Project Development and

Management Consultants
under Swadesh Darshan 2.0

Master Plan, Strategy

& Action Plan Report

Mamallapuram
(July 2023)

Submitted by

C1232902
RP002a Rev.0
PDMC under Swadesh Darshan 2.0 for Tamil Nadu C1232902
Destination Master Plan, Strategy and Action Plan for Mamallapuram – Iteration 1 RP002a rev. 0

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background.............................................................................................................................................1
1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Background ...............................................................................................................................3
1.2 Status of Inception Report ........................................................................................................3
1.3 Approval of State Steering Committee .....................................................................................7
2 Overview of the Destination ..........................................................................................................8
2.1 Introduction of Destination ........................................................................................................8
2.2 Physiography and Climate ........................................................................................................9
2.3 History .................................................................................................................................... 10
2.4 Demographic Profile .............................................................................................................. 12
2.5 Economic Profile .................................................................................................................... 12
2.6 Tourism Profile ....................................................................................................................... 13
3 Review of Statutory and Tourism Plans .................................................................................... 15
3.1 Review of “Iconic Tourist Sites in India – Mahabalipuram” .................................................... 15
3.2 Review of 20-year Perspective Plan for Tamil Nadu ............................................................. 19
3.3 Review of Vision Tamil Nadu or Vision 2023 ......................................................................... 20
3.4 Review of Proposed land Use – 2021, Mamallapuram New Town Development Plan ......... 21
3.5 Review of AMASR Act ........................................................................................................... 23
3.6 Other resources ..................................................................................................................... 23
4 As-is assessment of the Destination ......................................................................................... 25
4.1 Key Tourism Attractions ......................................................................................................... 25
4.2 Destination Connectivity ........................................................................................................ 43
4.3 Basic Tourism Infrastructure at the Destination ..................................................................... 48
4.4 Tourism Enablers ................................................................................................................... 50
4.5 Destination Institutional Structure .......................................................................................... 62
4.6 Planned projects and initiatives ............................................................................................. 63
5 Learnings from global and national best practices ................................................................. 64
6 Stakeholder Consultations ......................................................................................................... 76
6.1 Consultations with Government Department/Agencies ......................................................... 76
6.2 Consultations with Private Sector .......................................................................................... 76
6.3 Consultations to engage communities ................................................................................... 79
6.4 Online tourist survey .............................................................................................................. 80

7 Destination Visioning and Key Objectives................................................................................ 86

7.1 Vision Statement .................................................................................................................... 86
7.2 Key objectives of destination development............................................................................ 86
7.3 Proposed framework for holistic destination development .................................................... 86
7.4 Key products/ themes for the destination .............................................................................. 87
8 Proposed initiatives and interventions ..................................................................................... 99
8.1 Spatial Planning & Hard Interventions ................................................................................... 99
8.2 Soft Interventions ................................................................................................................. 100
9 Layout Plan ................................................................................................................................ 108
9.1 Proposed Heritage Plaza at Old Bus Stand ......................................................................... 108
9.2 Proposed Tourist Plaza near Shore Temple ........................................................................ 111
10 Integration with PM Gati Shakti ................................................................................................ 114
11 Summary of Proposed Projects ............................................................................................... 115
12 Tourist Carrying Capacity of Destination ............................................................................... 118

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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1-1: Thematic Maps for Analysis of Delineation Area ...................................................................5
Figure 1-2: Study Area Delineation Map ..................................................................................................6
Figure 2-1: Climatic Data for Mamallapuram ...........................................................................................9
Figure 2-2: Demographic Data for Mamallapuram (Source: Census, 2011) ........................................ 12
Figure 2-3: 3Kancheepuram’s Economic Output and YoY Growth (2013– 2020)Data for Mamallapuram
............................................................................................................................................................... 13
Figure 2-4: Domestic and International Arrival (2015 – 2022), in INR lakhs ......................................... 13
Figure 3-1: Mamallapuram New Town Development Plan ................................................................... 22
Figure 4-1: Mapping of Key Tourism Attractions in Mamallapuram ...................................................... 27
Figure 4-2: Connectivity Map for Mamallapuram .................................................................................. 44
Figure 4-3: Mapping of Civic Amenities at Mamallapuram ................................................................... 48
Figure 4-4: Mapping of Existing Accommodation facilities at Mamallapuram ....................................... 49
Figure 8-1: Proposed Master Plan for Mamallapuram .......................................................................... 99
Figure 9-1: Existing Setting of Old Bus Stand at Mamallapuram ........................................................ 108
Figure 9-2: Existing Setting of Old Bus Stand at Mamallapuram ........................................................ 109
Figure 9-3: Conceptual Zoning & Scheme for Proposed Heritage Plaza at Old Bus Stand ............... 109
Figure 9-4: Illustrations for Proposed Heritage Plaza at Old Bus Stand ............................................. 110
Figure 9-5: Existing setting of Proposed Tourist Plaza near Shore Temple ....................................... 111
Figure 9-6: Conceptual Zoning of Proposed Tourist Plaza near Shore Temple ................................. 111
Figure 9-7: Conceptual Scheme of Proposed Tourist Plaza near Shore Temple ............................... 112
Figure 9-8: Illustrations of Entrance Gate & Kiosks at proposed Tourist Plaza near Shore Temple .. 113
Figure 9-9: Illustrations of Landscape areas with Mandapams/Gazebos at proposed Tourist Plaza near
Shore Temple ...................................................................................................................................... 114

LIST OF TABLES
Table 2-1: Total number of Tourist Arrivals (2018 - 2023) .................................................................... 14
Table 2-1: Review of Statutory & Tourism Plans .................................................................................. 15
Table 3-1: Goals & Projects in the Master Plan prepared as part of “Development of Iconic Tourist
Destination” Scheme ............................................................................................................................. 18
Table 4-1: List of Key Tourism Attractions in Mamallapuram ............................................................... 25
Table 4-2: List of Key Tourism Attractions (USP’s) in Mamallapuram .................................................. 28
Table 4-3: List of Key Tourism Attractions in Mamallapuram ............................................................... 45
Table 4-4: Nearest Railway Stations to Mamallapuram ........................................................................ 46
Table 4-5: Nearest Railway Junctions to Mamallapuram ...................................................................... 46
Table 4-6: ICT Readiness of the Destination & State ........................................................................... 50
Table 4-7: Institutions offering Tourism Degree in nearby areas .......................................................... 57
Table 4-8: Presence of Mamallapuram in TN’s overall Marketing Strategy .......................................... 61
Table 4-9: Institutional Structure of DMO .............................................................................................. 62
Table 4-10: Planned Projects & Initiatives in Mamallapuram ................................................................ 63
Table 8-1: List of Proposed Hard Interventions ................................................................................... 100
Table 8-2: Action Plan for Commnity Training Programs .................................................................... 101
Table 8-3: Proposed Events Calender for Mamallapuram .................................................................. 104
Table 11-1: Summary of Proposed Interventions ................................................................................ 115

LIST OF ANNEXURES
Annexure A .................................................................................................................................. 119
Annexure B .................................................................................................................................. 121
Annexure C .................................................................................................................................. 122

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Background
Swadesh Darshan Scheme 2.0 Guidelines stipulates planning, development and management
of tourist destinations in a holistic manner under the Scheme following the destination centric
approach. The focus shall be to elevate the existing tourism hotspots in the destination and
integrate with nearby attractions & curate immersive experiences.
As per the SD 2.0 Guidelines, subsequent to the approval of destinations, State
Implementation Agency shall submit Destination Master Plan, Strategy and Action Plan (DMP)
via the PDMC for the selected destination for In Principle Approval by the Central Sectioning
and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) of Ministry of Tourism. The preparation of Master Plan,
Strategy and Action Plan will be an iterative process with up to four iterations of the plan.
Subsequent to approved iteration, the Detailed Project Report (DPR) shall be prepared for
proposed intervention leading to sanctioning of the projects while some softer interventions
would be directly taken up for implementation after approval of the Plan.
The Master Plan, Strategy and Action Plan for a destination is an essential planning document
for the SD 2.0 Scheme in development of Sustainable and Responsible Tourism Destinations
in the country. The Plan will have a perspective period of ten years and is to be prepared
carefully and with sufficient details to ensure holistic planning, clarity of action, to ensure
desired impact and avoid undue risks during the implementation phase.
This document has been developed as guidance template to develop the Planning document
for the destination. The major sections covered in the Plan are as follows:
Section 1 – Introduction
Section 2 – Overview of the Destination
Section 3 – Review of Statutory and Tourism Plans
Section 4 – As-is Assessment of the Destination
Section 5 – Learnings from Global & National Best Practices
Section 6 – Stakeholder Consultations
Section 7 – Destination Visioning & Key Objectives
Section 8 – Proposed Initiatives & Interventions
Section 9 – Layout Plan
Section 10 - PM Gati Shakti
Section 11 – Summary of Proposed Projects
Annexures

Background
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Document Control

Name of State/UT Tamil Nadu

Report Title Destination Master Plan, Strategy and Action Plan for
Mamallapuram – Iteration 1

This Document Main Document Pages No of Annexures No of Maps

Comprises
118 14

Background
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1 Introduction

1.1 Background
As per the SD 2.0 Guidelines (Section 4.2), Consortium of M/s L&T Infrastructure Engineering
Limited (Lead) & PricewaterhouseCoopers Private Limited (Consortium Member) has been
appointed as Project Development and Management Consultants (PDMC) vide its letter dated
14th March 2023 to take up development of Destination Master Plan, Strategy & Action Plan
for the destination Mamallapuram, Chengalpattu District, Tamil Nadu besides other scope of
services.
As per the SD 2.0 Guidelines (Section 4.2), State has set up a Destination Management
Committee (DMC) for the destination under the Chairmanship of the District Collector /
Magistrate. The copy of the notification of the DMC along with undertaking by the DMC is
attached as Annexure A.
Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, subsequent to the Central Sanctioning and
Monitoring Committee (CSMC) meeting and vide its letter provided the In-Principle Approval
of destination to be developed under Swadesh Darshan 2.0 Scheme. Copy of the letter of
approval / minutes of the meeting is attached as Annexure-B.

1.2 Status of Inception Report

1.2.1 Brief about Inception Report

Project team had initiated the stakeholder consultations and as-is assessment of the
destination post the formal agreement signing. Detailed site visits were made to the destination
and all the attractions were visited. The first project deliverable i.e., Inception Report was
prepared and submitted to the State Implementing Agency (SIA) on 29th May 2023 and the
same was presented to the officials of SIA under the Chairmanship of Thiru. Sandeep Nanduri,
IAS, Director of Tourism & Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation
(TTDC) on 6th June 2023. The report was submitted with following key sections.
1. Section 1 - Introduction
The section provided a brief on the project background, Swadesh Darshan Scheme &
objectives, Holistic Development & Destination Centric Approach, Overall Framework/ Scheme
governance & implementation, Project Progress.
2. Section 2- Destination Profiling
As part of the initial assessment, regional assessment, brief profile of tourist, key observations
from site visits, stakeholder’s consultations, identification of available land bank, etc. were
studied. Further, delineation of influence area of destination was presented which will be
considered as study area for the destination. Tourism profile of the destination is presented
elaborating all primary and secondary attractions, tourist profile and existing tourism offerings.
Further, as-is assessment was undertaken for attractions based on the site visits. Key
outcomes of all the stakeholder consultations were also provided. All the government land
available in the destination were mapped and presented to provide an overview of the available
land bank in and around the primary attractions. This information was presented based on the

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preliminary data collected from revenue department and will require further evaluation once
any of the land parcel is selected for any proposed intervention.
The delineated influence area of the destination was presented which will be taken up for all
further assessment. Based on study team’s assessment, broad possible intervention was as
below presented along with few examples from across the globe:
• Development of new activities/ experiences and improvement of existing activities/
experiences
• Development of a marketing strategy and branding communication to establish the USP
of the destination and communicate it to the right audience.
• Identifying potential segments to be developed in medium to long term
• Skill Development of local workforce, identification of avenues to create / improve
community-based tourism.
The feasibility of such intervention in destination’s context will be further assessed.
3. Section 3 - Detailed Approach & Methodology
Section presented consultants detailed approach to the project and methodology to be
followed to achieve the project objectives in timebound manner.
4. Section 4 - Project Team & Work Plan
The section showcased the details related to the Project Team, work plan & deliverable
timelines for the project.
5. Section 5 - Way Forward
The section showcased the upcoming project tasks & aspects where support & facilitation from
SIA would be required to proceed further in the project.

1.2.2 Study Area of the Destination

Task of delineation of the destination area to arrive at the study area was presented in the
inception report and also during subsequent review meeting with SIA. Post discussions with
MoT & SIA, the delineation area was updated. The analysis of four parameters comprising of
administrative boundary, transport/connectivity, tourist attractions, accommodation &
amenities was carried out to arrive at the delineation area of Approx. 7.8 Sq. km. The map
consisting of the thematic layers used for analysing the Delineation area & the final delineation
area for the said study is provided below:

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Figure 1-1: Thematic Maps for Analysis of Delineation Area

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Figure 1-2: Study Area Delineation Map

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1.2.3 Recommendation received from Ministry

We are awaiting inputs from both the state government as well as the Ministry on the inception
report.
The inception report along with its contents were presented by the project team to SIA on June
6, 2023. The suggestions provided during the meeting will be duly considered and further
assessed for its inclusion in next stages of the assignment.

1.3 Approval of State Steering Committee

Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC), through its State Mission Director for
Swadesh Darshan 2.0 NPMU, hereby submits the Iteration 1 of the said Destination Master
Plan, Strategy & Action Plan for Mamallapuram for review and approval of Ministry of Tourism,
Government of India.

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2 Overview of the Destination

2.1 Introduction of Destination

Mamallapuram, also known
as Mahabalipuram is a
tourist town located within
the Chengalpattu district of
Tamil Nadu, about sixty
kilometres south of
Chennai on the
Coromandel Coast. Named
after the Pallava King
Narasimhavarman I, who
was also known as
Mamalla in the 7th century
CE, Mamallapuram was one of the two major port cities of the Pallava Dynasty (275 CE to 897
CE) and plays host to multiple historic monuments dating to the 7th and 8th centuries, including
a UNESCO World Heritage site (Group of Monuments in Mahabalipuram) comprising of
Rathas (temples in the form of chariots), mandapas (cave sanctuaries), the giant open-air rock
relief the Descent of the Ganges, and the Shore Temple.
It was a flourishing port town during the time of Pallavas. Which was given a lease of life
through the chisels of Pallavas. Built in Dravidian Style of architecture and Pallava art, the
Shore Temple complex has one large and two small temples. It is one of the oldest structural
excellences of South India. The art in the marvellous monuments with sculpted panels, caves,
monolith rathas and temples lay emphasis on robust earthly beauties, imbibed with life.
Mythological episodes, epic battles, demons, Gods, animals are all vividly depicted on the wall.
These sculptures are breathtakingly real and artistic. Most of the temple and monuments were
completed during the reigns Narasimha Varman I and Narasimha Varman II.
Mahabalipuram was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in the year 1984 owing to
the 40 sanctuaries found here. The world’s largest open-air bas-relief, the Descent of the
Ganges is also located in Mahabalipuram. Mahabalipuram is famous for its grand architecture.
The Pancha Rathas namely, Dharmaraja Ratha, Bhima Ratha, Draupadi Ratha, Ganesha
Ratha, Arjuna Ratha and Nakula Sahadeva Ratha are architectures of the Pallava period in
India. Several cave temples like Panchapandava Cave Temple, Varaha Cave Temple,
Mahishasuramardini Mandapa and Krishna Cave Temple are also found in Mahabalipuram.
Apart from cave temples, structural temples were built here. These structural temples include
the Olakkannesvara Temple and the Shore Temple.
In addition to the ancient monuments and temples, it has an extensive beachfront on the
ocean, lined with resorts and tourist cabins. The town is also home to a college offering
education in architecture and temple sculpture.
As per the Census India 2011, Mamallapuram has a population of 15,172 with 53% males and
47% females, making up 3,590 households. The economy of the district is majorly dependent
on the tourism sector. The town is well connected to Chennai, Kancheepuram and other major
cities and urban hubs via road and rail, with the Chennai Airport and the Chengalpattu Junction
Station (located 23 kilometres away) as the closest gateways.

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In addition, Mamallapuram also attracts tourists every year for activities such as sunbathing,
surfing, and swimming. Mamallapuram also has a crocodile bank, a snake venom extraction
center, and a school of Art and Sculpture complementing the vast array of historical
monuments, as well as multiple beach resorts and boathouses along the coast and major
waterways.

2.2 Physiography and Climate

Mahabalipuram has a tropical wet and dry climate. The Köppen-Geiger climate classification
is Aw. The eastern side of this area is bounded by the Bay of Bengal, western side by the
Buckingham Canal and southern side by backwater. Two small water bodies are found in the
north-western and southwestern parts of the study area.
Rainfall, Sun and Wind:
Mahabalipuram lies along the coastline on flat land. It is located on 12 38’ north latitude and
80 10’ east longitude, at an elevation of 12m. It is situated in Kancheepuram District. It has a
moderate and humid climate all through the year. The best time to visit the place is from
October to March. Winters (November to February) have pleasant days and cool nights. The
minimum temperature is usually above 16°C. This time is ideal for sightseeing, outings and
other adventurous tourist activities. Summers (March to May) are hot and temperatures vary
from maximum 42°C to minimum 21°C.

Figure 2-1: Climatic Data for Mamallapuram

The "mean daily maximum" (solid red line) shows the maximum temperature of an average
day for every month for Mahabalipuram. Likewise, "mean daily minimum" (solid blue line)
shows the average minimum temperature. Hot days and cold nights (dashed red and blue
lines) show the average of the hottest day and coldest night of each month of the last 30 years.

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It is characterized by hot climate making it difficult for tourist activities. Monsoons (June to
September) offers a lot of rains and the place becomes very humid. November to February,
the area offers a nice and pleasant weather and is thus the perfect time to enjoy sightseeing
and adventure activities. The months from June to September are accompanied by very hot
weather and rainfall, making it difficult for traveling and tourist activities.
Flora and Fauna
The Mahabalipuram beach lies on the stretch of coast with a presence of large number of
species of coastal vegetation. Varied species of crab and prawn, Mullet, Liza, Milk Fish, Silago
and Etroplus form part of the aquatic system along the beach. The southern stretches of the
beach are favored by the endangered Olive Ridley turtles to lay their eggs every winter, as are
other beaches in Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
Topographically, this area is elevated in the center and slopes towards the east and west. The
highest elevation was measured in the northeastern part of study area, about 7.5 m above the
Mean Sea Level (MSL). The sand dune is found in the northeastern side. Beach ridges or
coastal plains consist of sand and silt occurring along the coasts towards inland. These units
occur along the eastern part of the study area and have very good groundwater potential.

