The Hindu Business Line : Three-day travel meet at Madurai from Sept 26

According to the District Collector, Mr D. Raajendiran, the programme organised by the Travel Club and the Madurai Collectorate along with a host of leading associations has evoked good response, with 40 tour operators and travel agents from within the country and abroad having confirmed their participation.

The exercise would benefit not only Madurai but adjoining districts such as Sivagangai, Tiruchi, Thanjavur and Ramanathapuram as well, as the focus would also include the tourist attractions in these districts.

According to Dr G. Vasudevan, President, Travel Club, delegates from Germany, Malaysia and Singapore are likely to visit.

The buyers would consist of tour operators and agents and hotels, while airlines industry and allied sectors would be the sellers.

Leading tour operators such as State Tourism Department, the Airports Authority of India, Indian Airlines, Air Deccan, Air Sahara, Jet Airways, Air Lanka, Southern Railways, and many other agencies would be putting up stalls.

These would be open to the public on September 27-28.

The Tourism Department is coming out with brochures and CDs about the tourist spots. The Department of Art and Culture would be organising cultural programmes.

The Travel Club Secretary, Mr Sundar, said that five tours are being arranged and the visitors would see different places of artistic, cultural and heritage value in Madurai and neighbouring districts.

For instance, they would be visiting the centres in Madurai making Sungudi saris, dole-making units at Vilachery, stone-carving sheds at Pasumalai, Yanaimalai and the Jain Caves, a century-old cigar production unit at Tiruchi, and the veena and bronze-idols making centres at Thanjavur.

At Rameswaram, the tourist will have the unique experience of sailing in glass-bottom boats and seeing the coral reefs at Mandapam, he added.