Ooty teems with tourists for Easter weekend

Ooty: Ooty is crowded with tourists as the fairly long Easter weekend  this year has laid the  foundation for the summer tourist season to start with a bang. 

The resumption of the ‘elephant safari’ in the Mudumalai jungles is an added attraction. 

Usually, the popular summer season here in the hills commences on April 1 and run up to the end of May. But this year, due to the extended weekend, the summer season has been naturally advanced with a huge influx of tourists to the hills that began from Wednesday evening itself. 

While police have already diverted traffic on the busy Ooty-Coimbatore road till Sunday, major tourist spots like the Government Botanical Garden, Boat House, Government Rose Garden, Dodabetta peak in Ooty limits are crowded with tourists and their vehicles.

N.Chandrasekar, secretary of the Nilgiris Hotels and Restaurants Association, said that after a gap of three months, tourism has picked up since Wednesday evening in the hills.  "Since Wednesday, hotels and lodges have been packed to capacity," he noted.

This apart, wildlife tourism in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) too has gained momentum with the resumption of the elephant safari which had been suspended for the past seven weeks in the backdrop of the rejuvenation camp for kumki elephants. Forest sources said that tourists are showing keen interest in the safari which is being held in the early morning and evening.