2.3 History
Mamallapuram, also called Mahabalipuram or Seven Pagodas, historic town, northeast Tamil
Nadu state, southeastern India. It lies along the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal 37
miles (60 km) south of Chennai (Madras).
Mahabalipuram's early history is completely shrouded in mystery. Ancient mariners considered
this place the land of the Seven Pagodas. There are others who think that Mahabalipuram
suffered from a great flood between 10,000 and 13,000 BCE. Controversial historian Graham
Hancock was one of the core members of a team of divers from Indian National Institute of
Oceanography and the Scientific Exploration Society based in Dorset, UK who surveyed the
ocean bed near Mahabalipuram in 2002 CE. He is more inclined to believe the flood theory.
His exploration also afforded him a fair glimpse of the vast extent of submerged ruins of the
city. After his underwater exploration, he reportedly commented, “I have argued for many years
that the world's flood myths deserve to be taken seriously, a view that most Western academics
reject … But here in Mahabalipuram, we have proved the myths right and the academics
wrong.”
There is a story behind. The name Mamallpuram king Narasimha Varman I was a great and
valiant warrior. He was given the title Mamalla which means ‘the great wrestler’ so the name
was converted from Mahapalipuram to Mamallaburam considering the great king and his
achievements. It was renamed Mahabalipuram which is called till now.
The pallavas rose to the pioneer in south India, after the decline of the Gupta Dynasty. They
ruled over from the 3rd century till the end of the 9th century A.D. The best period of their rule
was between 650 and 750 AD and this period was called as the Golden Age of the pallavas.
The pallavas were very powerful. They were profound thinkers.
During the rule of Mahendravarman I (600 CE – 630 CE), Mahablipuram started to flourish as
a centre of art and culture. He himself was a well-known poet, playwright and orator. His
patronage helped the creation of a number of the city's most iconic landmarks. This period of
artistic excellence was duly continued by his son Narasimhavarman I (630 CE – 680 CE) and
subsequent Pallava kings.

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Mamallapuram became prominent during the Pallava-era reign of Simhavishnu during the late
6th century, a period of political competition with the Pandyas, the Cheras and the Cholas and
spiritual ferment with the rise of 6th- to 8th-century Bhakti movement poet-scholars: the
Vaishnava Alvars and the Shaiva Nayanars. Mamallapuram's architecture is linked to
Simhavishnu's son, Mahendravarman I (600-630 CE), who was a patron of the arts.
The Pallava rulers founded Mahabalipuram in the 7th century. Trade was carried out with
various South-east Asian kingdoms of that time like Shrivijaya (Malaysia, Sumatra, and Java),
the empire of Champa and Kambuja (Cambodia) through the harbor of Mahabalipuram. But
now, it is more popular for its unique rock sanctuaries and beautiful Brahmin temples
constructed and ornamented between 630 and 728. Mahabalipuram was the main city of the
south-east Indian Pallava civilization. It is a major center of the Siva cult and is hence visited
by people. The sanctuary is widely known especially for its mandapas (cave sanctuaries),
rathas (chariot shaped temples), and gigantic open-air reliefs. The well- crafted sculptures that
have a characteristic softness and graceful modeling have an influence even in Cambodia,
Java.
It is speculated that it is the seaport of Sopatma mentioned in the 1st-century periplus of the
Erythraean Sea or Ptolemy's port of Mélange in his 2nd-century Geographia. Another theory
posits that the port of Nirppeyarvu mentioned in the Perumpanarrupadai from the early
centuries of the common era may be Mahabalipuram or Kanchipuram. When Marco Polo
arrived in India on his way back to Venice from Southeast Asia, he mentioned (but did not visit)
"Seven Pagodas" and the name became associated with the shore temples of Mahabalipuram
in publications by European merchants centuries later. In his Avantisundari Katha, the Sanskrit
scholar Daṇḍin (who lived in Tamil Nadu and was associated with the Pallava court) praised
artists for their repair of a Vishnu sculpture atMamallapuram. However, Daṇḍin's authorship of
this text is disputed. The medieval Sanskrit text mentions the Mamallapuram monuments, an
early tradition of repairs, and the significance of Vaishnavism.
In the 7th century, this UNESCO World Heritage site was a flourishing and prosperous port of
the Pallava Empire. Mahabalipuram got its name from the Great wrestler Mamalla who was
also a Pallava king, Narasimha Varman I. The towering sculptures and beautiful intricate rock
carvings showcase the creativity and talent of the highly skilled artisans of that period. The
breathtakingly magnificent Shore Temple surrounded by Nandi Bulls all around looking over
the sea is main attraction of Mahabalipuram. After a strong cyclone in the sea washed away
this Temple, it was rebuilt stone by stone.
The Shore temples were initially a group of seven temples known as the Seven Pagodas, but
out of these seven, six have submerged in the sea. The spectacular Arjuna’s Penance is
situated further inland. This is the world’s largest bas-relief panel adorned by more than
hundred figures of men, beasts, and gods. The five marvelous rock cut shrines are proof of
how skilled the genius craftsmen and stone carvers of that era were. All the Rathas were
carved out differently from single pieces of huge rocks.

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2.4 Demographic Profile

Mamallapuram, also known as Mahabalipuram, is a port town located within the Chengalpattu
district of Tamil Nadu. The district Chengalpattu was carved out of Kancheepuram in 2019.
Population Workforce
As per the state government records1, the Out of the total population 15,172, the working
Chengalpattu district has a population of forces constitutes 5,542 persons. Around 37%
around 2.8 million and is spread over an of the total population forms the work force,
area of approximately 2,700 sq.km. of 31% of which are main workers and 6% are
which 50% were males and 50% were marginal workers. This implies that most of the
females. As per the estimates, 69% of the people working in Mahabalipuram have a
total population live in urban areas. The permanent job. The remaining 63% include
district had an average population of 1,045 non-workers who are unemployed, retired and
persons per sq. km which was high as children.
compared to 555 persons per sq.km of There are negligible agricultural activities in
Tamil Nadu. Mahabalipuram, accordingly the number of
The town Mamallapuram, had a 2population main and marginal agriculture workers and
of only 15,172 as per 2011 census which is cultivators are insignificant. Only 3.5% of the
main workers and 5.1% of the marginal
estimated to reach to around 20,000 by
workers are household workers. The other
2023. The town has also an impressive
95.5% and 84.9% of the main and marginal
literacy rate of around 85%, higher than the
workers respectively are involved in other
state average of 80%.
activities like tourism, fishing, etc.

Figure 2-2: Demographic Data for Mamallapuram (Source: Census, 2011)

2.5 Economic Profile

Chengalpattu (including Mamallapuram) was part of the district Kancheepuram till end of 2019
and has been contributing to the district’s economy to a large. In the year 2019-20,
Kancheepuram district accounted for approximately 7% to the State’s economy and the Net
District Domestic Product (NDDP at current prices) was around INR 11 million Lakhs.

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Figure 2-3: 3Kancheepuram’s Economic Output and YoY Growth (2013– 2020)1Data for
Mamallapuram
The Chengalpattu economic contribution is largely supported by the presence of leading
4
industrial companies such as Infosys, Capgemini, Renault Nissan, BMW, TDK Group, Wipro,
Tech Mahindra, and TVS.

2.6 Tourism Profile

Visitation to Mamallapuram
Mamallapuram experienced a growth in footfall from 2015 to 2019. In 2018, Foreign Tourist
Arrival (FTA) almost doubled in
Mamallapuram in comparison to the
previous year, with Tamil Nadu
recording the maximum number of
foreign tourists in the country. In 2019,
Tamil Nadu ranked second in
domestic tourist visits, and
Mamallapuram witnessed a 13%
growth in domestic tourists, though
there was a decline in FTA.
In 2020, the pandemic impacted
Mamallapuram with a drop of 73% in
total footfall of tourists and the
numbers are marginally decreasing
since then. However, the main
concern is the dropping number of
FTAs.
Figure 2-4: Domestic and International Arrival
(2015 – 2022), in INR lakhs
Source – TTDC

1
Dept. of Economics & Statistics, Chengalpattu District – District Handbook 2021-22, 2https://www.census2011.co.in/data/town/803369-
mamallapuram-tamil-nadu.html, 3 https://www.tn.gov.in/deptst/stateincome, 4 https://www.tamilagam.in/chengalpattu-district.html

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Visitation Seasonality
Before the pandemic, in 2018 Mamallapuram got a greater number of tourists in May because
of the summer vacations, and November and December for the comfortable weather and
Dance Festival. In 2022 tourist arrival was more evenly distributed from May to November,
with December getting 18% of the yearly footfall.
Table 2-1: Total number of Tourist Arrivals (2018 - 2023)
Month 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
January 808,686 1,331,052 1,718,519 1,124,952 154,492 977,378
February 808,971 1,623,609 1,663,743 1,140,708 195,894 484,017
March 809,239 850,566 348,930 556,204 221,595 458,438
April 809,476 772,999 0 29,438 234,227
May 809,660 1,504,958 0 660 287,910
June 809,783 1,187,789 0 2,458 287,657
July 1,150,346 1,115,532 0 87,032 276,575
August 1,312,191 818,422 0 104,207 289,538
September 1,287,053 701,537 0 163,243 336,067
October 1,288,535 907,317 0 191,459 401,287
November 1,609,116 1,462,349 19,800 142,297 338,686
December 3,324,278 1,926,516 74,229 267,506 681,391
Total 14,827,334 14,202,646 3,825,221 3,810,164 3,705,319

Footfall Very Low Low Medium High Very High

In Tamil Nadu, it has been observed that the maximum number of day visitors are either from
within the state or from other states of India. Foreign tourists visiting the state stays make a
point of staying overnight. Averagely, 10% of the overnight visitors in Tamil Nadu are foreign
tourists.
A similar trend is seen in Mamallapuram. Stakeholder consultation with various tour operators
indicates that length of stay is typically shorter ranging from 1 to 2 days. Foreign tourists who
typically visit from France, Germany, Malaysia and UK do not opt to stay longer. The same
may be validated with the Development of Iconic Tourist Sites in India – Mahabalipuram that
states that 97% of the respondents denied staying overnight in Mamallapuram.
This trend is majorly due to lack of tourist products and activities in the destination.

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3 Review of Statutory and Tourism Plans

The project team has reviewed the reports listed in the table below and the subsequent
sections summarises the key findings of the reports.
Table 3-1: Review of Statutory & Tourism Plans

Sr. Particulars Availability Dates Prepared By Approval

No. Status

1 Master Plan for  14th INI Design Studio & Approval

Mahabalipuram December Jones Lang Lasalle of scheme
under the 2018 (JLL) was
“Development of awaited
Iconic Tourist
Destination” Scheme
of Ministry of Tourism

2 20 Years Perspective  2003 Consulting Approved

Tourism Plan for the Engineering
State of Tamil Nadu Services (I) Pvt. Ltd.

3 Proposed land Use –  2012 MNTDA & Dept. of Approved

2021, Mamallapuram Town & Country
New Town Planning, Tamil
Development Plan Nadu

4 Certain other references were also reviewed like “Review of Vision Tamil Nadu or
Vision 2023”, AMASR Act & other resources

3.1 Review of “Iconic Tourist Sites in India – Mahabalipuram”2

In 2015, the government identified Mahabalipuram as one of the 17 sites across India to be
developed as Iconic Tourist Sites under the Swadesh Darshan scheme. INI Design Studio,
in consortium with Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL), was appointed to prepare a comprehensive vision
and development plan for Mahabalipuram as an iconic tourist site of global standards.
The objectives of the project were:

• Tourism Assessment and Preliminary Infrastructure need for tourist

• Economic and functional integration of extended jurisdiction with the core of the town
• Formulating developmental strategies for the region which justify the spatial organization model
(in line with regulations and restrictions prescribed by ASI, UNESCO and other relevant bodies)
• Upgrading the infrastructure & public amenities, to enhance the tourist experience and widen the
public benefits
• To provide rural-urban continuum in the area
• Conservation and management of natural resources which includes open spaces, green cover,
erosion, hazard and water bodies
• Conservation and management of heritage & cultural areas

2
Mahabalipuram, Development of iconic tourist sites in India, Updated Final Report, Master Plan including the shelf of projects

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Key gaps and issues identified in the destination included:

Site Circulation and parking

• Urgent need to relocate the bus stand to create a safe circulation space for
pesestrains and vehicles
• Need to create parking facilities for approximately 8,700 vehicles (with provision for
2W parking of ~5,000 numbers and 4W parking space for ~3,000 numbers including
autos and taxis and excluding buses, as per primary survey conducted)
• Need to create NMT zone with no-go areas for vehicles beyond a point in the
heritage site area
• Fee for parking to be regulated and monitored to enhance the quality of parking
facilities
• Development of Multi-level / ground level parking facilities in and around
Mahabalipuram to cater to the parking demand of the tourist site

Tourist infrastructure
• Safety and security need to improve upon – Coast guards, Lighting, Security posts,
CCTV cameras, fire station, first aid clinics, etc
• Walkability - Pavements, traffic calming strategies, traffic management strategy
• Wayfinding - Signages, Pedestrian road markings, Defining walkable routes
(heritage, food etc.)
• Convenience – The process of single ticket system for the entire complex, Multi
lingual guides, Audio guides, Multi lingual guidebooks, Virtual tours etc.
• Amenities – Parking, toilets, safe drinking water, feeder system etc.
• Quality recreation and open space for the locals, across age groups, need to be
developed
• Development of tourism infrastructure including tourist circuits, heritage walks and
cycle tours

Identity and brand creation

• Need to tailor social media marketing strategies to showcase the destinations best
colors
• Development of innovative ways of promoting the destination on a platform with
wider reach

Poor tourist experience

• Unplanned conservation leading to wind and water erosion on the monument
carvings with many of them having undergone loss of detail over the years
• Low standards of cleanliness and sanitation, particularly in the tourist and local
visitor’s congregation areas
• Interpretation, signage and information are generally weak
Quality of employment and skilled labour
• There is a need for an organized system of employment in the tourism sector within
Mahabalipuram that the resident communities can benefit from
• Need for capacity and skill building training programmes for tourist guides, locals
involved in the surfing activities, staff in the hospitality sector, etc.
• No framework on training and development for the public, private as well as the large
informal sectors of the industry
• Lack of professional, managerial, technical skills at the Mahabalipuram Special
Grade Town Panchayat office, New Town Development Authority, TTDC

Information infrastructure
• For a destination such as Mahabalipuram that caters to an average of 9,000
(weekdays) to 15,000 visitors a day over weekends, it is imperative to have a tourist
interpretation centre that caters to the curiosity and travel needs of the visitors
• Provision of Tourist information kiosks at strategic locations in Mahabalipuram

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The vision for Mamallapuram was established basis its key strength as a UNESCO designated
World Heritage Site and availability of other diverse resources like nature based tourism owing
to its coastal location, commercial, and cultural events. The vision for Mamallapuram was
established as following:

The two major missions under this vision included:

Subsequently, following focus areas have been identified to enable achievement of the
aforementioned Vision.
• Intoduce a good blend of activities
• Use of the coastline to intrduce beach front and water sports
Variety activities
• Inroduce accomodation to activities catering to various range of
travelers

• Introduction of technology to showcase the architechtural marvel

Enhanced Showcasing • Interactive map, 4D walkthrough, and digital promotions
• Grand entry to Mahabalipuram for a memorable experience

• Installation of proper lightings, CCTV systems

• Keep the place alive at night through camp sites, eat streets, creative
Seamless Access and
workshops, etc.
Safety
• Improvement of all access and link roads and introduction of 'no-go'
zones for vehicles

• Promotion of local cuisine, music and other local activities

Authentic Experience
• Engaging local residents via workshops and interactive sessions

• Regulatory measures to ensure continued and long-term

Conservation preservation of the natural and architectural heritage of
Mahabalipuram

These focus areas have then been developed into seven goals to enable holistic development
of Mamallapuram as a destination. Each goal entails a list of projects/ activities, along with
broad cost estimates, implementation plan, proposed phasing of the projects, identifying the
stakeholders and implementing agencies involved.

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The following goals along with their project costs are proposed in the Master Plan:
Table 3-2: Goals & Projects in the Master Plan prepared as part of “Development of
Iconic Tourist Destination” Scheme

Project cost Project cost

(INR Lakh) – (INR Lakh) –
Goals Projects/ Interventions
Hard Soft
components components
• Creating an identity for Mahabalipuram
- the Logo
• Creating an international marketing
network
GOAL 1: Enhanced
• Positioning Mahabalipuram in the
Image, Identity and 1,833
external market
Visibility
• Re-branding Mahabalipuram against a
larger backdrop
• Leveraging the destination’s strategic
location and connectivity
• Creating a Gateway / Vistas to the
UNESCO World Heritage Site, State of
the Art Toll Gate and Ticketing Booth at
the Entrance
• Beach front Development and Tapping
into the potential of the Beach
GOAL 2: Master Plan • Sports Adventure Activities
preparation - Revitalizing • Creation of Iconic Town Square
the heritage destination • Tourist Trails
and the beachfront • Improvement of Internal Streets 31,197
through enhanced • Decongesting Mahabalipuram - Parking
connectivity, seamless Solution
access and circulation • Rejuvenation of existing tanks
• Solar Panels
• Segway and ATV
• Beautification of Maragatha Poonga
• Development of New Bus Stand
• Mini Buses
• Smart Bi-cycle/ Electric Bi-cycle sharing
• Developing Mahabalipuram as a Grand
GOAL 3: Development of MICE destination
Mahabalipuram as a • Development of convention center,
8,428
Commercial and MICE conference halls, banquets and
Destination ancillary facilities
• Visitors Information Centre
• Development of Cultural & Food Village
GOAL 4: Conservation (Artisans Concept Village)
and Promotion of Local • Enhanced Quality of Life - Community
Arts and Skill: Enhanced and School Toilets 3,892
Livelihood and Quality of • Door to Door Garbage Collection
Life • UGSS with Pumping Stations for 15
Kms
Goal 5: Smart
• Smart and unified Ticketing System 50
Mamallapuram
• Provision of Drinking Water Kiosks /
Fountains at Identified Locations
GOAL 6: Equipping
• Provision of Toilets and Public
Mahabalipuram with
Convenience for Tourists 522
State-of-the-Art Tourist
• Provision of Information office/ First Aid
Amenities
Kiosks
• SWM-Bins at Every 25m Interval
• Development of Fire Station and related
GOAL 7: Safe and Amenities
100 100
Friendly Mahabalipuram • Beach Erosion Studies and Engineering
Mitigation Measures for Mahabalipuram

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Project cost Project cost

(INR Lakh) – (INR Lakh) –
Goals Projects/ Interventions
Hard Soft
components components

Total 44,139 1,983

The study proposes a monitoring group for overview of the progress of the projects being
implemented. The proposed structure of the monitoring group includes senior managers under
the guidance, coordination and supervision of the Board of Directors from different
departments.

3.2 Review of 20-year Perspective Plan for Tamil Nadu3

The Ministry of Tourism, Government of India invited tenders from reputed consultancy firms
for preparing 20-year Perspective Tourism Plan for Tamil Nadu to identify development
aspects of the tourism industry in 2003. Consulting Engineering Services (India) Private
Limited (CES) was awarded the task of preparing the project.
The objectives of the study were:
• To trigger higher growth of economy, also balancing for sustained socio-cultural and
physical environment
• To introduce new tourism products i.e. adventure tourism, heritage tourism, business
tourism, sports tourism, education tourism and so on
• To identify infrastructure and other development needs for supporting and substantiating
tourism
• Projection i.e. identification of projects, their financing and management strategies
• To formulate integration of various departments to promote tourism in the state

The strategy/key interventions proposed for promotion of tourism in Tamil Nadu is listed below.
• To achieve a growth rate of 12% in both arrival of tourists and their spending.
• To increase the length of stay of tourists in Tamil Nadu considerably, so that additional
revenue can be earned.
• To provide infrastructure of high standard for high spending tourists, so that to earn more
revenue by appropriate marketing within the country.
• To invite private sector, corporate sector, oil companies for increasing certain tourist
infrastructure facilities like golf, adventure tourism, cruises, star hotels, resorts, charter
tours, group tours, heli-taxi etc.
• To have a single window project approval cell in the Tourism Department to facilitate
private investment, which is hitherto non-existent. A simplified project approval scheme will
facilitate massive investments by private NRls and multinational companies who will also
bring tourist groups with the business interest of marketing their facilities to foreigners.
• To incorporate hospitals and educational facilities available in Chennai, as a
supplementary factor for Tourism Development.
• Yoga, ayurveda, naturopathy will also be highlighted for specific interest tourist groups.
• The major festivals besides music, dance festival will be publicised to develop cultural
tourism.

