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Chennai , Aug. 14

FIRST impression is the best impression, a cliché maybe, but holds true nonetheless, and the Chennai administration has to do something to set right the initial impression that an international visitor gets of the city, according to Mr Sami Zoghbi, Managing Director, Le Meridien, (Africa, Middle East and West Asia).

"Why should a visitor be greeted with hundreds of square yards of tin sheet?" he asked, referring to the huge hoardings that surround the Kathipara junction, the main intersection on the city's outskirts close to the airport. Every city on the international tourist map takes trouble to spruce up appearances and cherish their unique skyline. But Chennai does not seem to care and the problem is the same in Kerala, he said.

Though the Kathipara junction has lots of greenery and a beautiful statue of a respected national leader, the hoardings are a major distraction that dwarf the circle and the statue, he said in an informal chat with reporters recently.

According to a Le Meridien official, further down the road bordered on both sides with hoardings, you come to the Gemini Circle with one side bordered with greenery belonging to the Agri Horticultural Society, but is blotted out by hoardings, definitely not a sight for the travel weary, they said.

With the SKAL World Congress on tourism to be held in 2004 in Chennai and nearly 1,500 professionals in travel industry expected apart from thousands of international visitors, the administration should tackle the issue as fast as possible, they said.

At every location that a SKAL conference has been held in the past, there has been distinct upswing in tourism sector in the following years. It is acknowledged as being among the best in showcasing the tourism potential of the host city. If handled properly, Tamil Nadu with its rich and varied destinations cannot help but benefit, they said.

According to Mr Zoghbi, the State Government should consider developing a master plan for tourism that protects the environment and its inherent traits, he said.

According to Le Meridien officials, there is a need to lift the timing restrictions on serving liquor at the bar in the hotels. Most international flights land after 11.00 p.m. when the bars are required to close for the day, and visitors who feel like a drink are invariably disappointed. A city that hopes to put itself on the international tourist map cannot afford to be strait jacketed on this issue, they said

Others echo this sentiment in the hospitality sector. A corporate group that is putting up a specialty chain of restaurants, investing over Rs 75 crore has had to put its plan to set up shop in Chennai on hold. The reason, the prevailing laws do not let restaurants serve liquor. Only those in hotels are allowed this luxury, they said.

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