Chennai: While Chennai, serving as a gateway to culture, is a must-see destination on almost every visitor’s itinerary, lesser known destinations, such as Elagiri, Pitchavaram, Poompuhar, Panchalankurichi and Yercaud, have been attracting foreign tourists. The year gone by has seen many foreign nationals flocking to the less-visited destinations that are being popularised by the tourism department. The hill resorts of Yelagiri and Yercaud, the ancient port town of Poompuhar in Sirkali taluk of Nagapattinam district, Panchalankurichi, a small historic village in Ottapidaram in Thoothukudi district, the birthplace of freedom fighter Veerapandiya Kattabomman, attract foreigners.
“This is an interesting and emerging trend that the foreign nationals appear to be displaying out of an interest in exploring even the lesser known tourist destinations in the state, where the department is focusing its attention on improving infrastructure,” a senior tourism department official said. During 2013, about 17.26 lakh domestic and 4,983 foreign tourists have visited Yelagiri, while 53.58 lakh Indians and 4,716 foreigners visited Pitchavaram. Poompuhar attracted 12.77 lakh domestic and 10,006 foreign tourists and Panchalankurichi welcomed 1,350 foreigners.