3
Final Report on 20 years perspective tourism plan for the state of Tamil Nadu, March 2023

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• To develop in tandem with allied departments like HR and CE, Transport, Rural
Development, Municipal Administration, Water Supply, Department of Art and Culture,
NGOs involved in tourism and cultural activities.
• To have tourism police force in all major tourist centres to ensure tourist safety and security.
• To conduct publicity campaigns in all major Cities in India and participate in major foreign
travel marts.
• To provide new terminal at Chennai Airport, with the help of the Ministry of Tourism and
Civil Aviation, on the lines of Singapore and Frankfurt, so that many international flights
and chartered flights will land at Chennai. As Chennai falls midway between east and west,
it will be a successful position.
• The hill stations, waterfalls and large coastal stretch will be given wide publicity and
developed for eco-tourism and adventure tourism; ¾ Human Resources Development – to
keep pace with the challenging task ahead and competition between states necessary
training will be imparted to officers, staff and guides. This will make them aware of the
changing needs of tourism and new development in other countries. Tourism Department
will be strengthened in such a way to equip for the requirements and could be regarded as
an important organisation.
• Conducting Familiarisation tours for travel writers and media crew (like TV and Discovery
Channel) – This helps in cost effective publicity. An advertisement in good overseas media
costs more when compared to the exchange value. But the articles, write-ups and visual
coverage by these travel writers/ TV will have a better coverage, impact and wider reach;
¾ Creation of infrastructure facilities of international standards at major tourist centres.
• Setting up of Sound and Light Show at Kancheepuram, Mamallapuram, Thanjavur.
• Guide Training Course; and,
• Opening of Tourist Offices at various state capitals in India and important foreign countries.

The actual tourism footfall for Mamallapuram is significantly higher than the projected footfall
in the 20-year perspective plan at almost 4 times the project value.

3.3 Review of Vision Tamil Nadu or Vision 20234

In 2012, Tamil Nadu devised a Strategic Plan for Infrastructure Development called Vision
Tamil Nadu or Vision 2023. It encourages strategic investments in infrastructure to place
Tamil Nadu on a higher growth trajectory to secure the benefits of growth for all the people of
the State. It covers all the major sectors of economy, including Tourism. The state has emerged
as a preferred investment destination ranked high among the investors for fostering growth
and empowering an efficient and competitive market. The state has always offered a climate
of uninterrupted growth and economic resilience. The visions of the plan include:

• The per capita income of Tamil Nadu’s residents will reach USD 10,000 per annum (at 2010
prices) by 2023
• Tamil Nadu will attain a high standard of social development, with the Human Development
Index of the state matching those of developed countries by 2023
• Tamil Nadu would provide to its residents, high quality infrastructure all over the state
comparable with the best in the world

4 Vision Tamil Nadu 2023

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Tourism was a key thrust areas in the Vision 2023. Accordingly, the report envisages attracting
15 million foreign tourists by the year 2023. The plan identified 10 strategic themes
including the theme of “Nurturing a rich heritage and preserving the ecology”.
Mamallapuram was clearly identified as a potential destination as less than 75,000 tourists
visited the destination annually, which is only 50 kms from Chennai.
While destination specific investments/ projects have not been identified, an investment of INR
10,000 crore was proposed to boost the tourism sector across projects like theme parks,
underwater parks, heritage destination development, beach front development, etc.

3.4 Review of Proposed land Use – 2021, Mamallapuram New Town

Development Plan
The Mamallapuram Master Plan 2021 has been created for Mahabalipuram town. The
document explains the existing land use and the minor changes made to it in the form of the
proposed land use map for the year 2021. The new town area is co-terminus with the special
grade town Panchayat area, which includes Mamallapuram and Poonjeri villages. The Total
Town Panchayat area is 12.56 Sq.km. The existing road in the settlement area are mostly
narrow except the east coast road which is newly formed for a width of 30m. All the internal
roads except the ECR is maintained by the special grade town panchayat. The present bus
stand located on East Raja Street, in front of Sri Sthalasayana Perumal temple is saturated to
handle the present trips generated. Regulated Parking are in shore temple, Five Rathas and
Arujna’s Penance.
Tourism Development Zone:
As Mamallapuram is a tourist destination tourism development zone is proposed as a part of
the Master Plan. As per the Proposed land use map of 2021 the area reserved for tourism
development zone is 211.87 ha. this constitutes to nearly 16.86% of the total Planning area.
Monument zone:
Due to the location of ASI sites in
Mamallapuram, the Master plan included % of Land Use
prohibited zones around the ASI sites as
per the Regulations. The Prohibited
zones is provided with 100 M buffer from 16.86
9.59
the ASI site. The area under the
prohibited zone is called as Monument 15.06
zone which is approximately 54.28 ha. It
constitutes nearly to 4.31% of the Total
7.44
area. There are buffers provided for 100 28.88
to 300M from the ASI sites, which 5.83
indicate restricted zones. 4.31
6.52 5.5
Coastal Regulation zone:
Mamallapuram consists of Coastal
Residential CRZ Commercial
Regulation zone, the area under the CRZ
for the horizon year of 2021 is identified PSP Monument Zone Sterilised Zone
as 189.27 Ha. this constitutes Transportation Water Tourism Zone
approximately 15.06% of the Total Town
Panchayath area of Mamallapuram.

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Figure 3-1: Mamallapuram New Town Development Plan

CONCLUSION:
New Land uses like Tourism development zone is proposed instead of Mixed use zones by
following the existing sterilised zones and CRZ regulations. The regulations as per the AMASR

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act 1958 is also considered in providing Monument zones around the ASI and Heritage sites
in Mamallapuram.

3.5 Review of AMASR Act

Background
• The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958 is
one of the landmark laws for the –
o Preservation of ancient and historical monuments and archaeological sites and
remains of national importance (over 100 years old).
o Regulation of archaeological excavations and
o Protection of sculptures, carvings and other like objects.
• The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) functions under the provisions of this act.
• India has a total of 3,695 Centrally Protected Monuments or Sites in the country, under
the protection of the ASI.
• The monuments are regularly inspected by the ASI officials to assess their present
condition and the necessary conservation and preservation works are taken up as per the
requirement.
2010 Amendment
• The AMASR Act 1958, was amended in 2010 to strengthen its penal provisions, to
prevent encroachments and illegal construction close to the monuments – which was
happening on a large scale.
• The main features of the amendments:
o Creation of a –
▪ Prohibited area 100 metre around every national monument where no
construction, public or private is permitted,
▪ Regulated area 200 metres beyond the prohibited area, where any construction
requires permission of a newly constituted National Monuments Authority.
o Given the unique nature of each monument, the Act also proposed heritage by-laws
for each monument to be prepared by an expert body.
• Further amendments have been proposed which seek to do away with the ban on
construction within 100 metres of an ASI-protected monument and regulate construction
within 100-200 metres.
Concerns: Public works by the central and state governments around the monuments are
causing disturbance to cultural or environmental heritage.
Way ahead: Development along with the lowest adverse impact on the cultural heritage and
environment should be the aim of the governments.
Conclusion: Because India has a large untapped tourism potential, development should not
come at the expense of our cultural or environmental heritage.

3.6 Other resources

The State tourism profile presented for the Global Tourism Investors Summit5, highlights the
shift in Tamil Nadu’s vision for the sector from “Pilgrimage/ Religious Tourism” to experimental
themes like “Coastal Tourism / Cultural Tourism / Eco Tourism / Rural Tourism / Wellness
Tourism / Golf Tourism”. The strategic objective7 of the state includes:
• To attract High Value Tourists, who are:
o Long-stay tourists
o High spending tourists

5 https://www.gtistourism.in/downloads/Tamil-Nadu-Tourism-Presentation.pdf

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o Expect high quality and service levels and are willing to pay a premium for these
• To attract private investment and FDI in tourism
• To achieve a greater variety in tourism attractions, facilities and accommodation
• To leverage technology and new media to enhance tourists experience of Tamil Nadu
Further, a Tourism Policy for the state is currently under preparation by the Department of
Tourism and Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation.

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4 As-is assessment of the Destination

All the Tourist Attractions are being mapped and categorized into two main types of attractions
i.e., Primary and Secondary attractions. The Rationale being considered for categorization is
as follows: “Primary attractions are those which are the main reason for taking a leisure trip.
They tend to draw visitors ‘attention from great distance and visitors will spend most of their
time either because the site is a vital resource for a preferred activity or to enjoy all its elements
in order to worth for their money. On the other hand, secondary attractions (supporting
attractions) are those places that do not have pulling power of their own (individually) to bring
tourist to a destination. They can be seen as supplementary attractions able to enhance and
diversify tourist experiences by providing vital addition to primary attraction. They also might
be those places visited on the way to and from the primary attractions.” 6
Further, the Attractions are assessed with respect to the following broad parameters like
• Accessibility & Circulation
• Tourist Amenities
• Health-Safety & Sanitation
• Availability of Basic Utilities

4.1 Key Tourism Attractions

The list of the Primary & Secondary Tourist Attractions is provided below:
Table 4-1: List of Key Tourism Attractions in Mamallapuram
Sl. No. Tourist Attractions Typology Category Latitude longitude

1 Shore Temple & UNESCO Primary 12.61644873 80.19935763

Mahishasura Rock
2 Hillock Monument UNESCO Primary 12.61907735 80.19240736
Complex- including 25
monuments within the
complex
3 Panch Rathas- including UNESCO Primary 12.6088263 80.18959771
5 monuments
4 Mahabalipuram Beach Beach Primary 12.61226439 80.19638106
5 Ideal beach Beach Primary 12.64866978 80.2076437
6 Palm beach Beach Primary 12.64162086 80.20456372
7 Seven Pidaris Monument Primary 12.62023241 80.19490038
8 Dolotsava mandapa UNESCO Primary 12.6171765 80.19409457
9 Mukundanayanar UNESCO Primary 12.62714877 80.19489376
Temple
10 Pallava Beach Beach Primary 12.63444873 80.20167182
11 Valiankuttai Ratha Religious Primary 12.62023329 80.18762024
Complex- including 3
religious monuments
12 Tiger rock-cut Temple Religious Primary 12.65589599 80.20910617
Complex
13 Koneri Tank Waterbody Secondary 12.61736695 80.19012145

6 (Swarbrooke, 2002, Ivanovic, 2008)

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14 Temple tank Waterbody Secondary 12.61610559 80.1946826

15 Heritage Museum Museum Secondary 12.61648222 80.19227442
16 Light House Monument Secondary 12.61525119 80.19183195
17 India Seashell Museum Museum Secondary 12.60936394 80.18780116
18 Sculpture and engraving Museum Secondary 12.63540308 80.20079668
museum
19 Sculpture Museum Museum Secondary 12.61577519 80.19365912
20 East Raja Street Garden Park/ Secondary 12.61610922 80.19319321
Recreation
21 Handicrafts Shopping Shopping Secondary 12.6106105 80.18969941
Zone

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Figure 4-1: Mapping of Key Tourism Attractions in Mamallapuram

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4.1.1 Key Tourism Assets

Briefly describe the key tourist attractions (including its product offerings) as well as major
festivals/ fairs & events of the destination (up to maximum of 10) which are its unique selling
propositions/points (USPs) supported by relevant photographs and maps.
Table 4-2: List of Key Tourism Attractions (USP’s) in Mamallapuram

Sn Tourism Asset Unique Offering

Primary Tourist Attractions

1. Shore Temple Complex The Shore Temple is a complex of temples and shrines built
with blocks of granite, dating from the 8th century AD.
Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. It
is one of the oldest rock-cut stone temples of Southern India
& the most popular destination in Mamallapuram.

2 Panch (Five) Rathas This UNESCO World Heritage site comprises of five rathas
named after the Pandava brothers of the Mahabharata and
serves as one of the earliest depictions of Pallava
architecture and sculpture. The Pancha Rathas was carved
during the reign of King Mahendravarman I and his son
Narasimhavarman I. Each of the five rathas is a monolith,
carved whole from a rock outcropping of pink granite.

3 Arjuna’s Penance This magnificent relief, carved in the mid-seventh century,

measures approximately 30m (100ft) long by 15m (45ft) high.
Its huge size and scale is difficult to imagine just from
photographs; a person standing on the ground in front of it
could barely touch the elephants' feet.

4 Hillock Monuments & It is a part of Group of Monuments at Mamallapuram, a

Krishna’s Butter Ball UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is listed as a protected
national monument by the Archeological Survey of India. This
natural rock formation is a giant boulder that appears to be
balancing precariously on the edge of a hill. The boulder is
approximately weighs 250 tonnes with a height of 6M and
width of 5M.

5 Mamallapuram Beach Lies on the shore of the Bay of Bengal, the Mahabalipuram
Beach is a picturesque place bounded by the shimmering
sea. The Mamallapuram beach attracts tourists seeking
surfing, sunbathing and swimming and has resorts located all
along the beach serving as leisure points.

Secondary Tourist Attractions

1. Light House It has been open to tourists since 2011. The first light was
commissioned here in 1887 on the roof of the
Olakkannesvara Temple. The lighthouse, with a circular

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masonry tower made of natural stone, became fully

functional in 1904.

2 Maritime Heritage Museum & The Maritime Heritage Museum houses models of different
Light House Museum marine heritages. These include ancient ships and the first
ships that ever reached the coast of Mamallapuram. And
these also include the models of routes that they took.

3 India Seashell Museum The museum is forts of its kind in India and the largest one
India. On display are around 40,000 kinds of shells along
with details about them. These shells have been collected
by K Raja Mohamed, the founder of the museum.

Major Festivals / Fairs or Events

1. Mamallapuram Dance The captivating Mahabalipuram Dance Festival organized

Festival by the Department of Tourism of the Government of Tamil
Nadu every year in December or January.

2 Tamil Nadu International Kite Tamil Nadu International Kite Festival, a three-day festival
Festival held in the month of August.

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4.1.2 Assessment of Primary Attraction

01 SHORE TEMPLE
ANNUAL TOURIST ARRIVALS: Brief Description:
The Shore Temple is a complex of temples
10,00,000; 30% and shrines built with blocks of granite,
dating from the 8th century AD. Classified as
a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. It
Peak Season: is one of the oldest rock-cut stone temples of
OCT- MAY Southern India & the most popular
Tourist Arrivals: destination in Mamallapuram.
ACHIEVEMENTS/
13,19,692 TIMING
CERTIFICATION:
Weekdays
Weekends
6 AM TO 6PM (Closes UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
TICKETED 6 AM TO 6PM
before Sunset)
TOURISM PRODUCTS/ ACTIVITIES / FESTIVALS & EVENTS OFFERED
1. DANCE FESTIVALS 2. PONGAL FESTIVAL 3. MAGI MASAM ON BEACH
ACCESSIBILITY & CIRCULATION
 Intercity connectivity is by ECR and BT roads without
Connectivity ✓ median connects the ECR to the location. Paver blocks
on both sides help NMT and Pedestrians
 Para Transit and Local bus services are available,
Public Transport/IPT: ✓
require more frequency
 Parking Is available require development. 0.63 acres
On-site Parking Facilities ✓ for four wheelers and 0.1 acres for two wheeler
parking

TOURIST AMENITIES
 The Interpretation centre is located near to the Shore
Tourist Information temple along with TTDC office. Operated by TTDC. Has
✓
Centre/Kiosks & visibility two Kiosks explaining the attractions of
Mamallapuram. Can accommodate 8 to 10 persons.
 Available at tourist destinations, shops and even para
E-Payment Facility
transit.
Guides (Manual/Audio) & its  Lack of Guides at the ASI sites/ Audio tours are not
✓
experience: working
 Lack of personnels and complaint/ suggestion boxes at
feedback mechanism 
the site
 Provided but identification is issue. Signages are
Signages & its Quality/Legibility ✓ provided by ASI. Description of the monument are
inscribed on metal plates with pedastals.
Drinking water/Food stalls ✓  Available with in the complex. Maintained by ASI

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 Not sufficient. Rock benches at few locations. Tourists

benches/ seating ✓
use garden spaces under shade to sit.
Availability of 4G/5G Coverage ✓  Yes

HEALTH, SAFETY & SANITATION

Toilets ✓  Available, scope for Improvement
Sewage disposal ✓  Need to be improved
Segregated dustbins ✓  Available
General cleanliness & availability  Littering and dry waste can be identified near the
✓
of staff Shore temple but not inside the Temple complex
 Collected and shifted to the Solid waste treatment
Solid waste disposal ✓
plant
 Lack of First aid kits and hospital facilities. Nearest
Medical facilities Hospital is within 1km distance which can be used for
first aid.
Security personnel & behaviour ✓  Decent
24x7 monitoring using CCTV ✓  CCTV cameras are installed
Fire alarms/ 
 Not available.
Extinguishers/evacuation plan

AVAILABILITY OF BASIC UTILITIES

24X7 Water Supply ✓  Adequate
Uninterrupted Power Supply ✓  Power cuts are frequent, but not more than 30 mins
Adequate Lighting ✓  Street lights are provided

02 Pancha (Five) Rathas

ANNUAL TOURIST ARRIVALS: Brief Description:
This UNESCO World Heritage site comprises of
10,00,000; 30% five rathas named after the Pandava brothers
of the Mahabharata and serves as one of the
Peak Season: earliest depictions of Pallava architecture and
OCT- MAY sculpture. The Pancha Rathas was carved
during the reign of King Mahendravarman I

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Tourist Arrivals: and his son Narasimhavarman I. Each of the

five rathas is a monolith, carved whole from a
13,19,692 rock outcropping of pink granite.
ACHIEVEMENTS/CERTIFICATIO
TIMING
N:
Weekdays Weekends
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
TICKETED 6 AM TO 6PM 6 AM TO 6PM
TOURISM PRODUCTS/ ACTIVITIES / FESTIVALS & EVENTS OFFERED

ACCESSIBILITY & CIRCULATION

 Intercity connectivity is by ECR and BT roads without
Connectivity ✓ median connects the ECR to the location. Foot path on
both sides from Light house help NMT and Pedestrians
 Para Transit services are available, require more
Public Transport/IPT: ✓
frequency
 Parking is available, scope for development.
On-site Parking Facilities ✓ Approximately 1 acre of parking space is available for
trucks, bus, bike and three wheelers.

