Tamil Nadu Government Unveils Major Tourism Infrastructure Push with ₹100 Crore Mamallapuram Investment
In a significant move to enhance tourism infrastructure at UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Tamil Nadu government has announced a substantial investment of ₹100 crore specifically for Mamallapuram. This initiative forms a crucial part of the state's broader strategy to foster tourism-led economic growth under its comprehensive Tourism Policy 2023.
Chief Minister Announces Special Development Authority and Major Investments
While inaugurating the Tamil Nadu Global Tourism Summit 2026 at Mamallapuram, Chief Minister M K Stalin made several key announcements on Monday. He revealed the establishment of a Special Area Development Authority dedicated to the heritage town, alongside plans for improved basic amenities and modern tourism infrastructure development.
Highlighting the scale of investments at the summit, Stalin disclosed that 127 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth an impressive ₹22,794 crore have been signed across various tourism segments. These agreements are projected to generate approximately 66,000 employment opportunities throughout the state.
"During the past five years, the state has invested ₹612 crore for developing tourism infrastructure," the Chief Minister stated. He added that this sustained investment has yielded substantial results, attracting about 128.9 crore domestic tourists and 45 lakh foreign visitors to Tamil Nadu over the same period.
Comprehensive Tourism Development Plan Across Tamil Nadu
The government has outlined a phased approach to tourism development across the state:
- First Phase: Four special tourism destinations have been identified in Kanniyakumari, Kallakurichi, Erode, and Tuticorin districts, with proposals invited to attract private investments.
- Second Phase: Thirty-one locations across Tamil Nadu will be categorized into three distinct segments:
- Urban tourism destinations
- Special experience tourism locations
- Large tourism hubs
These developments will include facilities such as accommodation options, theme parks, camping sites, and nature-based experiential stays, creating employment opportunities for several lakhs of people across the state.
Cultural Tourism and Infrastructure Expansion
In a bid to position Tamil Nadu as a global hub for art and cultural tourism, the state will host its first-ever 'Tamil Biennale' in January next year. This international cultural event aims to showcase Tamil heritage and artistic traditions to a global audience.
Tamil Nadu is simultaneously developing a fresh wave of tourism and sports infrastructure projects, including:
- Caravan Parks: Planned at destinations including Tharangambadi, Ooty, and Kodaikanal, with each park designed to accommodate 10 to 15 caravans. R Subramanian, director of Campervan (an IIT Madras incubated company), revealed plans for 75 caravan parks across Tamil Nadu over the next five years.
- Heritage Theme Park: The Mata Amritanandamayi Mandir Trust plans to develop a comprehensive heritage theme park on 12 lakh square feet at Poonjeri, featuring a museum, water park, exhibition spaces, and various facilities. Mahesh Gopalakrishnan, director (projects) of the Trust, indicated that ₹1,500 crore would be invested in the first phase, with an equal amount earmarked for the second phase.
- Multi-Sports Stadium: A ₹6,200-crore multi-sports stadium and high-performance facility is proposed around Chennai. Sruti Simon, CFO of AVID Sports, confirmed that an MoU has been signed with the state government to develop world-class facilities aimed at producing more Olympic athletes from Tamil Nadu and India.
These comprehensive initiatives demonstrate Tamil Nadu's commitment to transforming its tourism landscape while creating substantial economic opportunities and employment across the state.
