he State government has set an ambitious target of generating approximately Rs 100 crore revenue from the tourism sector this year.

Speaking to reporters after flagging off the five new coaches of Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) at Island Grounds here on Friday, Minister for Tourism and Registration, N Suresh Ranjan said the State earned revenue worth Rs 79 crore through tourism last year. This year it aims to improve earnings by 12 per cent.

Ranjan also said that this year alone, about six crore domestic tourists and about 18 lakh international tourists visited the State. “We are organising a summer fair and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi will soon launch a tourism song. We are also planning programmes for students,” said Tourism Secretary Irai Anbu.

TTDC, which was incorporated on June 30, 1971, with a fleet of two coaches has made rapid strides since then and currently has a fleet of 24 coaches. “TTDC is also taking steps to modernise its fleet of coaches by replacing the old ones with modern coaches. During the last four years, it replaced 20 old coaches with high tech coaches fitted with air suspension at a total cost of Rs 4.53 crore,” the minister said.

TTDC has now purchased five 18-seater coaches at a total cost of Rs 99.55 lakh, of which, three are air-conditioned. The chasis was manufactured by VE Commercial (Eicher Motors and Volvo Group joint venture) and the body was built by Sutlej Motors, Jalandhar. Of the five coaches, four will replace the existing old coaches. The fifth coach will be added to the existing fleet of 24 coaches.

The average age of a fleet has now come down to two-and-a-half years from five-and-a-half years in 2005-06. The transport division achieved a turnover of Rs 10.57 crore in 2009-10 with an operating profit of Rs 1.80 crore, said A C Mohandoss, managing director, TTDC.