TOURIST AMENITIES
 The Interpretation centre is located near to the Shore
Tourist Information temple along with TTDC office. Operated by TTDC. Has
✓
Centre/Kiosks & visibility two Kiosks explaining the attractions of
Mamallapuram. Can accommodate 8 to 10 persons.
 Available at tourist destinations, shops and even para
E-Payment Facility ✓
transit.
Guides (Manual/Audio) & its  Lack of Guides at the ASI sites/ Audio tours are not
✓
experience: working
 Lack of personnels and complaint/ suggestion boxes at
feedback mechanism 
the site
 Signages are provided by ASI. Description of the
Signages & its Quality/Legibility ✓ monument are inscribed on metal plates with
pedestals.
 Under proposal by ASI. Currently bottled water by
Drinking water/Food stalls ✓
street vendors at Five ratha complex
 Not available in the Pancha Rathas Complex, but there
benches/ seating ✓ is a park next to the complex maintained by MNTDA
where tourists can take leisure.
Availability of 4G/5G Coverage ✓  Yes

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HEALTH, SAFETY & SANITATION

 Available, scope for Improvement and proper signages
Toilets ✓
to identify
Sewage disposal ✓  Need to be improved
Segregated dustbins ✓  Available
General cleanliness & availability  Littering and dry waste can be identified near the
✓
of staff Shore temple but not inside the Temple complex
 Collected and shifted to the Solid waste treatment
Solidwaste disposal ✓
plant
 Lack of First aid kits and hospital facilities. Nearest
Medical facilities ✓
Hospital is 2.5 kms away for first aid.
Security personnel & behaviour ✓  Decent
24x7 monitoring using CCTV ✓  CCTV cameras are installed
Fire alarms/ 
 Not available.
Extinguishers/evacuation plan

AVAILABILITY OF BASIC UTILITIES

24X7 Water Supply ✓  Adequate
Uninterrupted Power Supply ✓  Power cuts are frequent, but not more than 30 mins
Adequate Lighting ✓  Streetlights are provided

03 Krishna’s Butterball Complex

ANNUAL TOURIST ARRIVALS: Brief Description:

10,00,000; 30% It is a part of Group of Monuments at

Mamallapuram, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. It is listed as a protected national
monument by the Archeological Survey of

Peak Season: India. This natural rock formation is a giant

boulder that appears to be balancing
OCT- MAY precariously on the edge of a hill. The boulder
is approximately weighs 250 tonnes with a
Tourist Arrivals:
height of 6M and width of 5M.
13,19,692
ACHIEVEMENTS/CERTIFICATIO
TIMING
N:

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Weekdays Weekends
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
TICKETED 6 AM TO 6PM 6 AM TO 6PM

TOURISM PRODUCTS/ ACTIVITIES / FESTIVALS & EVENTS OFFERED

ACCESSIBILITY & CIRCULATION

 Intercity connectivity is by ECR and BT roads without

Connectivity ✓ median connects the ECR to the location. Paver blocks
on both sides help NMT and Pedestrians.

Public Transport/IPT: ✓  Walking distance from the Bus stand and Auto stand

 Two private spaces for paid parking are available but on
On-site Parking Facilities 
street parking can be identified.

TOURIST AMENITIES

 The Interpretation centre is located near to the Shore

Tourist Information temple along with TTDC office. Operated by TTDC. Has
✓
Centre/Kiosks & visibility two Kiosks explaining the attractions of Mamallapuram.
Can accommodate 8 to 10 persons.

 Available at tourist destinations, shops and even para

E-Payment Facility ✓
transit.

Guides (Manual/Audio) & its  Lack of Guides at the ASI sites/ Audio tours are not
✓
experience: working

 Lack of personnels and complaint/ suggestion boxes at

feedback mechanism 
the site

 Provided but identification is issue. Signages are

provided by ASI. Description of the monument are
Signages & its Quality/Legibility ✓ inscribed on metal plates with pedestals. In the
complex few monuments get less visitors due to lack of
signages.

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 Proposals by ASI for drinking water facility in the

Drinking water/Food stalls ✓
complex. Private vendors provide water in the complex.

 Not sufficient. Rock benches at few locations. Tourists

benches/ seating ✓ use garden spaces near the butter ball under the shade
and at the monunents.

Availability of 4G/5G Coverage ✓  Yes

HEALTH, SAFETY & SANITATION

 Available, scope for Improvement and proper signages

Toilets ✓
to identify

Sewage disposal ✓  Need to be improved

Segregated dustbins ✓  Available

General cleanliness & availability  Littering and dry waste can be identified near the Shore
✓
of staff temple but not inside the Temple complex

Solidwaste disposal ✓  Collected and shifted to the Solid waste treatment plant

 Lack of First aid kits and hospital facilities. Nearest

Medical facilities ✓
Hospital is nearly 1km away.

Security personnel & behaviour ✓  Decent

24x7 monitoring using CCTV ✓  CCTV cameras are installed

Fire alarms/
  Not available.
Extinguishers/evacuation plan

AVAILABILITY OF BASIC UTILITIES

24X7 Water Supply ✓  Adequate

Uninterrupted Power Supply ✓  Power cuts are frequent, but not more than 30 mins

Adequate Lighting ✓  Streetlights are provided

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04 Mamallapuram Beach
ANNUAL TOURIST ARRIVALS: Brief Description:
Attraction: Lies on the shore of the Bay of
10,00,000; 30% Bengal, the Mahabalipuram Beach is a
picturesque place bounded by the
shimmering sea. The Mamallapuram beach
attracts tourists seeking surfing, sunbathing
and swimming and has resorts located all
Peak Season: along the beach serving as leisure points. this
is the venue for the captivating
OCT- MAY Mahabalipuram Dance Festival organized by
Tourist Arrivals: the Department of Tourism of the
13,19,692 Government of Tamil Nadu every year in
December or January.
ACHIEVEMENTS/CERTIFICATIO
TIMING
N:
Weekdays Weekends
Natural Beach front
NON-TICKETED OPEN 24 HRS OPEN 24 HRS
TOURISM PRODUCTS/ ACTIVITIES / FESTIVALS & EVENTS OFFERED
Surfing Horse riding Minor beach activities
ACCESSIBILITY & CIRCULATION
 Intercity connectivity is by ECR and BT roads without
Connectivity ✓
median connects the ECR to the location.
 Para transit facilities are available, need to increase
Public Transport/IPT: ✓
frequency
 Available. Approximately 0.46 acres of the parking
On-site Parking Facilities ✓ space is used for beach and Shore temple. The area is
provided in the TTDC site.

TOURIST AMENITIES
 The Interpretation centre is located near to the Shore
Tourist Information temple along with TTDC office. Operated by TTDC. Has
✓
Centre/Kiosks & visibility two Kiosks explaining the attractions of
Mamallapuram. Can accommodate 8 to 10 persons.
 Available at tourist destinations, shops and even para
E-Payment Facility ✓
transit.
Guides (Manual/Audio) & its  Lack of Guides at the ASI sites/ Audio tours are not
✓
experience: working
 Lack of personnels and complaint/ suggestion boxes at
feedback mechanism 
the site
 Available. Direction boards and poles indicating the
Signages & its Quality/Legibility ✓
way to the beach are available.

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 Available. Private vendors, especially street vendors

Drinking water/Food stalls ✓
are more predominant on the beach.
benches/ seating   Not available
Availability of 4G/5G Coverage ✓  Yes

HEALTH, SAFETY & SANITATION

 Available, scope for Improvement and proper signages
Toilets ✓
to identify
Sewage disposal ✓  Need to be improved
Segregated dustbins ✓  Available
General cleanliness & availability 
✓ Littering and dry waste can be identified in the beach
of staff
 Collected and shifted to the Solid waste treatment
Solidwaste disposal ✓
plant
 Lack of First aid kits and hospital facilities. Nearest
Medical facilities ✓
Hospital is nearly 1km away.
Security personnel & behaviour ✓  Decent
 CCTV cameras need to be installed. Upto shore temple
24x7 monitoring using CCTV ✓
CCTV surveillance is available
Fire alarms/ 
 Not available.
Extinguishers/evacuation plan

AVAILABILITY OF BASIC UTILITIES

24X7 Water Supply ✓  Adequate
Uninterrupted Power Supply ✓  Power cuts are frequent, but not more than 30 mins
Adequate Lighting ✓  Streetlights are provided

05 Tiger caves
ANNUAL TOURIST ARRIVALS: Brief Description:
The Tiger Cave is a rock-cut Hindu temple
complex located in the hamlet of
Saluvankuppam near Mahabalipuram in Tamil
Nadu, India. It gets its name from the carvings
Peak Season: of tiger heads on the mouth of a cave which
forms a part of the complex.
OCT- MAY
Tourist Arrivals: ACHIEVEMENTS/CERTIFICATIO
TIMING
13,19,692 N:

Weekdays Weekends
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
TICKETED 6 AM TO 6PM 6 AM TO 6PM

TOURISM PRODUCTS/ ACTIVITIES / FESTIVALS & EVENTS OFFERED

4. DANCE FESTIVALS 5. PONGAL FESTIVAL

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ACCESSIBILITY & CIRCULATION

 The site is located on the ECR road and is well

Connectivity ✓
connected.

 Para Transit and Local bus services are available,

Public Transport/IPT: ✓
require more frequency

 Parking space is available. Approximately 0.9 acres is

On-site Parking Facilities ✓
provided for Parrking

TOURIST AMENITIES

Tourist Information  The Interpretation centre is located near to the Shore
✓
Centre/Kiosks & visibility temple along with TTDC office.

 Available at tourist destinations, shops and even para

E-Payment Facility ✓
transit.

Guides (Manual/Audio) & its  Lack of Guides at the ASI sites/ Audio tours are not
✓
experience: working

 Lack of personnels and complaint/ suggestion boxes at

feedback mechanism 
the site

Signages & its Quality/Legibility ✓  Provided but identification is issue

Drinking water/Food stalls ✓  Available

 Not available. Garden areas under shade and shrines

benches/ seating 
are used by tourists for seating.

Availability of 4G/5G Coverage ✓  Yes

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HEALTH, SAFETY & SANITATION

Toilets ✓  Available, scope for Improvement

Sewage disposal ✓  Need to be improved

Segregated dustbins ✓  Available

General cleanliness & availability  Littering and dry waste can be identified near the Shore
✓
of staff temple but not inside the Temple complex

Solidwaste disposal ✓  Collected and shifted to the Solid waste treatment plant

Medical facilities  Lack of First aid kits and hospital facilities

Security personnel & behaviour ✓  Decent

24x7 monitoring using CCTV ✓  CCTV cameras are installed

Fire alarms/
✓  Not available.
Extinguishers/evacuation plan

AVAILABILITY OF BASIC UTILITIES

24X7 Water Supply ✓  Adequate

Uninterrupted Power Supply ✓  Power cuts are frequent, but not more than 30 mins

Adequate Lighting ✓  Street lights are provided

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4.1.3 Assessment of Secondary Attraction(s)

01 Light House
ANNUAL TOURIST ARRIVALS: It has been open to tourists since
2011. The first light was
commissioned here in 1887 on the
roof of the Olakkannesvara Temple.
The lighthouse, with a circular
Peak Season: masonry tower made of natural
OCT-MAY stone, became fully functional in
Tourist Arrivals: 1904.
ACHIEVEMENTS/CERTIFICATIO
TIMING
N:
Weekdays Weekends Stands next to Olakkanneswara
10 AM to 12.30 10 AM to 12.30 Temple which is considered as a
TICKETED PM PM Light house from Pallava Kings
2PM to 4:45 PM 2PM to 4:45 PM by some Historians
TOURISM PRODUCTS/ ACTIVITIES / FESTIVALS & EVENTS OFFERED
6. View point for all
Monuments of 7. Sea view up to Kovalam 8.
Mamallapuram
ACCESSIBILITY & CIRCULATION
 Well connected by Bypass and ECR to the other cities
Connectivity ✓ of TN. The Light House is in the Butter ball complex.
The connectivity is good.
 Para transit facilities are available, Shuttle service is
Public Transport/IPT: ✓
required
 As it is part of the Butter ball complex, parking needs
On-site Parking Facilities 
to improve.

TOURIST AMENITIES
Tourist Information  Two Kiosks available at Shore temple Interpretation
✓
Centre/Kiosks & visibility centre
E-Payment Facility ✓  Available
Guides (Manual/Audio) & its 
✓ Lack of Guides
experience:
feedback mechanism   Suggestion boxes/ complaint boxes not available
 Signages are not proper if the tour is started from
Signages & its Quality/Legibility ✓
Butter ball
Drinking water/Food stalls ✓  Available
 Stone benches in Butterball complex or near to the
benches/ seating ✓ Butterball on garden area under shade is used for
leisure.
Availability of 4G/5G Coverage ✓  Available

HEALTH, SAFETY & SANITATION

 Near to the Butter ball complex and Outside the
Toilets ✓
complex Public toilets available
Sewage disposal ✓  Scope for improvement
Segregated dustbins ✓  Available for individual segregation.

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General cleanliness & availability 

✓ Littering and dry waste can be identified
of staff
 Collected and shifted to the Solid waste treatment
Solidwaste disposal ✓
plant
Medical facilities ✓  Lack of First aid kits and hospital facilities
Security personnel & behaviour ✓  Decent
 CCTV cameras need to be installed. Upto shore temple
24x7 monitoring using CCTV ✓
CCTV surveillance is available
Fire alarms/ 
 Not available.
Extinguishers/evacuation plan

AVAILABILITY OF BASIC UTILITIES

24X7 Water Supply ✓  Adequate
Uninterrupted Power Supply ✓  Power cuts are frequent, but not more than 30 mins
Adequate Lighting ✓  Streetlights are provided

02 Maritime Heritage Museum and

Light House Museum
ANNUAL TOURIST ARRIVALS: The Maritime Heritage Museum
houses models of different marine
heritages. These include ancient
ships and the first ships that ever
reached the coast of Mamallapuram.
Peak Season:
And these also include the models of
OCT-MAY routes that they took.
Tourist Arrivals: ACHIEVEMENTS/CERTIFICATIO
TIMING
N:
Weekdays Weekends Museum started in 2015,
10 AM to 12.30 10 AM to 12.30 Quaint museum devoted to the
TICKETED PM PM region's maritime heritage with
2PM to 4:30 PM 2PM to 4:30 PM ship models, lanterns & more.
TOURISM PRODUCTS/ ACTIVITIES / FESTIVALS & EVENTS OFFERED
9. Submarine Simulator 10. Models of ships 11. Map of The silk Route
ACCESSIBILITY & CIRCULATION
 Well connected by Bypass and ECR to the other cities
Connectivity ✓
of TN
 Para transit facilities are available, Shuttle service is
Public Transport/IPT: ✓
required
 As it is part of the Butter ball complex, parking needs
On-site Parking Facilities 
to improve

TOURIST AMENITIES
Tourist Information  Two Kiosks available at Shore temple Interpretation
✓
Centre/Kiosks & visibility centre
E-Payment Facility ✓  Available
Guides (Manual/Audio) & its 
✓ Lack of Guides
experience:
feedback mechanism   Suggestion boxes/ complaint boxes not available

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 Signages are not proper if the tour is started from

Signages & its Quality/Legibility ✓
Butter ball
Drinking water/Food stalls ✓  Available
 Stone benches in Butterball complex or near to the
benches/ seating ✓
Butterball on ground
Availability of 4G/5G Coverage ✓  Available

HEALTH, SAFETY & SANITATION

 Near to the Butter ball complex and Outside the
Toilets ✓
complex Public toilets available
Sewage disposal ✓  Scope for improvement
Segregated dustbins ✓  Available for individual segregation.
General cleanliness & availability 
✓ Littering and dry waste can be identified
of staff
 Collected and shifted to the Solid waste treatment
Solidwaste disposal ✓
plant
Medical facilities ✓  Lack of First aid kits and hospital facilities
Security personnel & behaviour ✓  Decent
 CCTV cameras need to be installed. Upto shore temple
24x7 monitoring using CCTV ✓
CCTV surveillance is available
Fire alarms/ 
 Not available.
Extinguishers/evacuation plan

AVAILABILITY OF BASIC UTILITIES

24X7 Water Supply ✓  Adequate
Uninterrupted Power Supply ✓  Power cuts are frequent, but not more than 30 mins
Adequate Lighting ✓  Streetlights are provided

03 India Seashell Museum (Mamallapuram)

ANNUAL TOURIST ARRIVALS: The museum is forts of its kind in
India and the largest one India. On
display are around 40,000 kinds of
shells along with details about them.
These shells have been collected by K
Peak Season: Raja Mohamed, the founder of the
OCT-MAY museum.
Tourist Arrivals: ACHIEVEMENTS/CERTIFICATIO
TIMING
N:
Weekdays Weekends
8:00am to
TICKETED 8:00am to 8:00pm
8:00pm
TOURISM PRODUCTS/ ACTIVITIES / FESTIVALS & EVENTS OFFERED
Over 40,000 specimens of rare
and unique seashells and Mini Asia Museum Aquarium Complex
Minerals
ACCESSIBILITY & CIRCULATION

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 Well connected by Bypass and ECR to the other cities

Connectivity ✓
of TN
 Para transit facilities are available, Shuttle service is
Public Transport/IPT: ✓
required
On-site Parking Facilities ✓  Need to be improved

TOURIST AMENITIES
Tourist Information  Two Kiosks available at Shore temple Interpretation
✓
Centre/Kiosks & visibility centre
E-Payment Facility ✓  Available
Guides (Manual/Audio) & its 
✓ Lack of Guides
experience:
feedback mechanism   Suggestion boxes/ complaint boxes not available
Signages & its Quality/Legibility ✓  Adequate
Drinking water/Food stalls ✓  Available
 Stone benches in Butterball complex or near to the
benches/ seating ✓
Butterball on ground
Availability of 4G/5G Coverage ✓  Available

HEALTH, SAFETY & SANITATION

Toilets ✓  Available inside the complex
Sewage disposal ✓  Scope for improvement
Segregated dustbins ✓  Available for individual segregation.
General cleanliness & availability 
✓ Littering and dry waste can be identified
of staff
 Collected and shifted to the Solid waste treatment
Solidwaste disposal ✓
plant
Medical facilities ✓  Lack of First aid kits and hospital facilities
Security personnel & behaviour ✓  Decent
 CCTV cameras need to be installed. Upto shore temple
24x7 monitoring using CCTV ✓
CCTV surveillance is available
Fire alarms/ 
 Not available.
Extinguishers/evacuation plan

AVAILABILITY OF BASIC UTILITIES

24X7 Water Supply ✓  Adequate
Uninterrupted Power Supply ✓  Power cuts are frequent, but not more than 30 mins
Adequate Lighting ✓  Streetlights are provided

4.2 Destination Connectivity

Mamallapuram is located at 12.6208 N latitude and 80.1945 E longitude. Mamallapuram lies
in Tirukalukundram Division of Tamil Nadu in Chengalpattu District (erstwhile Kancheepuram)
with the average altitude of 4.98 m above Mean Sea Level. 58 km south of the city of Chennai.
Mahabalipuram is located right on the Coromandel Coast next to the Bay of Bengal. The town
is also known as a tourist centre. It has UNESCO world heritage sites in the heart of city. The
city has the potential to develop as a Tourist hub by strengthening the existing infrastructure.
Attracted by availability of civic facilities, people from the nearby villages are migrating to the
city. To accommodate new population, the city is expanding in mainly western and northern
directions.

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Mamallapuram is well connected to the rest of the country by all modes of transport like rail,
road and air.

