Tourism in Pondicherry: Attractions, Accommodation, and Economic Impact

This article explores the various types of tourism in Pondicherry, including medicinal and cultural tourism, as well as the types of accommodation available. It also highlights key attractions such as the Paradise Beach and Pondicherry Museum, and discusses the economic impact of tourism on India's GDP. The article concludes by suggesting other tourist attractions that should be showcased in Pondicherry.

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Introduction
Pondicherry has a literal meaning, the new settlement and was aligned with the Indian
Union back in 1954 a move that saw the government of India and France sign a treaty (Devi,
2013). The union territory of Pondicherry works under the provisions of Union territories Act of
1963.Pondicherry has several names such as India’s Little France. The town has four enclaves
situated in the three territories of South India. Pondicherry as the capital city of the Union
Territory is the most famous tourists’ destination in South India.
The town was described by National Geographic as a “The Europe of India”. Pondicherry
is engrained in the rich French culture as it served as the capital of French colonies since the 17th
century (Devi, 2013). Pondicherry has a coastal line extending 32 kilometers with palm beaches,
resorts and water sports center. Pondicherry is a place of worship with many centers of worship
such as temples and mosque occupy the landscape.
Types of tourism
Medicinal tourism
India has been reported to have the largest medicinal tourism industry and this sector was
projected to grow at an average rate of 30 percent per annum to reach he set target of about
Rs.9000 in 2015 (Devi, 2013).India has a long history of being the manufacturer of the best
traditional and modern medicines in the world. The country also boasts of having the best
hospital infrastructure and manpower that provide ample medical solutions. India has made itself
a good reputation in the field of medicine.
Cultural tourism

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Pondicherry takes pride of buildings that are reminiscent of the French architectural style
such as the Ecole Francaise.One of the factors that make Pondicherry a tourist destination is the
awe-inspiring beauty accompanied by French past and cultural heritage. The town has been built
using the French style.
Types of accommodation offered in Pondicherry
Resorts
Pondicherry has a number of resorts that give the town an ample definition when tourists
join the adventure in Pondicherry (Thrillophilia, 2018). Visitors who want to experience the
feeling of getting away from everything trust resorts in Pondicherry in providing the pinnacle
that includes all sorts of relaxation. The resort guests enjoy onsite communal amenities such as
pools, spas and restaurants (Thrillophilia, 2018). A stay in the resorts comes with a luxurious
private room, villa or apartment. A stay in resorts such as Dune Eco Village and Spa or a the Le
Pondy resort is worth remembering.
Hotels
Pondicherry has many hotels that tourists can choose from and the hotels have air
conditioning and Wi-Fi for instance, the Serenity Beach Sea View Villa is located on a beach
and offers a holiday home with Wi-Fi facilities.
Lodges
Lodges are ideal for nature lovers that are looking for getaway that is self-sufficient
(Booking, 2018). The lodging facilities in Pondicherry are fully furnished and self-catered.
Usually the lodges are made of wood and surrounded by mountains or forests. Lodges can be a

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single unit or part of a large group. Lodges are more popular than safari trips even though they
are more remote than holiday homes.
Key attractions
The paradise Beach
The Paradise beach also referred to as the Plage Paradiso is located in Chunnambar and is
one of the key attraction to tourists in Pondicherry as it close to the town of Pondicherry
(MakeMyTrip, 2018). It is an isolated beach with white sand where a cool breeze refreshes the
visitors. It takes a ferry approximately 25 minutes to arrive at the beach on a ferry. The
backwaters on the beach have thick mangrove and the waters are green in color thrilling the
tourists. During the monsoon, the green leaves portray beauty of many colors surprising the
visitors and this is one of the tourist spot in Pondicherry.
Pondicherry museum
The museum is another important place that has been preserved by the government
(Gurnani, 2017). It is situated in Bharathi Park and has a fantastic collection of the remains of the
Chola and other dynasties that exercised their power in Pondicherry. The god and the goddess
structures all made of bronze, the temple lamps and art are all kept in the museum. The sculpture
serves to display the specimens of Chola and Pallava art.
Ousteri Wetland and National park
The Ousteri lake was formed out of a wetland and is situated in the North a distance of 10
km from the town of Pondicherry. It is a bird sanctuary where one can find a variety of birds
particularly the migratory ones. The vegetation here ranges from small herbs to trees that support

