Tamil Nadu ranks first for domestic tourism: official

Tamil Nadu has ranked first in attracting domestic tourism and second after Maharshtra in terms of foreign tourists footfall in the country, a tourism official of the southern state claimed here today.
Last year Tamil Nadu had a domestic tourist influx of 2,442 lakh as against 1,841 lakh of preceding year in 2012, H S Meena, Commissioner and Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Tourism, told reporters.
Tamil Nadu had 39 lakh foreign tourists in 2013 as against 35 lakh in 2012, he said.
With a new slogan of "Enchanting Tamil Nadu" to woo the tourists, of the total foreign travellers arriving in India, 17 per cent come to Tamil Nadu, he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajasthan's Principal Secretary Tourism Shailendra Agrawal said Rajasthan could have a collaboration with Tamil Nadu Tourism Department to promote and exchange tourists on an incentive basis through certified tour operators.
Tourism in Rajasthan was the biggest sector for generating revenue and if touts and middlemen were kept away this industry could grow faster, Agrawal said.