Figure 4-2: Connectivity Map for Mamallapuram

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4.2.1 Air Connectivity

Chennai airport (52km) is the nearest airport to Mahabalipuram, which is well connected to
major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata. Taxi cabs and buses
are available from the airport to reach Mahabalipuram. The second nearest airport with in 150
km radius is Pondicherry Airport which is a domestic Airport connecting Hyderabad and
Bangalore. Puducherry airport is approximately 95 km away from Mahabalipuram.
i. Chennai International Airport:
a) Chennai international Airport (MAA) is an international Airport which is well connected to
major cities of India like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune and Kolkata. It is located at a
distance of 52 kms from Mahabalipuram.
b) Types of Aircrafts Catered: The airport currently has 70 parking bays, one of which can
accommodate the super- jumbo Airbus A380. Parking bays at the domestic terminal include
one in- contact bay for Airbus A300 sized aircraft, nine in-contact bays for Airbus
A320/Boeing 737- sized aircraft, and 49 remote bays for A320/737- sized aircraft. Domestic
and International services with nearly 54 airlines catering to various countries and
Destinations.
c) Flight Frequency: Tamil Nadu has a major international airport, Chennai International
Airport, that is connected to 19 countries with more than 329 direct flights every day.
Chennai International Airport is currently the third largest airport in India after Mumbai and
Delhi and has a passenger growth of 18%. It also has domestic airports at Tuticorin, Salem
and Madurai, rendering several parts of the State easily accessible.
d) Annual Passenger Traffic: The Annual Air-Passenger traffic is provided below:
Table 4-3: List of Key Tourism Attractions in Mamallapuram

Year (April- March) Passengers Remarks

2019-2020 22,266,722

2020-2021 8,000,000 Due to Covid 19

2021-2022 9,533,300 Due to Covid 19 Restrictions

e) Facilities at the Airport:

o Parking: Chennai Airport provides parking facilities for buses, trucks, mini-buses, cars,
two wheelers. The services provided are paid parking facilities.
o Transport:
✓ Bus: There are several bus services from Chennai Airport
✓ Taxi: Taxicab services are available and the average time to reach the Chennai City
centre is 50 mins.
✓ Train: There isn’t a direct connection between MAA airport and Chennai city centre.
The nearest railway station is located 2 Km away from the Airport and the Central
Chennai Railway station is located at 25km form the Airport.
✓ Metro: Blue line is available near the Airport.

4.2.2 Rail Connectivity

Tamil Nadu has a well-developed rail network as part of the Southern Railways. Headquartered
at Chennai, the present Southern Railway network extends over a large area of India's

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Southern Peninsula, covering the States of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, minor portions of
Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Main rail junctions in the state include Chennai, Coimbatore,
Erode, Madurai, Salem and Tiruchirappalli. Chennai has a well-established Suburban Railway
network and is in the process of developing a metro. The railway station closest to
Mahabalipuram is Chengalpattu – 25 kilometers Northwest.
Table 4-4: Nearest Railway Stations to Mamallapuram

Station Distance (in Kms)

(TRX) Tirumani 22.51

(OV) Ottivakkam 23.09

(CGL) CHENGALPATTU 24.12

(SKL) Singaperumal Koil 25.61

(PWU) Paranur 25.77

(PTM) Padalam 26.66

(MMNK) Maraimalai Nagar 26.86

Table 4-5: Nearest Railway Junctions to Mamallapuram

Station Train Frequency Distance

(MS)CHENNAI EGMORE 106 50.9 Kms

(CGL)CHENGALPATTU 99 24.12 Kms

(MAS)CHENNAI CENTRAL 182 51.26 Kms

(AJJ)ARAKKONAM 129 75.82 Kms

All the Railway stations have Parking Facilities. The frequency of the trains at the major
Stations helps in understanding that Mahabalipuram is well connected by train. Bus services
from Chengalpattu, Chennai help in bridging the gap from Railway station to Mahabalipuram
along with the Taxicabs.

4.2.3 Road Connectivity

Mahabalipuram is a 1.5-hour drive from Chennai (58km south of Chennai) along the East
Coast Road (ECR). It is 95 kilometres North of Pondicherry. Local buses, taxis and
autorickshaws are other options to travel to Mahabalipuram from Chennai. Tamil Nadu
Tourism also runs a one-day bus tour from Chennai to Mahabalipuram.
Key features of the road connectivity are detailed below.
a) Location & condition of road (NH/SH/District): The town lies along the ECR road which is
the Highway connecting the state capital to the coastal towns and cities in Tamil Nadu.
East Coast Road (ECR), combination of SH-49, NH-332A, NH-32, officially known as

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Mutthamizh Arignar Kalaignar Road, is a two-lane highway (now being partially widened to
four-lane way from Chennai to Mamallapuram) in Tamil Nadu, India, built along the coast
of the Bay of Bengal. The total length of the road is about 777 km between Chennai and
Kanyakumari. The Highway is well maintained without any potholes.
b) Location, capacity & facilities at the nearest Bus / taxi terminal: Nearest Bus terminal is in
Mamallapuram Town centre near to Tourist attractions like Shore temple and Arjunas
Penance. The Bus stand is in a congested area with scope for development. As is
assessment indicating that nearly 8 buses can be parked in the bus stand.
There is no dedicated Spot for Para transits and cab facilities. The cabs are usually parked
near to the bus stand adding to the traffic of the Bus stand and Mahabalipuram.
c) Nearest wayside amenity: The wayside amenities will provide rest and refreshment for
highway commuters during their journey. There would be restaurant, food court, dhaba,
fuel station etc. Along ECR there are several wayside amenities available. The nearest
wayside amenity can be identified within 1km distance from Mahabalipuram.

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4.3 Basic Tourism Infrastructure at the Destination

4.3.1 Civic infrastructure

The existing facilities related to healthcare, hygiene & cleanliness, safety & security facilities &
civic infrastructure are mapped & showcased below:

Figure 4-3: Mapping of Civic Amenities at Mamallapuram

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4.3.2 Accommodation Facilities

As per secondary sources, there are ~150 hotels in Mamallapuram and its vicinity. The type of
accommodation ranges from luxury resorts, 4 & 5 star hotels, guest houses, bed and
breakfasts etc. There are >35 properties 3-,4-, and 5- star hotels. Major hotel chains ( in
Mamallapuram and vicinity) include InterContinental Hotels Group, Radisson Group, Taj,
Marriott amongst many others. Only 2 accommodation units are registered on the Nidhi+ portal
including Ms. Chandrakala Resort Hotels Private Limited and 154 Pearl Beach.
However, currently there is limited official data on accommodation availability in the
destination. Annual surveys for recording the accommodation inventory including number and
category of hotels, number of rooms, number of beds, occupancy rate (including seasonality),
ARR etc. can help in planning and regulating accommodation in the destination.

Figure 4-4: Mapping of Existing Accommodation facilities at Mamallapuram

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4.4 Tourism Enablers

4.4.1 ICT (Information and Communications Technology) readiness

The following table summarises the current ICT readiness of the destination and the state.
Table 4-6: ICT Readiness of the Destination & State

Sn Parameter Details Provide URL(s)

1. Official website There is no separate website for Mamallapuram 1. https://www.tamiln

or webpage of destination. adutourism.tn.gov.
the destination in/
There are websites for TTDC and the official
destination (Tamil Nadu Tourism)
The Tamil Nadu Tourism website provides
comprehensive information and resources
related to travel and tourism. It serves as the
authoritative online platform specifically
designed to promote and showcase various 2. www.ttdconline.co
destinations, attractions, accommodations, m
activities, and services available to travelers.
This website serves as the go-to source for
individuals seeking reliable and up-to-date
information on tourism-related matters, offering
a user-friendly interface and a wealth of details,
such as travel guides, itineraries, maps,
booking options, local events, and practical tips
3. http://ttdc.co.in/
for a memorable and successful travel
experience
However, on searching for tourism in Tamil
Nadu on a search engine, 2 different websites
for TTDC come up.

2. Dedicated While a Tamil Nadu Tourism app was launched URL is broken
mobile in 2017, the app not available currently for
APP is outdated need
application download.
to be updated
There is no separate app for Mamallapuram
destination.

3. Information on Government Websites Government Website

tourism
The government website is a reliable source of 1. https://www.tamiln
attractions,
information for tourism. It offers details on adutourism.tn.gov.
products,
attractions, products, activities, and events. in/destinations/ma
activities,
Visitors can find comprehensive descriptions of habalipuram
events
popular destinations, along with photographs
and videos. The website also provides 2. https://www.incredi
information on accommodations, including bleindia.org/conte
nt/incredible-india-

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Sn Parameter Details Provide URL(s)

pricing and booking options. It showcases v2/en/destinations/
various tourism activities, such as adventure mamallapuram.ht
sports, guided tours, and cultural experiences, ml
with safety guidelines when applicable.
Additionally, the website promotes upcoming 3. http://ttdc.co.in/
festivals, cultural celebrations, and sporting
events, providing schedules and ticketing
information. Managed by the tourism
department, this trustworthy source ensures
accurate and up-to-date information, aiding
visitors in planning their trips effectively.

Non-Government Website Non-Government

Website
In addition to government websites, non-
government websites also serve as valuable 1. https://www.maha
sources of information for tourism. These balipuram.org/
websites provide details on attractions,
products, activities, and events, offering an
alternative source for individuals seeking travel-
related information. They offer comprehensive 2. https://www.native
information on popular destinations, planet.com/mahab
accommodations, and various activities alipuram/
available for tourists. Non-government websites
also promote upcoming events and provide
insights into cultural experiences. While
government websites are reliable, non-
government websites provide additional
perspectives and options for travellers,
enhancing their ability to plan and explore 3. https://artsandcult
different tourism offerings. ure.google.com/st
ory/mahabalipura
m-sculpture-by-
the-sea-
archaeological-
survey-of-
india/_wXB5vhuL9
0aJA?hl=en
1. https://www.tamiln
Tourist The provided link offers exclusive information
adutourism.tn.gov.
Attractions on attractions only. Visitors can access detailed
in/destinations
descriptions, historical significance, and unique
features of various attractions. This resource
focuses solely on providing comprehensive

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Sn Parameter Details Provide URL(s)

information about popular tourist destinations,
2. https://www.tamiln
allowing individuals to explore and learn more
adutourism.tn.gov.
about each location. While other aspects of
in/destinations/ma
tourism such as accommodations, activities,
habalipuram
and events may not be covered in this particular
link, it serves as a valuable resource for those
specifically seeking detailed information about
attractions. By offering in-depth insights into
these destinations, the link assists travelers in 3. http://www.ttdc.co.i
making informed decisions and planning their n/places/CitiesTow
visits accordingly. ns/Mamallapuram.
aspx

4. https://artsandcult
ure.google.com/st
ory/mahabalipura
m-sculpture-by-
the-sea-
archaeological-
survey-of-
india/_wXB5vhuL9
0aJA?hl=en

Gaps
• The website does not provide opening and
closing timings for attractions. Visitors will
need to seek this information from other
sources such as official attraction websites
or contact them directly for the accurate
operating hours.
• The website does not offer any specific tour
packages for Mahabalipuram. Visitors may
need to explore other sources such as travel
agencies, tour operators, or local tourism
offices to find suitable tour packages
tailored for Mahabalipuram and its
attractions.
Tourist The provided link lacks any product information 1. https://www.ttdconl
Products related to tourism. It does not offer details about ine.com/about_ttd
accommodations, transportation, or other c.html
related services. To access such information, it
is recommended to explore alternative sources
such as official tourism websites, travel
agencies, or online booking platforms. These
sources typically provide comprehensive details
on available products, allowing individuals to

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Sn Parameter Details Provide URL(s)

plan their trips more effectively. While the given
link may be limited, other reliable sources can
provide the necessary information for a
complete and informed travel planning
experience.

In the provided link, product information can be 2. https://www.tamiln

found under the "Things to Do" section. This adutourism.tn.gov.
section offers details about various tourism in/destinations/ma
products such as guided tours, adventure habalipuram
activities, and cultural experiences. Visitors can
explore the available options, descriptions
details within this section, making it a valuable
resource for individuals seeking information
about specific products and activities related to
their travel interests.

Gaps
The website does not display the opening and
closing times of attractions. Visitors should refer
to official attraction websites or directly contact
them to obtain accurate operating hours. The
website does not provide this specific
information, making it necessary to explore
alternative sources for up-to-date and reliable
opening and closing timings of the attractions.

Tourist The portal displays a list of activity names, but 1. https://www.tamiln

Activities the information provided is limited. Visitors can adutourism.tn.gov.
see the names of various activities, but details in/experiences
such as descriptions, pricing, and specific
features may be missing. For a comprehensive
understanding of each activity, it is
recommended to consult alternative sources
such as official activity websites, travel guides,
or contact the organizers directly. These
2. https://www.tamiln
sources often offer more in-depth information,
adutourism.tn.gov.
including detailed descriptions, pricing options,
in/experiences/surf
and any specific requirements or restrictions.
ing
Exploring additional resources will ensure a
better grasp of the available activities and assist
in making informed decisions during trip
planning.

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Destination Master Plan, Strategy and Action Plan for Mamallapuram – Iteration 1 RP002a rev. 0

Sn Parameter Details Provide URL(s)

Gaps
• The activities mentioned on the portal lack
detailed information. While the names of the
activities are provided, the portal does not
offer comprehensive descriptions or
additional details. To gather more specific
information, it is recommended to consult
other sources such as official activity
websites or contact the organizers directly.
• The portal does not provide timing
information for the activities. Visitors will
need to seek this information from other
sources such as official activity websites or
by directly contacting the organizers. The
portal does not include specific timing
details for the activities listed.

Sn Parameter Details Provide URL(s)

Festivals, Fairs The given link solely focuses on providing https://www.tamilnadut

and/or Events details about festivals and does not include any ourism.tn.gov.in/event
other information related to tourism. Visitors will s
not find information about attractions,
accommodations, activities, or other aspects of
travel on this website. To gather comprehensive
information about the destination, it is
recommended to explore alternative sources
such as official tourism websites, travel guides,
or contact local tourism offices for a more
holistic understanding of the tourism offerings
available.

Gaps
• Location Detail: When providing location
details for a festival, it is crucial to clearly
mention the venue or venues where the
event will take place. Include the complete
address, directions, and any notable
landmarks to assist attendees in finding
their way. Providing accurate and
comprehensive location information
ensures that participants can easily
navigate to the festival site and enhances
their overall experience.
• Ticket information: The absence of ticket
information is a crucial omission for the

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Sn Parameter Details Provide URL(s)

festival. It is essential to provide details
regarding ticket requirements, including
whether there are entry fees, and where
attendees can purchase the tickets. This
information helps potential participants plan
their attendance and ensures a smooth
ticketing process. Without this vital
information, attendees may face confusion
or difficulties in obtaining the necessary
tickets, potentially impacting their overall
festival experience.

4. Accommodatio • The TTDC online portal provides a single https://www.ttdconline.

n Booking accommodation facility for booking in com/hotel_list.html
through official Mamallapuram. Visitors can utilize the
website/webpa portal to make reservations for this
ge/mobile particular facility.
application

• The Tamilnadu Tourism App is currently

unavailable for download. Visitors looking to
access the mobile application for
information on tourism in Tamilnadu will
need to explore other sources such as
official tourism websites or contact the
Tamilnadu Tourism Department for
alternative ways to obtain relevant
information.

5. Online Booking • Tourist guide information should be https://www.tamilnadut

of Tourist regularly updated on a monthly basis to ourism.tn.gov.in/img/T
Guides ensure accuracy and relevance. By keeping ourist-Guides-
the information up-to-date, visitors can rely 2022.pdf
on the tourist guides to provide accurate
details about attractions, activities,
accommodations, and other important
information for a fulfilling travel experience.
• For improved usability, it is suggested to
replace the PDF version with a dropdown
menu on the portal. This interactive feature
would enable users to filter information
based on location, making it convenient to
find and access the appropriate tourist
guides for their desired destinations.

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Sn Parameter Details Provide URL(s)

6. Social media • Through platforms like Instagram, Instagram, Facebook,

presence of the Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and their Twitter are Not Active
destination informative website blog, Mahabalipuram
engages with a diverse audience, shares its
captivating beauty, and provides a virtual
gateway for exploring its historical treasures
• To effectively reach and engage a broader
audience, it is advisable to establish a
dedicated social media platform specifically
for Mahabalipuram. This platform would
allow for focused and targeted content,
enhancing the destination's visibility and
engagement with potential visitors,
enthusiasts, and travelers interested in
exploring the unique offerings of
Mahabalipuram.

7. Grievance • It has been observed that the TTDC portal https://www.ttdconline.

redressal lacks a Tracking and Reference Number com/contact_us.html
mechanism for system for visitors to track their grievances.
visitors on Implementing such a system would provide
official website transparency and enable visitors to monitor
the progress of their complaints, ensuring a
more efficient and satisfactory resolution
process.
• The "Leave us a message" option on the
TTDC portal does not provide any
confirmation to the visitor, either through
email or mobile, regarding the receipt of
their message. Adding a confirmation
mechanism would assure visitors that their
message has been successfully submitted,
enhancing communication and ensuring
that their inquiries or feedback are received
and acknowledged.

8. (Any other)

4.4.2 Employment and Skilling

The overall labor force participation and worker population ratio are lower at the district level
than at the state, however both LFPR and Working Population Ratio (WPR) for age group 15-
29 years is marginally lower than the state figures. More workers in the district are in wage
employment (43.2%) compared to self- employment (31.2%) as per MoLE estimates. Youth
Unemployment Rate (15-29 years) is higher (13%) at the district level than at the state level
(11%).

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Tourism is a prominent sector of the district with 20% share of employment in trade and tourism
and communication being the second highest sector.
The skill training infrastructure of the district includes skill training centers implementing
schemes like TNSDC, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) and Deen Dayal
Upadhyay Grameen Kaushal Yojana (DDU- GKY).
Ongoing skill trainings as of 2021 are Front Office Executive under DDU-GKY and National
Urban Livelihood Mission (NLUM).
As of 2022, 90 candidates have registered with the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation
(TNSDC) in the tourism and hospitality sector with 60 of them for travel consultant and 30 as
front office associate. Out of which 50 are males and 40 are females.
Incremental demand for skilled workforce in hotels and restaurants for 2022-2025 is 1645 and
the same for semi-skilled workforce is 2854. A deeper mapping of exact roles can be beneficial
for designing focused capacity building programs.
Based on stakeholder consultations and secondary research, there is a scope to train 850+
people in the roles of Chef De Partie, Front Office Associate, House Keeping Attendant
(cleaning), Tour Escort, Food and Beverage Service Steward, Assistant Catering Manager,
Guest Relations manager & Billing Executive.
Local communities will be involved in development of tourism through community-based
homestay projects wherein local families host the eco-tourists in their homes.
The proposed interventions include undertaking a skill assessment, skilling local youth under
the IITFC program, linking licenses for service providing as a part of a detailed action plan.