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migratory avifauna as well other native birds that migrate during summer and winter. Boating
facilities are available and are provided by the administration of the Park.
Economic impact of tourism
Tourism is a large industry in India. As per the World Travel and Tourism Council, it
estimated that tourism contributed $120 billion which represents 6 percent of India’s GDP in
2011 (Devi, 2013).Tourism accounts for more than 39 million jobs which is 8 percent of total
labor force (Devi, 2013). The GDP from tourism industry has expanded by 229 percent between
1990 and 2011 (Devi, 2013).The tourism sector is projected to grow at an average rate of 7.6
percent in the next 10 years. The World Travel and Tourism council has estimated the annual
growth in the tourism sector to grow to 8 percent in a span of one decade that is between 2011
and 2021 (Devi, 2013).This has ranked India as the fifth among countries that are experiencing
the fastest growth in tourism sector.
Tourist arrivals in Pondicherry
In 2011, it was approximated that there were approximately 6.3 million tourist arrivals in
India an increase from the 2010 by 8 percent when 5.8 million foreign visitors arrived in India
(Devi, 2013). The number of tourists to all the states and the union Territories reached 745
million (Devi, 2013). The Majority of the visitors originated from the United States representing
16 percent and the United Kingdom came second with 12.4 percent (Devi, 2013).
Year Pondicherry Karaikal Mahe Yanam Totals
1999 368878 115976 NA NA 472412
2000 435176 115976 NA NA 551152
2001 401595 97324 7320* 15350* 498919
Figure 1. Table showing the number of tourist inflow into U.T of Pondicherry, Devi

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2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
0
100000
200000
300000
400000
500000
600000
700000
800000
900000
Chart Title
Domestic Tourists Foreign Tourists
Figure 2. Graph showing the number of domestic and foreign tourist, Devi
Period Rs.In Lakhs
10th Five Year Plan (2002-2007) 7000
Annual Plan (2002-2003) 1088
Figure 3. Proposed tourism outlay, Devi
Other tourist attractions that should be showcased
The boulevard colonial buildings that are lined along clean streets that house the French
institutions and the sprawling structures of the famous Sri Aurobindo Ashram are all attractions
that should be showcased (Tripadvisor, 2018). The several beaches where Sri Aurobindo Ashram
spent his last days, the temples and monuments are tourist attractions in Pondicherry.
Conclusion
Tourism is an important industry in the economy as it plays a crucial part in contributing
to the country’s GDP. However, the development of infrastructure remains key to ensuring

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sustained growth in the tourism sector in Pondicherry. The tourism ministry has however made
tremendous efforts in developing the quality of tourism facilities in tourist destinations.
References

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Booking, 2018. Pondicherry beach hotels. [Online]
Available at: https://www.booking.com/beach/city/in/pondicherry.en-gb.html
[Accessed 4 April 2018].
Devi, R. U., 2013. An Evaluative Study Of Tourism Industry In Puducherry, U.T. Of India.
International Journal of Innovative Research and Development, 2(6), pp. 80-102.
Gurnani, S., 2017. What are the best places to visit in Pondicherry?. [Online]
Available at: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-best-places-to-visit-in-Pondicherry
[Accessed 4 April 2018].
MakeMyTrip, 2018. Places To Visit in Pondicherry. [Online]
Available at: https://www.makemytrip.com/travel-guide/pondicherry/places-to-visit.html
[Accessed 4 April 2018].
Thrillophilia, 2018. 20 Best Resorts in Pondicherry. [Online]
Available at: https://www.thrillophilia.com/pondicherry-resorts
[Accessed 4 April 2018].
Tripadvisor, 2018. Things to Do in Pondicherry. [Online]
Available at: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g659792-Activities-
Pondicherry_Union_Territory_of_Pondicherry.html
[Accessed 4 April 2018].

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