The TN tourism department’s new concept, “heritage tourism”, showcases the unique architecture of buildings in the hill town of Ooty and offers tourists a chance to learn about the unique heritage of the area. Officials say that due to the concept, even locals who might not be aware of the heritage of these hills can visit the heritage monuments and learn about the genesis of the modern Nilgiris as per a report in Deccan Chronicle.

Collector Ms Archana Patnaik said that she had decided to showcase the beautiful heritage buildings of this hill centre so that tourists could visit these places of historic importance and pave the way for heritage tourism to take root in the hills.

The administration had conducted a heritage walk a few months back and the response was quite good. The district administration, along with the Tourism department, thus wanted to take the concept further and the Hill Area Development Programme (HADP) was generous enough to fund posters to give the heritage buildings their due publicity, she added. The administration will take steps to publicize heritage tourism through its websites and by displaying posters at places. It will also organize special heritage walks during the summer and autumn tourist season to popularize heritage tourism in the hills, Ms Patnaik said.

Describing Nilgiris as a land of natural beauty and a premier tourist attraction, district tourist officer Mr S. Dorairaj said that innovation was the need of the hour in every field and tourism was not an exception. That was the reason the new initiative had been mooted, to make the heritage monuments in the hills both entertaining and educative for tourists. Appropriate steps will be taken to advertise heritage tourism in a big way to ensure that it becomes popular and helps develop tourism further in the hills, he added.

Nilgiris gets a revamp * The administration conducted a heritage walk a few months back and the response was quite good. * The Hill Area Development Programme (HADP) was generous enough to fund posters to give the heritage buildings their due publicity * The new initiative had been mooted to make the heritage monuments in the hills both entertaining and educative for tourists.