4.4.3 Community Engagement

Institutions offering Tourism degree in the nearby area:

Table 4-7: Institutions offering Tourism Degree in nearby areas

Name of Institute Course Offered Potential Tie-ups for

destination under
Swadesh Darshan 2.0

SRM Institute of BSc (Hospitality & Hotel Certificate course in

Hotel Management Administration, Hotel & Catering Housekeeping,
Management),
Diploma (Catering
Certificate course in Housekeeping, Science and Hotel
MBA (Hospitality Management), Management, Food and
Diploma (Catering Science and Hotel Beverage Management,
Management, Food and Beverage Food Production, Hotel
Management, Food Production, Hotel Front Office Operation),
Front Office Operation),
Craftmanship Course
Craftmanship Course

Government Arts UG, PG, M.Phil, PhD in Tourism & None

College, Coimbatore Travel Management Department

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Name of Institute Course Offered Potential Tie-ups for

destination under
Swadesh Darshan 2.0

Institute of Hotel BSc (Hospitality) Certificate in Food

Management, Production
MSc (Hospitality)
Bengaluru
Certificate in Bakery &
Diploma in Food Production
Confectionery
Diploma in Bakery & Confectionery
Certificate Course in
Craftsmanship Certificate Course in Food Production &
Food Production & Patisserie/ Patisserie/ Beverage
Beverage Service Service

Indian Institute of BTTM or BBA (Tourism and Travel) Certificate in tourism

Tourism and Travel management
MTTM or MBA (Tourism and Travel
Management (IITTM),
Management)
Nellore

Indian Culinary BBA (Culinary Arts) Certificate in Culinary

Institute Tirupati Arts
MBA (Culinary Arts)

Youth Tourism Club (YTC) of Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai
played a series of video about Mahabalipuram on World Heritage Day, 18th April 2023.
Local communities will be involved in development of tourism through community-based
homestay projects wherein local families host the eco-tourists in their homes. This could
increase the length of stay of tourists in Mamallapuram where mostly single day visits are
carried out. It will be a niche tourism experience. ‘Vinodhara Guest House’ & ‘ECR Guest
House’ are two such homestays whose staff can be provided hospitality training since there
have been non satisfactory reviews for both. Cooperative society of local members will be
organized who can then be trained to become eco-tourism guides. Existing SHGs of local
artisans who are engaged in stone carving and handicrafts selling handicrafts, souvenirs, toys
etc in the district can be encouraged to sell their produce at the major attractions.

4.4.4 Branding, Marketing and Promotion of the destination

Tamil Nadu Tourism Marketing & Promotion Strategy

Known for its rich cultural heritage, magnificent temples, stunning landscapes, vibrant festivals,
and delicious cuisine, Tamil Nadu is a treasure trove for travelers seeking a deep exploration
of India's history and traditions. The Tamil Nadu Tourism Department has implemented various
strategies to promote tourism in the state. The key elements of its marketing and branding
policy include the following

Identifying Unique Selling Proposition (USP): Tamil Nadu Tourism's unique selling
proposition lies in its diverse range of attractions. Since each of these attractions are not only

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unique but also immensely popular, the state has decided to highlight all of them, mainly
emphasizing:

• Rich cultural heritage, which includes magnificent temples, UNESCO World Heritage Sites
like the Great Living Chola Temples, and architectural marvels like the Brihadeeswarar
Temple in Thanjavur.
• Historical landmarks such as forts, palaces, and ancient cities like Madurai and
Kanchipuram are also highlighted.
• Vibrant festivals, including Pongal, Navratri, and Tamil New Year that are celebrated with
enthusiasm, showcasing the colorful traditions and cultural extravaganza.
• Pristine beaches along the Bay of Bengal,
• Picturesque hill stations like Ooty and Kodaikanal, and
• Spiritual tourism destinations like Rameswaram and Tiruvannamalai

Target Audience: Tamil Nadu Tourism's marketing efforts cater to both domestic and
international tourists. The language of most communication is Tamil and English, and the
messaging mostly contains interests of a wider population

• Domestic tourists are a significant focus, particularly from neighboring states like
Karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. The state's proximity to major
metropolitan cities like Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad makes it easily accessible for
urban dwellers seeking weekend getaways.
• Tamil Nadu Tourism targets international tourists by promoting its cultural heritage,
architectural wonders, and unique experiences. Special emphasis is be given to potential
international markets, such as Southeast Asia, Europe, and North America, depending on
the specific campaigns and strategies employed.

Tagline & Logo:

In the ancient land of Tamil Nadu, everything speaks. The voices are etched into the land, the
architecture, the festivals, and the hearts of its people and its an uninterrupted process, still
ongoing. The state welcomes visitors to be a part of this narrative, to listen, learn, and
contribute their own stories to the vibrant tapestry that is Tamil Nadu. It is a place where every
traveler becomes a storyteller, and where the stories never cease to inspire, captivate, and
leave an indelible mark on the soul. ‘Tamil Nadu- where stories never end’

Logo: Tamil Nadu is a land where history,

culture, and traditions weave a tapestry of
ancient civilizations merging with vibrant
festivals, architectural marvels, pristine
landscapes, creating new avenues of
expression in modern times. Contemporary
art forms, music festivals, and literature
events continue to evolve the narratives,
adding new chapters to the ongoing story of
the state. Artists, writers, and performers
gather here to share their stories and

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experiences, creating a dynamic and ever-evolving cultural landscape that is adequately

reflected in the new vibrant, dynamic logo that encompasses all themes and branding.

The marketing tools & Channels currently being used by TN Tourism

a. Tamil Nadu Tourism Website: The department has developed a comprehensive website
that provides information and assistance to potential visitors at every stage of their travel
journey. The website is user-friendly and accessible worldwide.
b. Promotional Videos and Stories: The department has created videos and photo stories
highlighting Tamil Nadu's cultural and historical attractions, adventure activities, traditional
crafts, cuisine, and rural tourism experiences. These videos aim to showcase the state's
rich heritage and natural beauty.
c. Digital Marketing Initiatives: Tamil Nadu Tourism has initiated digital advertising
campaigns on prominent websites and applications to increase the visibility of the state's
attractions and cultural heritage.
d. Events & their Live Streaming: There is a Calender of Events created that is spread all
over Tamil Nadu. The department leverages social media platforms to live stream
prominent events like the Indian Dance Festival and Namma Ooru Thiruvizha, showcasing
the cultural richness of Tamil Nadu and attracting tourists.
e. Collaboration with Media Brands: Tamil Nadu Tourism has partnered with popular media
brands like National Geographic Traveller and Travel and Food Network to create
captivating travel videos and photo stories that highlight the state's diverse attractions.
f. Co-branding Initiatives: Collaboration with "Story Trails" has resulted in visually appealing
and informative videos that promote Tamil Nadu's cultural, heritage, and natural treasures.
g. Advertisements in Magazines: The Tourism Department advertises in leading tourism-
related journals, magazines, and in-flight magazines to promote the state's tourism
destinations.
h. Radio Campaigns: Radio campaigns have been launched in various cities to promote
Tamil Nadu Tourism as a destination.
i. Social Media Campaigns: The department has actively utilized social media platforms,
engaging with the audience through contests, collaborations with influencers, and
showcasing unique offerings of Tamil Nadu.
j. Out-of-home Advertising: Impactful out-of-home advertising strategies have been
implemented, including audio-visual advertisements at railway stations, backlit display
advertisements in metro stations, branding at airports, and tent cards at travel marts.

These initiatives collectively aim to increase tourist footfall, raise awareness about Tamil
Nadu's attractions, and establish the state as an attractive destination for travelers.

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Marketing of Mamallapuram as a destination

The following table summarizes presence of Mamallapuram in TN’s overall marketing

strategy.

Table 4-8: Presence of Mamallapuram in TN’s overall Marketing Strategy

Marketing Tools Mamallapuram

Branding No unique branding

Focus of Marketing One of the many in Tamil Nadu

A unique logo None

Events/festivals International Dance Festival

Kite Festival

International Chess tournament

Target Segment Domestic & International History/ Architecture

lovers

Public Arts initiative None

Tactical urbanism None

Special website None

Special App Not available

Online Booking Only for TTDC hotels & packages

Social media promotion Common for all destinations

Presence on multi-media

Print Yes

Electronic Yes

Online Yes

Youtube Yes

Listing on Incredible India Portal Yes, more extensive coverage than TN website

Picture of Krishna Mandapam is incorrect

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Marketing Tools Mamallapuram

Picture & mention of Blue flag beach, Shell

museum missing

Guindy Snake park wrongly mentioned

Brand ambassador None

Influencers Occasionally

FAM trips Occasionally

Local celebrity None identified

Diaspora connect Not established

Destination photography Available

Destination videography Available

Destination focused media Not done

outreach

Destination focused PR Not done

Destination focused literature Somewhat

available

Local stakeholders connect None Identified

Authentic information/ Literature Somewhat

available

4.5 Destination Institutional Structure

The District Management Organization has been formulated for Mamallapuram. However, it is
yet to hold its first Meeting with regards to the project. The Institutional Structure of the DMO,
Mamallapuram has been shown in the table below.
Table 4-9: Institutional Structure of DMO

S. No Designation Position

1 District Collector Chairperson

2 Superintendent of Police Member

3 Tourist Office Member-Secretary

4 Commissioner/Executive Officer of Urban Local Body Member

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5 Project Director, DRDA Member

6 District Head of PWD Member

7 Public Relation Officer Member

8 District Head/ / Representative of Department of Member

Industries

9 Two Representatives of Tourism Industry Member

4.6 Planned projects and initiatives

The projects listed below have been planned by the state government in Mamallapuram which
is scheduled to be completed in the next 3 years.
Table 4-10: Planned Projects & Initiatives in Mamallapuram

Sn Project Title Status Funding Target Year of

(Centre/State/PPP) Completion

1. Construction of a In Progress TTDC Project 2025

state-of-the-art
convention Centre at
TTDC Beach Resort
Complex,
Mamallapuram at a
cost of Rs. 20 crores.

2 A “Glow Garden” with In Progress PPP 2025

attractive lighting,
amusements and
other tourist
attractions in
Maragatha Poonga,
Mamallapuram

3 Light and Sound DPR prepared ASI 2024

show

4 Drinking water Proposal ASI (PPP/CSR) 2024

facilities (5 Rathas
and Butter ball
Complex)

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5 Learnings from global and national best practices

Heritage Destination – Case Study of Athens, Greece
The capital city of Greece, Athens is a historic place which was established around 3400 BC
and is full of ancient monuments, ruins, churches and temples. Around 4 million inhabitants
live in the city. Athens is well known for its museums, 50 km long coastline, and a place which
produced great philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato and Socrates. Athens thus is an important
center for art, culture & philosophy, and a popular tourist destination in Greece.
Athens has been awarded as World’s and Europe’s Leading Cultural City Destination and also
Europe’s Best Destination for MICE in 2022. The city records around 6.4 million tourists
every year. The top attractions in Athens include The Acropolis (one of the UNESCO Heritage
Sites), Anafiotika, Plaka, Monastiraki Flea Market and Lycabettus Hill.
Tourist offerings in Athens: Heritage, culture and diversity

Several Beaches along the National Archaeological

Acropolis
coastline Museum

Fun Train for sightseeing –

Monastiraki Flea Market Hop on Hop off Bus Service
famous among children

Initiatives undertaken to promote the tourist destination:

• An integrated campaign called “One City-Never Ending Stories” was designed and
implemented to position the Greek Capital as a modern center of culture and round the
year tourist destination.
✓ Stories and thematic videos in different languages on the website
✓ Digital media plan including print & electronic advertising, videos & promotion on
social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Instagram.
✓ A program of visits for leading international bloggers and travel journalists –
generating travel experiences
• Tourism being promoted by both public and private organizations either independently or
in collaboration through digital, print, and other media platforms.

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• Organizing events in large scale such as meet of European Members of World Tourism
Organization (UNWTO) at Athens.
• Round the year festivals and events are organized based on different themes and
experiences such as The International Jazz and Blues Festival of Athens, International
Dance Festival, August Moon Festival, International Comics Festival, Wine Festival,
Traditional Greek Dance Festival, Open air theatres, International Film Festival, and
many others.
• Providing Ease of Tourism Services such as – Combined Ticketing System, Hop-on Hop-
Off buses/trains for sight-seeing, personal city guided tours, pedestrian walkway linking
the city’s ancient monuments and others.
• Training and examinations of touring guides is mandatory in the country in order to
receive licenses.
• There are around 700 hotel units providing 34,000 plus rooms in the Attica region.
In the Attica region,
Tourist footfall is closer to reach the pre-covid figures.
Museums visits increased from 1.7 million in 2013 to 2.3 million in 2023
Archeological sites visit increased from 2.7 million in 2013 to 4.3 million in 2023.
Employment in services increased from 5.5% to 6.6% between 2013 & 2022.
Source- INSETE

Heritage Destination – Case Study of Jaipur, Rajasthan

Founded in 1727 by Maharaj Jai Singh II, the city was built in a planned manner on the
principles of established Vastu Shastra. In 1876, on occasion of the visit of then Prince of
Wales, Maharaja Ram Singh painted the entire city pink as a symbol of his warm hospitality.
Walled City of Jaipur, Jantar Mantar and Amer Fort have been declared as World Heritage
Sites by UNESCO.
The city showcases the majestic blend of ancient Hindu, Mughal, and western cultures in its
urban planning and architecture. Forts, Palaces, Temples, Museums, Shopping Bazaars and
many other attractions provide a range of offerings to the tourists visiting the city, Amber
Palace, City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Nahargarh Fort, Albert Hall Museum, Birla
Temple, Jaigarh Fort, Jal Mahal are some of the famous sites in Jaipur.
In the year 2022, more than 110 cores tourist visited the state of Rajasthan, of which Jaipur
recorded a footfall of around 35 Lakhs. Moreover, Jaipur ranked No.1 in foreign tourists’
arrivals with 40% share all the foreign tourists visiting the state during the period.
Tourist offerings in Jaipur: Diversified Experience

Jantar Mantar (UNESCO

City Palace, Jaipur Hawa Mahal, Jaipur
WHS)

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Light & Sound Show at

Hot Air Balloon Rides 3 Days Jaipur Kite Festival
Jainiwas Udhyan, Jaipur

Initiatives undertaken by Rajasthan State Tourism Department to promote the tourist

destinations in the State:
• Rajasthan Domestic Travel Mart at Jaipur and other locations were organized.
• Brochures, posters, folders and other informative materials published and distributed.
• Participation in national & international seminars, conferences, and marts.
• Organized events such as Jaipur Literature Festival, Rajasthan International Film
Festival, Indian Responsible Tourism State Awards.
• Print & Electronic mediums used for marketing/promotion: Media campaigns are run
to advertise the state’s tourism offerings on different platforms.
• Use of social media platforms, bloggers & influencers to highlight the tourist
destinations in the state.
• A dedicated tourism app has been developed to assist people/tourists.
• Promotion of film tourism through Rajasthan Film Tourism Policy, 2022
• Different schemes under tourism policy to support the industry such as Guest House
Scheme, Home Stays Scheme, and Rural Tourism Scheme.
• Skill & capacity development through regular trainings to guides, shopkeepers,
drivers, hotel operators, and tourist personnel - Rajasthan Institute of Tourism &
Travel Management in Jaipur serves as a contributing factor for the human resource
development in tourism sector.

In 2022, Rajasthan recorded the highest number of tourists arriving till date in any given
year. More than 10 crore tourists visited the different destinations during the year. The state’s
tourism grew at an average rate of around 15% over the last decade.
As per news reports, around 2.5 Lakhs tourists visited Jaipur during the last week of the year
with most of the city hotels running in full occupancy.

MICE tourism – Case Study of Agra, Uttar Pradesh

Agra is located in northern Uttar Pradesh region on the banks of river Yamuna. Part of the
Golden Triangle Tourist Circuit places, Agra is a major tourist destination notably for Taj Mahal
(one of the seven wonders of the world and UNESCO WHS) and other Mughal-era buildings.
Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri are other UNESCO WHS sites famous among the tourists.
Taj Mahal (3.29 million) was the most visited monuments in FY 2021-22 for domestic visitors.
Agra fort with around 13.5 thousand foreign visitors during the same period stood among the
top 10 centrally protected ticketed monuments in the country. More than 10 million tourists
visited Agra in the year 2022, of which 4% were foreign tourists.
Tourist offerings in Agra: Diversified Experience

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Taj Mahal Agra Fort Buland Darwaza

Heritage Walks in
Taj Mahotsav Ram Barat Festival
Agra

Meetings, Incentive tours, Convention centers, Events/Exhibitions (MICE) Tourism in

Agra: Agra emerged as one of the challengers in organizing MICE events in the study being
conducted by Ministry of Tourism, GoI. Trade shows, events, meetings, conferences etc. are
being regularly organized at different centers/hotels in the city. Both Central and State
Governments are promoting Agra as one of MICE destinations. Agra being well connected
through fast road, rail and airway transport also makes the city suitable choice of corporates
and businesses.
Initiatives undertaken by Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Department to promote the
tourist destinations in the State:
• 14 days long Taj Mahotsav providing tourists experience of local art & crafts, cuisines,
culture & fun fair
• Agra being promoted as one of the MICE tourism destinations in the state.
• Central Government departments has issued orders to conduct
meetings/seminars/conferences/events at Agra to support MICE tourism.
• Incentives, concessions & subsidies are being provided by the State Government to
tourism service providers and institutions state’s tourism policy. Convention centers
for MICE activities have been identified as one of the eligible tourism units.
• The State tourism department supports organizers of international conference in their
cost towards venues, equipment rental and other direct costs.
• State government has also planned to collaborate with private sectors, hotel &
transport associations, tour operators, and others to encourage and facilitate MICE
tourism in the state.
• State government has also planned to support weeding tourism at MICE convention
centers.
• PPP mode of investments and MoUs with airlines & heritage properties to promote
MICE tourism is also being strategized.

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As per study conducted by Ministry of Tourism, GoI in 2019 on Indian MICE market, Agra
had 10+ establishments (venues) of 4 and 5+ categories for MICE events. 500+ meetings,
incentives & conferences per year were estimated to happen under MICE tourism in the city
hotels generating around INR 170 crores of revenue each year.

MICE tourism – Case Study of Kyoto City, Japan

With a population of around 1.5 million, Kyoto is an important tourist destination in Japan.
Around 50 million tourists visit Kyoto every year.
Kyoto is home to 17 UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites and over 2,000 temples and
shrines. Moreover, Kyoto was selected as a “Global MICE Strategic City” by the Japanese
government in 2013, as part of a program to grow the capabilities of key leading cities in the
meetings industry in Japan. In addition, the Kyoto Convention & Visitors Bureau is a member
of ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association), the top international
organization for promotion of the meetings industry.
Tourist Attractions in Kyoto:

Daigoji Temple Agra Fort Nijo Castle

Initiatives to support MICE Tourism:

The Kyoto Convention & Visitors Bureau (KCVB) is a not-for-profit public organization funded
by Kyoto Prefecture, Kyoto City, and the Kyoto Chamber of Commerce & Industry, with over
400 member companies and organizations.
It provides support to help meeting organizers attract and plan meetings in Kyoto, serving as
a one-stop-service hub organization that links all stakeholders affiliated with the meetings
industry in Kyoto.
It offers support for planners organizing meetings and events in Kyoto, from bidding to
execution stage. Some of the services include:
• Client support
• Subsidy for attracting large-scale international convention
• Subsidy for meetings and events in Kyoto
• Provision for promotional material
• Traditional handicraft rentals for meetings and events
• Meeting facilities and accommodations
• MICE services such as “Traditional Handicraft Rental Program” and “Kyoto Excursion
Guide” supporting the event organizers with reusable local handicrafts and engaging
the attendees with traditional activities.

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The city of Kyoto received more than 50 million visitors including 10 million from overseas in
2019 (pre-pandemic data).

