Pooja days see huge tourist influx in Nilgiris

Ooty: Thanks to the return of good weather and a respite from the heavy rains, the holidays and the extended weekend have spurred an influx of tourists to Nilgiris district in the last few days.

This has coincided with the autumn tourist season peaking now. The heavy rains and related minor mud-slips early this week had posed a threat to the 'pooja' holidays and it was feared that it would dampen the festive tourism spirit in the hills. But the weather changed for the good to enable tourists to enjoy the salubrious autumn weather.

While tourist lodges, hotels, resorts and cottages in the hills are packed to capacity, all major tourist spots such as the Government Botanical Garden, Government Rose Garden, Dodabetta peak and the Boat House in Ooty lake have been witnessing a huge surge in tourist arrival that is expected to continue till this Sunday.

Stake holders in the tourism sector feel that the tourist inflow will continue till the Deepavali weekend in early November.

As the lengthy autumn tourist season, that runs between the first week of September and the first week of November, has already done a world of good to the tourism sector here, the 'pooja' holidays and the ensuing Deepavali festival periods are setting the perfect ambience for the autumn season to sign off in style this year, say tourism field insiders.