea which recently created history by fetching Rs 2,086 a kg at Coonoor auctions as the highest-ever price in the whole of South Indian auctions, the one which had fetched Rs 11,500 a kg at Nilgiri winter speciality tea auction, as also those which have won international awards”, Vejayashekara disclosed.

“These are green and black teas in consumer-friendly small boxes with affordable prices.  Tea Board had distributed some of our teas at Olympics in the past.  We had also successfully launched Valentine Gift Tea.  But, this is the first time varieties of premium Nilgiris tea are being offered exclusively as festive gifts for Deepavali, Christmas, New Year and Pongal”, Avataa Beverages Director Udayakumar said.  

“Corporates can use these gifts with their signature logos under the theme, ‘Be different; gift different’ stressing on Prime Minister’s ‘Make in India’ concept”, he added.

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)

HAPPENING -- 3:

NILGIRI HOTELS IDENTIFY SUSTAINABLE TOURISM PROJECTS.

BY P S SUNDAR 

In the context of Nilgiris district administration anticipating three lakh tourists to visit the district in September and October, the Nilgiri Hotel and Restaurant Association (NHRA) devoted the ‘World Tourism Day’ in Ooty on Wednesday to identifying projects for sustainable tourism as a tool for development.

“We have adopted a three-pronged approach – promoting Nilgiris as a biodiversity and cultural hotspot, encouraging rural tourism and supporting Government initiatives in skill development”, NHRA President T Krishnaraj told me. .

“We have launched several sustainable programmes including training transgenders in culinary skills and improving the infrastructure of Nilgiris through corporate social responsibility.   We are committed to making tourism a positive experience for all”, he noted.

Earlier, he crowned Sidra Tabrez as ‘Nilgiris Master Chef 2017’ followed by Geetha Balakrishnan (second) and Preeti (third).  

“This is a competition for non-professionals to exhibit their cooking skills. 

Chefs of various hotels judged the entries in two selection rounds”, Krishnaraj detailed.

Students of PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, from Fashion department led by Dr Pachaippan, HOD, presented their designer dresses through ramp walking.    

Students of Catering Science and Hotel Management led by Prof Sudhakar, HOD, as also students of Monarch International College of Hotel Management, Ooty, participated in a rally. 

There were many events of variety entertainment.

NHRA member hotels conducted a ‘Food Court’.  

Hospitality students of various institutions benefited from an interaction with the professionals. 

(response can also be sent to: pssundar.coonoor@gmail.com)