Beach Tourism: Case Study Portugal beaches

Portugal is a captivating destination from a tourism perspective. A country blessed with its
stunning coastline along the Atlantic Ocean, has leveraged its breath-taking beaches to attract
tourists from around the world. The country's diverse beach offerings, ranging from golden
sandy stretches to dramatic cliffs and crystal-clear waters, have become a significant driver of
tourism. Portugal's warm hospitality and diverse attractions make it an alluring destination for
travellers. This case study explores how Portugal has capitalized on its beach assets to boost
tourism, highlighting the strategies and outcomes that have contributed to its success.
Initiatives undertaken by Portugal Tourism Department to promote the tourist
destinations
• Infrastructure and Accessibility: Portugal has invested in developing beach
infrastructure to enhance visitor experiences. Well-maintained facilities, including beach
bars, restaurants, water sports centers, and accommodation options, are available in
many beach destinations. The country has also prioritized accessibility, ensuring that its
beaches are easily reachable by road, public transportation, and nearby airports. This
commitment to infrastructure and accessibility contributes to a seamless and enjoyable
beach experience for tourists. Below are the some of the tourist offerings

Beach resort at porto santo

Water sport at Albuferia Water Sport at Albuferia
island
• Environmental Stewardship: Recognizing the importance of preserving its natural
treasures, Portugal has implemented sustainable practices and environmental
stewardship initiatives in its beach destinations. Many beaches are awarded blue Flag
status, indicating their adherence to strict environmental standards. Conscious efforts are
made to protect the coastal ecosystems, maintain cleanliness, and promote responsible
tourism practices. This commitment to sustainability not only preserves the natural beauty
of the beaches but also appeals to environmentally conscious tourists. Some of the blue
flagged beaches in Portugal are shown below

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Praia de Moledo Praia de Quiaios Praia de Nazare

• Marketing and Promotion: Portugal has effectively marketed its beaches through
various channels. The national tourism authority, Turismo de Portugal, collaborates with
regional tourism boards, travel agencies, and industry partners to promote the country's
beach destinations. Digital marketing strategies, including captivating visuals, engaging
content, and active social media presence, have been deployed to showcase Portugal's
beaches to a global audience. Collaborations with travel influencers, bloggers, and media
outlets have also helped generate buzz and increase awareness of the country's beach
offerings.
• Festivals and Events: Portugal has successfully leveraged its beaches as venues for
festivals and events, attracting both domestic and international visitors. Music festivals,
beach parties, sports events, and cultural celebrations are held on the shores, creating a
vibrant and lively atmosphere. These events not only showcase the natural beauty of the
beaches but also provide unique experiences that draw tourists seeking memorable and
immersive encounters. Some of the event and festival images shown

The Laurus Nobilis Music festival take place in July every year Lisboa dance festival
• Regional tourism promotion agencies used communication channel Pinterest and visit
Portugal blog for promoting tourist destination
• Portugal tourism created suggestion for thematic visit for planning trips which is
available in ten languages with tourist assistance service created impact in Portugal
tourism
• Use of social media platforms & influencers to highlight the tourist destinations in the
country.
• Can’t skip Portugal campaigns launched in 2017 and reached over 200 countries
• Different marketing activities carried out government periodically for the promotion of
different themes as nature tourism through walking and cycling (Portuguese Trails),
literary tourism (Read Portugal and Viagem a Portugal Revisited), religious tourism
(Paths of Faith), surfing (Portuguese Waves), golf (Portuguese Greens), wine tourism
(Wine Tourism) and music festivals (Portuguese Music Festivals).
In Portugal tourist accommodation sector registered 2.7 million guests and 6.8 million
overnight stays in April 2023, corresponding to increases of 16.5% and of 13.8%,
respectively. compared to April of 2019.
Portugal's beaches have become an integral component of its tourism industry, attracting
millions of visitors each year. By offering a diverse range of beach experiences, investing in
infrastructure, prioritizing environmental stewardship, and implementing effective marketing
strategies, Portugal has successfully positioned itself as a premier beach destination. The
country's commitment to providing exceptional beach experiences has contributed to its
growth in tourism, driving economic benefits and establishing

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Portugal as a sought-after vacation spot. With its continued focus on sustainable tourism
practices and innovative marketing approaches, Portugal's beach tourism sector is poised
for further success in the years to come.

Beach Tourism: Case Study Bali Beaches

Bali's beaches are a tropical paradise that entices visitors with their pristine beauty and diverse
offerings. From the vibrant and bustling Kuta Beach to the tranquil and upscale shores of
Seminyak and Nusa Dua, Bali offers a range of beach experiences. With golden sands, crystal-
clear waters, and picturesque settings, these beaches are perfect for sunbathing, swimming,
and water sports. Bali's beaches are also renowned for their world-class surf breaks, attracting
surfers from around the globe. Whether seeking relaxation, adventure, or simply breathtaking
views, Bali's beaches provide an idyllic escape for beach lovers and create lasting memories
of paradise.
Initiatives undertaken by Portugal Tourism Department to promote the tourist
destinations
• Marketing campaigns: The department actively conducts marketing campaigns both
domestically and internationally to promote Bali as a top tourist destination. These
campaigns utilize various platforms such as social media, travel exhibitions, and
collaborations with travel agencies to showcase the unique attractions and experiences
that Bali has to offer.
• Infrastructure development: The department works closely with local authorities and
stakeholders to improve the infrastructure in tourist areas. This includes the development
and maintenance of roads, transportation networks, airports, and other necessary
facilities to ensure smooth travel and accessibility to popular destinations.

Beach clean-up drives Eco tours

• Sustainable tourism practices: Bali Tourism Department emphasizes the importance of
sustainable tourism. They encourage eco-friendly practices, responsible tourism, and
preservation of the environment. Initiatives such as beach clean-ups, waste management
programs, and promotion of eco-tourism activities aim to minimize the negative impact of
tourism on the island.
• Cultural preservation: Bali is renowned for its unique culture and traditions. The
department actively supports and promotes cultural preservation initiatives, including
traditional arts, music, dance, and religious ceremonies. They organize cultural festivals
and events to showcase the rich heritage of Bali and provide tourists with an immersive
cultural experience.

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Religious ceremony Dance Art

• Collaboration with stakeholders: The Bali Tourism Department collaborates with

various stakeholders, including hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, and local
communities, to develop and implement tourism strategies. This collaboration helps to
create cohesive efforts in promoting Bali as a tourist destination and ensures the overall
development and sustainability of the tourism industry.
• Bali Provincial Government to increase the tourism activities post pandemic initiated lot of
programs such as Work From Bali (WFB), provision of grant funds for tourism recovery,
providing relaxation to the tourism sector, travel bubble plan
• Bali was named the first best destination in the world-beating London according to the
2021 Travellers’ Choice Award
• Indonesia conducted the 9th Bali and Beyond Travel Fair (BBTF) 2023 in Bali, on 14 - 17
June 2023 with the theme "Reconnecting to Quality and Sustainability Tourism".

• In Bali 2.1 million tourist visited in 2022 in comparison to 6,2 million visited in 2019 and
there is a decrease in footfall due to pandemic.
• Due to sustainable beach tourism in Bali with the collaborative approach involving
government agencies, local communities, tourism operators created a unique
experience that resonated with travellers seeking. also, by embracing sustainable
practices, preserving cultural heritage, and engaging local communities, stakeholders
created Bali a best tourist place to visit and will create a increase in the tourism footfall.

Adventure Sports Tourism: Case Study on Queenstown, New Zealand

Queenstown, located in the South Island of New Zealand, has established itself as a global
hub for adventure sports enthusiasts. With its stunning landscapes, diverse terrain, and a wide
range of adrenaline-pumping activities, Queenstown attracts thrill seekers from around the
world. This case study explores how Queenstown became a renowned adventure sports
destination and the strategies behind its success. The New Zealand government has also
introduced multiple Strategy and Implementation for increasing the footfall
Initiatives undertaken by New Zealand Tourism Department to promote the tourist
destinations
• Diverse Adventure Offerings: Queenstown focused on diversifying its adventure sports
portfolio to cater to a wide range of interests and skill levels. It offered activities such as
bungee jumping, skydiving, Whitewater rafting, jet boating, paragliding, mountain biking,
and hiking, among others.

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Height Safety Confined gas and gas detection

Jet Boating Rafting Mountain Biking

• Safety Standards and Training: The destination prioritized safety by implementing

rigorous safety standards and certifications for adventure operators. It required regular
inspections, safety briefings, and comprehensive staff training to mitigate risks and
ensure customer safety. Some of the courses that professional are getting are

1. Height Safety: Staff trained for practical scenarios including fall arrest, work
positioning, restraint systems and developing a rescue plan.
2. Confined space and Gas detection: In this staff are trained to identify the types of
confined spaces and hazards and risks associated with working in a confined space.
also staff are trained to cover the atmospheric testing and equipment required to
establish a planned and safe entry, as well as the correct emergency procedures in
the event of a rescue.

• Marketing and Promotion: Queenstown invested in strategic marketing campaigns to

highlight its adventure sports offerings. It targeted adventure enthusiasts through various
channels, including social media, adventure magazines, and partnerships with travel
agencies, emphasizing the unique experiences available in Queenstown.
• Collaboration with Local Operators: Queenstown fostered strong partnerships with
local adventure sports operators, ensuring a high standard of service delivery. It
promoted cooperation among operators to maintain quality control, share best practices,
and collectively contribute to the destination's reputation.

• In Queenstown 37,871 tourist visited in December 2022 in comparison to 33,406

tourists visited in December 2019 and there is a increases of 13.3% footfall.
• Queenstown, New Zealand, successfully positioned itself as a world-class adventure
sports destination through its diverse offerings, commitment to safety, sustainable
practices, and effective marketing strategies. By embracing adventure sports while
prioritizing safety and environmental preservation,
• Queenstown created an ecosystem that thrived economically, socially, and
environmentally. It became a thrill seekers' paradise, attracting adventurers from
around the globe, and setting a benchmark for adventure tourism destinations
worldwide.

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Adventure Sports Tourism: Case Study on Goa, India

Goa, renowned for its sun-soaked beaches and rich cultural heritage, has recognized the
potential of adventure tourism to diversify its tourism offerings. The state's unique geographical
features, including a stunning coastline, lush forests, and picturesque landscapes, provide a
natural playground for adventure enthusiasts. This case study delves into the development of
adventure tourism in Goa, focusing on the initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable practices,
balancing economic growth with environmental conservation, and enhancing the well-being of
local communities. the government has played a pivotal role in providing policy support,
infrastructure development, and safety regulations. Private operators have invested in training,
equipment, and marketing to create unique adventure experiences.
Some of the tourist activities offered at Goa

White Water River Rafting

Scuba Diving and Snorkelling Parasailing
and Boat Cruise

kayaking Water Skiing Kite Surfing

Initiatives undertaken by Goa State Tourism Department to promote the tourist

• Marketing and Promotion: Goa invested in strategic marketing campaigns to highlight

its adventure sports offerings. It targeted adventure enthusiasts through various
channels, including social media, adventure magazines, and partnerships with travel
agencies, emphasizing the unique experiences available in Queenstown.
• Collaboration with Local Operators: Goa strong partnerships with local adventure
sports operators, ensuring a high standard of service delivery. It promoted cooperation
among operators to maintain quality control, share best practices, and collectively
contribute to the destination's reputation.
• Participation in national & international seminars, conferences
• At G20 submit government focusing on accelerating the tourism sector and achieving the
targets by 2030 for sustainable development goals
• Print & Electronic mediums used for marketing/promotion: Media campaigns are run to
advertise the state’s tourism offerings on different platforms.

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• Use of social media platforms, bloggers & influencers to highlight the tourist destinations
in the state.
In Goa 49.55 lakh tourist visited in 2022 in comparison to 33.08 lakh tourist visited in 2021
and there is an increase of 49.7% footfall. The study concludes that the development of
adventure tourism in Goa has transformed the tourism landscape, offered unique
experiences, and attracted a diverse range of visitors.
The government's support, coupled with the commitment of private operators and the
involvement of local communities and promoting sustainable practices created a unique
experience that resonated with travellers seeking

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6 Stakeholder Consultations

6.1 Consultations with Government Department/Agencies

Various stakeholder consultations were carried out along the course of preparation of the
Master Plan. Some of the key consultations have been mentioned below:
a) GoTN: Thiru. Dr. K.Manivasan (IAS), Principal Secretary to Government,
Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments Department. Dr. Chandra Mohan.
B. (IAS), Principal Secretary to Government, Tourism, Culture and Religious
Endowments Department;
b) Representative(s) from State Tourism Dept: Thiru. Sandeep Nanduri, IAS, Director
of Tourism and Managing Director of TTDC and Smt. Bharathi, GM & DRO,
TTDC.
c) District Tourism Officer: Thiru. Shakthivel Tourist officer of Mamallapuram, Mrs.
Sharanya ATO of Mamallapuram.
d) Representative(s) from Local Government: Panchayats, ULBs: Thiru. Ganesh EO of
Mamallapuram Town Panchayath
e) Representative(s) from Line Departments: Thiru. Kalimuthu SA of ASI Chennai Circle,
Thiru. Ismail JCA of ASI Mamallapuram, Thiru. Rahul AD of MNTDA Mamallapuram,
Mr. Munuswamy VAO of Mamallapuram.
The Details of the various Stakeholder Consultations are provided & elaborated below in
Annexure – C.

6.2 Consultations with Private Sector

Workshop with Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO)

Tourist Profile: Most visitors to Mamallapuram are domestic tourists, mainly from Andhra
Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Gujarat. Foreign tourists primarily come from France,
Germany, Malaysia, and the UK. However, the share of foreign tourist footfall has declined
significantly due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Seasonal Tourism: The months from November to January experience the highest tourist
footfall, which continues until March each year. This seasonality can pose challenges for tour
operators and service providers in terms of managing resources and maintaining consistent
business throughout the year.
Short Duration of Stay: Mamallapuram can typically be covered within a day, leading to
shorter stays by tourists, especially during summer. Additional activities and attractions could
be introduced to encourage longer stays such as nature trails, village tours etc.
Beach Tourism Potential: The beaches in Mamallapuram currently lack a variety of activities
and water sports for tourists. This underutilization of beach tourism potential hinders the overall
visitor experience and economic growth in the area.
Limited Evening Access: Some sites in Mamallapuram, such as Varaha Cave, close in the
evenings despite the demand from tourists to visit during cooler hours. This restricts visitor
opportunities and limits their exploration of cultural heritage. Visiting hours could be extended
with enhanced lighting and security measures to ensure the safety and comfort of tourists
during extended hours.

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Lack of Dedicated Activities and Cultural Offerings: Mamallapuram lacks dedicated

exhibitions, leisure, and cultural activities for tourists, which results in untapped economic and
cultural potential. Local artisans and performers could be supported by providing platforms for
showcasing their talent.
Skill Development: The skill levels of the local workforce may be inadequate to cater to the
diverse needs of tourists, requiring tour operators to invest heavily in attracting and retaining
the right talent.
Marketing and Promotion: The Tamil Nadu Travel Mart, like its Kerala counterpart, is not
adequately marketed and promoted, leading to a missed opportunity for tourism development
in Tamil Nadu.

Major Challenges Faced by Tour Operators and Tourism Service Providers in

Mamallapuram
1. Far away Parking: The lack of parking facilities close to the Shore Temple area causes
inconvenience to tourists, especially senior citizens. The designated parking is at a distance
and is difficult to reach the tourist attraction in adverse weather conditions even for regular
tourists.
Mitigation:
• Implement shuttle bus services from designated parking areas to the Shore Temple area
to reduce the distance and inconvenience for tourists.
• Consider electric buses or eco-friendly transportation options to promote sustainable
tourism and reduce vehicular congestion.

2. Toilets and Public amenities: The absence of proper toilet facilities in the vicinity poses a
serious challenge. Tourists face difficulties in finding clean and accessible toilets, affecting
their overall experience.
Mitigation:
• Install clean and well-maintained public toilets in strategic locations near the Shore Temple
area to cater to the needs of tourists.
• Collaborate with local authorities or private organizations to ensure regular cleaning and
maintenance of the toilet facilities.

3. Wheelchair Accessibility: The lack of wheelchair accessibility in the Shore Temple area
hinders the mobility and enjoyment of tourists with disabilities or mobility impairments. Tour
operators find it challenging to provide inclusive experiences to all visitors.
Mitigation:
• Implement wheelchair-friendly infrastructure and pathways in the Shore Temple area to
ensure accessibility for all visitors.
• Train tour guides and service providers on inclusive practices to offer assistance and
support to tourists with special needs.

4. Garbage and Cleanliness: Garbage disposal and cleanliness are persistent issues in the
area, affecting the overall visitor experience. Authorities struggle to maintain a clean and
hygienic environment.
Mitigation:
• Establish an effective waste management system, including regular garbage collection and
recycling initiatives.

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• Conduct awareness campaigns to educate tourists and locals about the importance of
responsible waste disposal and keeping the area clean.
• Collaborate with local authorities and community organizations to organize regular cleanup
drives and promote cleanliness.

5. One Nation, One Permit: The lack of implementation of the One Nation, One Permit policy
for commercial vehicles in Tamil Nadu increases the cost of transportation for tour operators.
Lack of policy implementation adds to the challenges faced by service providers in organizing
tours and managing transportation logistics.
Mitigation:
• Advocate for the implementation of the One Nation, One Permit policy in Tamil Nadu to
streamline and simplify the process of obtaining permits for commercial vehicles.
• Engage with relevant government authorities and tourism associations to highlight the
benefits of policy consistency and its positive impact on the tourism industry.

6. Accommodation Rates: The unregulated accommodation rates in the Mamallapuram area

create challenges for tour operators and tourists alike. Fluctuating prices and lack of price
control impact the affordability and planning of tour packages.
Mitigation:
• Work towards the establishment of a regulatory body or framework to monitor and regulate
accommodation rates in Mamallapuram.
• Collaborate with accommodation providers, tour operators, and government authorities to
establish fair and transparent pricing practices that benefit both tourists and service
providers.

Addressing the challenges in parking, toilets, accessibility, cleanliness, policy consistency, and
accommodation rates shall enhance the experience of tourists visiting the Mamallapuram
(Shore Temple) area. Implementing practical solutions, such as shuttle buses, improved
infrastructure, waste management systems, and stakeholder collaborations, will contribute to
the sustainable development and growth of tourism at the Mamallapuram Destination.
Planned consultations

Further consultations are planned with the following associations, and the insights from the
same will be incorporated in subsequent iterations of the Master Plan:

• Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India (ADTOI)

• Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI)
• Indian Tourist Transporters Association (ITTA)
• Confederation of Hospitality, Technology and Tourism Industry (CHATT)
• Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI)
• Regional Tourist Guides Association (RTGA)
• India Convention Promotion Bureau
• Surfing Federation of India

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6.3 Consultations to engage communities

To understand the perspective of local communities as well as to identify potential areas of
collaboration with them, we have reached out to the following agencies/ associations/
institutions for consultations. This will also enable us to understand the skill development
requirements. The consultations are expected to be concluded by 15th August 2023, and the
findings of the same will be incorporated in subsequent iterations of the Master Plan:
• Government College of Architecture and Sculpture
• Tamil Nadu Street Vendors Association
• NGOs like Womens Education and Economic Development Society (WEEDS), Aarde
Foundation
• Make Art in India

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6.4 Online tourist survey

An online tourist survey has been conducted in June 2023. The questionnaires were circulated to over
15,000 people to understand their travelling preferences.

The survey aims to examine the overall perspective of domestic travellers ranging from the age of 18 to
54 years. The survey assessed traveller’s preferences in terms of choices, travellers’ characteristics,
preferences, tourism receipts, length of stay, transport used etc.

The survey further deep dives to assess tourists who has visited Mamallapuram. It records their
experience, level of satisfaction, and challenges faced with the tourism products of the destination.
The section below highlights the key findings from responses received from over 130 participants. More
responses are expected over the next few weeks, and findings of the same will be updated in the
subsequent iterations of the Master Plan.

Profile of the survey participants

Majority of the respondents were in the age group of 18-24 years. Over 70% of the respondents are
from the South of India, specifically Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

Age group Source Market and gender

5% Karnataka 41%
14% 20%
18-24 years
Tamil Nadu 29%
Telangana 7%
25-34 years
Delhi 7%
35-44 years
Haryana 5%
45-54 years
Maharashtra 3% 59% 40%
61%
Others 10%

The survey finds that a significant 68% of people undertakes 2 to 4 trips a year. Average
number of vacation days taken are 2 to 4 days for 62%, followed by 4 to 6 days for 26%. This
is a noticeable trend where the preference for taking shorter trips and rejuvenating staycations
is on the rise with a desire amongst travellers for quick escapes.
Frequency of Travel Trip Duration 1%
2%
10%
2 to 4 times a year 68%
26%
6 to 10 times a
20%
year

1 to 2 days
Once a month 3%
2 to 4 days
62%
4 to 6 days
Once a year 3%
7 to 14 days

55% of the travellers have stated to travel with family, and 35% with friends. On the other hand,
10% of respondents consider taking solo trips. However, various other studies states that the
trend of travelling solo for the last couple of years has been increasing. To match the need of
solo travellers, we find many online travel groups have started organizing group tours for solo
travellers, as many actively looks for new social contacts.

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Segments and Activities of Interest

Many people have shown interest in nature tourism with 19% preferring to travel to destinations
where they can enjoy nature and wilderness. 17% has shown interest in exploring heritage
sites. It is closely followed by 16% of respondents resonated by beach tourism. 9% of the
respondents like going to places where they can experience adventure sports activities.
Likewise, in activities of interest while travelling, respondents have shown major interest in
activities such as guided walks in nature, camping and adventure sports covering 37% of
preferred tourist activities.
11% of people mentioned interest in local cuisines, showing a scope of growth for Food
Tourism.

19% 16% 11% 9% 9% 9%

Nature & Beaches Local Food Heritage Rest & Adventure
Wilderness & Cuisine Architecture Solitude Sports

Apart from these a good number of people has shown interest in Spiritual, Religious,
Nightlife and Wellness tourism.
A significant alignment is also seen in Community Based Tourism where 8% of the
respondents have stated to be interested in authentic and immersive community
experiences. This also reflects a trend of opting for environmentally conscious and
responsible choices.
Shopping, which has always been an integral part of tourism is marked as one of the preferred
activities by 14% of the respondents.
Accommodation, F&B, and Travel Budget
The most chosen accommodation was 3-to-4-star category hotels with 23% of respondents
preferring to stay in comfort and style. This is followed by resorts and homestays, with each
category being selected by ~17% respondents respectively. Stakeholders during consultations
have also mentioned that larger groups prefer to stay in homestays and resorts where they
can enjoy the entire property. 5-star category accommodation has been preferred by 8% of the
respondents. 7% of the respondents have mentioned camping portraying a scope for more
camp like set ups in the city.

Preference in accomodation
23.1%
17.5% 17%
11.1% 10.6%
8.4% 7.2%
5%

Luxury Hotel Standard Hotel Budget Hotel (1 Resorts and Glamping and Homestay/Bed Hostels Staying with
(5-star) (3 to 4 stars) to 2 stars) retreats Camping & Breakfast family and
friends

In dining preferences, 24% of the respondents preferred having local street foods which is
closely followed by 21% selecting restaurants that serves local food. This shows a strong
interest of tourists towards local cuisine, and an opportunity to engage local communities in
offering these indigenous experience and offerings.

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Preference in Dining
24%
21%
16% 15%
9% 9%
7%

Fine dining Local street food Fast food chains Restaurants Cafes and Food courts Hotel coffee shop
restaurants stalls serving regional bakeries
cuisine

Holiday Budget per person excluding 32% respondents keep a holiday budget of INR
to and fro travel (in Rs.) 10,000 to Rs.15,000 per person per trip. This
2% is followed by 28% who keeps a budget of
14%
24% Rs.15,000 to Rs. 30,000. 24% holidays for less
than Rs. 10,000. Only 2% of the respondents
have mentioned to have a budget above Rs.
28% 45,000 for a trip. These values are excluding
Less than 10,000
10,000-15,000
travel cost (like airfare etc.)
32%
15,000-30,000 This reflects a trend in people to travel a
30,000-45,000
45,000 and above
greater number of times in domestic
destinations, rather than having one luxurious
trip a year.
More than 50% of the respondents prefers to keep aside up to Rs.4,000 for shopping per trip,
whereas only 8% spends above Rs. 10,000 in shopping. A shopping preference for less
valuable items is visible, portraying shopping to be a leisure time activity for most travellers.
This also highlights a preference towards smaller trinkets, memorabilia, souvenirs etc. as
reminders of visiting a place.
As 40% of the respondents showed preference to stay in 3-to-4-star category hotels and
resorts, the accommodation budget for 38% is Rs.2000 to Rs. 4000, followed by 17% spending
between Rs. 4000 to Rs. 6000 per night. A niche 3% keeps a budget of above Rs, 10,000 per
night for accommodation.
Spending on shopping (in Rs.) Spending on accomodation per night
(in Rs.)
8% 8% 3%
24%
15%
35%
17%

Less than 2,000 22% Less than 2,000

2,000-4,000 2,000-4,000
32%
4,000-6,000 4,000-6,000 38%
6,000-10,000 6,000-10,000
10,000 and above 10,000 and above

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51% of the respondents prefer to travel in

Preference in Transport
owned or hired cars and bikes reflecting an
30% opportunity for more rental services in
destinations. Cabs are preferred by 21%,
21% 21%
17% followed by 17% who takes public transport
11% to go around in destinations.

Self-driven Scooty / Bikes Cab / Taxi Public Tourist Buses

cars (owned/hired) Transport (hop on-hop
(owned/hired) off service)

Source of Information for Selecting Destinations

An accumulated 69% of the respondents have mentioned to rely on online sources for selecting
travel destinations. The maximum being from social media, followed by travel blogs and
websites, online travel companies and official websites of destinations. This highlights the
importance of online presence of the destinations and focus on digital marketing.

Social media platforms (such as Facebook,

23%
Instagram, Twitter)

22%
Travel blogs and review websites

22%
Recommendations from friends and family
Online travel platforms (such as MakeMyTrip,
16%
Booking.com, and Expedia)

8%
Official tourism website of the destination

4%
Local tourist information centers

4%
Travel guidebooks

50% of the respondents of the survey visited Mamallapuram

84% of the tourists visiting Mamallapuram have overall mentioned to have had a positive
experience in the destination.

Overall Experience of Tourists in Mamallapuram

Excellent 33%

Good 51%

Average 15%

Below average 1%

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Satisfaction level in terms of quality of attractions and activities at the destination is also
high with 72% of tourists mentioning to be very content. However, this may be because
tourists normally spend just a day in Mamallapuram.

Traveller's Satisfaction Level 27% 45% 22% 4% 1%

Very satisfied Satisfied Neutral Dissatisfied Very dissatisfied

Ease of planning for travel and connectivity emerged as strong areas for Mamallapuram,
owing to its proximity to Chennai. However, based on responses from people who have
visited Mamallapuram, there is scope for improvement in F&B and accommodation, basic
civic amenities, shopping facilities etc. Heat was a major concern of many travellers. This
highlights the importance of having shaded facilities for tourists, for resting and rejuvenating,
specifically near key attractions. Another key area of improvement is the accessibility of the
destination and key attraction for disabled, and old travellers.

Satisfaction of travellers visiting Mamallapuram on various aspects

Planning and booking ease 82% 18%

Tour Operator assistance 43% 52% 4%

Overall Connectivity (Roads, Transport, etc.) 85% 10% 4%

Transport Services 76% 19% 4%

Accommodation/ Stay Facilities (Availability / Quality) 63% 33% 4%

Accommodation Tariff 58% 33% 9%

Basic Amenities (Toilet / Pathways, Drinking Water etc.) 45% 43% 12%

Eating Places 57% 28% 15%

Safety & Security 70% 24% 6%

Information and Signages 75% 21% 4%

Shopping Experience 49% 40% 10%

Behavior of local people 61% 33% 6%

Tourist sites 73% 24% 3%

General Cleanliness and Hygiene 51% 40% 9%

Weather 45% 31% 24%

Differently abled friendly facilities 28% 58% 13%

Satisfied Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied Dissatisfied

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Major highlights of a trip to Mamallapuram

Mamallapuram is mostly visited by tourists because of its recognition as a UNESCO World
Heritage site. 38% have mentioned that to be the major attraction. Apart from that, tourists
visiting Mamallapuram were also mesmerized by the dance festival.

Recognized heritage attractions (ASI recognized,

38%
UNESCO recognized etc.)

Cultural experiences (traditional arts, music, dance,

25%
festivals, etc.)

Local cuisine and dining experiences 18%

Warm and friendly locals 10%

Safety and security 9%

Challenges faced by Tourists visiting Mamallapuram

Respondents have mentioned it difficult to tolerate the extreme warm temperature of the
place, and hence building shades in areas where tourists need to walk will help to bear the
heat.
Apart from the weather, people have also pointed out that a better transport system and
more F&B options would create a more enjoyable travel experience.
In order to enhance the travel experience in Mamallapuram, respondents have
mentioned the need for…

Cleaner Need of Increase in Overall cleanliness Presence

beaches and shades to tourist with more trash of a few
water sports tolerate the activities cans placed in wellness
activities scorching heat tourist areas centres

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7 Destination Visioning and Key Objectives

7.1 Vision Statement

Mamallapuram’s vision as a tourism destination is derived from its unique historical heritage
significance and the states’ commitment to enable sustainable and responsible tourism
development.

" To enable Mamallapuram to realize its full potential as a world-famous global heritage
destination, by showcasing its unique tangible and intangible heritage while empowering
and actively involving the local community in shaping their wellbeing through the growth and
development of the destination"

7.2 Key objectives of destination development

In addition to enabling development of Mamallapuram as a world class destination, tourism
development will be crucial to uplift the socio-economic scenario of the town. The development
will be planned with conservation as a driving theme to maintain and enhance the vista of the
destination.
Based on the key gaps identified, following objectives have been identified for holistic
development of the destination and achievement of the destination vision:
1. Increase the length of stay of tourists through enhanced experiences/ activities in existing
products and development of new products
2. Establish Mamallapuram as a world class heritage destination through dedicated
marketing efforts to complement the destination offerings
3. Rejuvenation of the destination and its urban façade through continued conservation efforts
and long-term preservation of Mamallapuram’s heritage
4. Improve impact of tourism on the local economy and communities through increased
engagement of communities across the tourism value chain

7.3 Proposed framework for holistic destination development

To achieve the objectives and realize the vision for Mamallapuram, a holistic destination
development approach will be crucial. While select products/ themes will establish the
perception and offerings of the destination, many enablers ranging from hard interventions like
infrastructure development to softer activation through marketing, ICT etc. will play an equally
significant role in providing access to the many travellers across the globe.
The approach to understanding the key components for framing the development strategy will
be based on the following framework.

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KEY
PRODUCTS/
THEMES

Destination Vision

Infrastructure Skilling and

Branding and Use of
creation and Community
marketing technology
maintenance Engagement

Policy
Institution and governance

Interventions for holistic

destination development

7.4 Key products/ themes for the destination

Based on as-is assessment and stakeholder consultations four key themes/ products have
been identified for Mamallapuram – heritage, MICE, and beach. The following sections
summarize the offerings and potential of each of these themes/ products, followed by a brief
assessment of the key impediments to their growth.

7.4.1 Heritage tourism

While almost all the travellers coming to Mamallapuram visit the beach, the primary attraction
of this destination is its strong heritage offering a glimpse into the past. Named after the Pallava
King Narasimhavarman I, who was also known as Mamalla in the 7th century CE,
Mamallapuram was one of the two major port cities of the Pallava Dynasty (275 CE to 897 CE)
and plays host to multiple historic monuments dating to the
7th and 8th centuries, including a UNESCO World Heritage
site (Group of Monuments in Mahabalipuram) comprising of
Rathas (temples in the form of chariots), Mandapas (cave
sanctuaries), the giant open-air rock relief the Descent of the
Ganges, and the Shore Temple.
Beyond the architectural magnificence, Mamallapuram is
also steeped in intangible heritage in form of stone sculpting
art of the locals. The Google Arts and Culture describes

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Mamallapuram as “Sculpture by the Sea”, which rightly captures the essence of the destination
of sculptural marvels not just of the past but also of the present.
Conservation efforts at heritage sites of Mamallapuram can be enhanced further.
The urban façade of the town, especially streets connecting the key destinations, lack
character resonating with the heritage of the town
While traveling, a tourist encounters not just the attraction but also its vicinity. Ensuring the
vicinity adds to the experience of the tourist too can help create a memorable experience for
them. Mamallapuram internal streets/ ogres like East Raja street, Mada koil street, West Raja
street, Five Raths Street and GMK streets, Othavadai street, Tirukkalukkundram road currently
carry visitors to major attractions including both heritage sites as well as beaches.
The Five Rathas Street is wide and has been beautified through pavements and artwork on
the boundary walls. However, most of the other streets require widening, removal of
encroachments, and beautification to encompass the character of the destination. The figure
below shows the major internal roads/ streets of the Mamallapuram.

East Raja Street

Mada Koli Street

Temples and
Rathas Tirukkalukkundram Street

Cluster of
attractions

GKM Street
Short Temple &
Mahabalipuram Beach Othavadai Street

Five Rathas

Five Rathas Street

Use of arts and culture has been explored not just to preserve the intangible cultural heritage
of a place but also to tell stories of the place in an innovative and capturing manner. Many
UNESCO recognized heritage destinations have also implemented the same either in the form
of street graffities of modern and expressive artforms to social artforms etc.

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For instance – Streets of Penang feature interesting

artworks giving a glimpse into the local culture and the
way of life of the locals. This has been very famous with
the tourists and has not been equivalent to
representation of Penang on global media.
Between beautification, making the town walkable
(through clean wide pavements) helps not just help the
tourists experience slow travel but also reduce
congestion of roads which currently is a major challenge
faced by Mamallapuram.
Penang Street Art
Engagement of communities have worked well for
improving streets of a place. This also instils a sense of
pride in them and ensure they also contribute of maintenance of the streets. Following is an
example of Government of Meghalaya empowering communities for beautification and

Department of Tourism, Government of Meghalaya empowered community level

institutions to take on community beautification and enhancement activities and projects
in their respective localities and durbars through a competition amongst localities. The
pilot phase of the competition was introduced to the localities of Shillong, East Khasi Hills
District, Tura, West Garo Hills District and Jowai, West Jaintia Hills District.
The objectives of the program included:
• To rejuvenate and beautify towns and localities of Meghalaya
• To release catalytical grants to localities to undertake painting works such as (but
not limited to) painting of compound walls, white washing works, repair of publicly
visible walls and surfaces, painting of house exterior walls, undertaking street art
etc.
• To enhance and drive tourism experience in urban areas of Meghalaya
• To empower community institutions and instil a sense of civic pride

enhancement activities.

Storytelling through creating clusters and walks to engage travellers will offer authentic
experiences to the tourists
Travellers today look to travel slow while adequately learning the stories of the destination.
Offering experiential products play a key role in engaging tourists, and ensuring connect with
the destination. Destinations have explored various ways of providing these experiences. For
instance – heritage walks are a tested way of sharing the history of a destination.
Mamallapuram has a few heritage tours organized by tour operators like 5 Senses Walks.
While the tour has good reviews on portals like TripAdvisor, there seems to be limited
awareness of these experiential products amongst tourists.

Heritage walk of Amritsar

Heritage walk of Amritsar offers a guided tour of the the narrow lanes and Bye lanes of
the 400-year-old city of Amritsar. The walk starts from the Town Hall and ending at the
iconic Golden Temple.

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Destinations also look at enriching visitors through storytelling. Specifically, local folklores and
forgotten histories have always been appreciated by travellers, domestic and foreign, alike as
it helps humanize the destination.

Storytelling by Kerala Tourism

Kerala state owned Bekal Resorts Development Corporation (BRDC) has started a
“Storytelling Tourism” initiative wherein unwritten historical and cultural tales behind
places will be documented, collated and retold to travelers. BRDC is collaborating with
experts, local communities, storytelling entrepreneurs to generate the content and
present it in form of dissertations which will be published in English and Malayalam. The
stories and anecdotes will be introduced to tourists through modern technologies.
This initiative will also help preserve the lores and histories of places

While Mamallapuram houses UNESCO recognized heritage sites, marketing efforts have
lacked at communicating the richness of its history to the enthusiasts
Mamallapuram’s positioning as a heritage destination on backdrop of a heritage town housing
immense intangible heritage is lacking owing to inconsistent branding across channels.

Brand identify of Mahabalipuram on Tamil Nadu Tourism Website – “The Shrine of Heritage”

Brand identify of Mahabalipuram on Google Arts and Culture (By ASI) – “Sculpture by the Sea”

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Brand identify of Mahabalipuram on Incredible India – “Seaport of Spirituality”

The intangible cultural heritage of the destination like stone carving is currently
showcased largely at local shops
The ancient tradition of stone carving lives in the lanes of Mamallapuram. Stefano Beccari, a
renowned Italian Sculptor, once envisioned Mamallapuram as a “one-stop destination for
many art lovers”. Today, many locals, a few of whom are third or fourth generation artists,
are engaged in sculpting. They are also involved in supplying sculptures to the neighbouring
cities/ towns.

Mamallapuram also has the Government College Of Architecture And Sculpture which offers
undergraduate degree courses like, B.Tech in Traditional Architecture, B.F.A in Traditional
Sculpture (Stone Sculpture, Sudhai Sculpture, Wood
Sculpture and Metal Sculpture) and B.F.A in Traditional
Drawing and Painting. Mamallapuram also houses a
Sculpture Musuem which showcases the Pallava dynasty's
remarkable architectural prowess and features a range of
sculptures and carvings that date back to the 7th and 8th
centuries. The Cholamandal Artists’ Village, an idyllic art
village, is situated ~35 kms from Mamallapuram which has
been established as a India’s self-supporting artists’ village.

Developing experiences and assets to showcase this facet of Mamallapuram can provide a
boost to the intangible heritage of Mamallapuram alongside the tangible heritage.

Art village of Pietrasanta (Little Athens of Italy)

Pietrasanta, Italy is well known as a village which was the crossroads for artists across
the globe. The villages’ marble working tradition is ages old. Many famous artists,
including Michelangelo, are known to have visited the village for inspiration. Many artists
have also donated their creations to the village making it an open air exhibition.
Tourists can explore arts and sculptures by walking around the village as well as
experience temporary art exhibits at major attractions in Pietrasanta. The Archaeological
Museum of Versilia, while small, exhibits many interesting artifacts. Bozzetti Museum of
Sculptures offers an open air tour between more than 600 sketches, models, and
drawings of sculptures. The museum also offers activities for children with educational
workshops where they can create works and feel like little artists.

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7.4.2 MICE tourism

Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing and Exhibitions (MICE) Tourism typically tends to be

season agnostic with higher spend and length of stay. With Mamallapuram’s strategic
presence (proximal to Chennai and well connected to neighbouring IT hubs like Bengaluru,
Hyderabad) and existing presence of MICE assets, it has the potential to develop MICE as a
key product. The objective of promoting MICE tourism is two-fold – complementing the heritage
tourism segment by enabling diverse footfall (business travellers) and increasing average
length of stay at the destination
As per a MICE study carried by Ministry of Tourism in 2019, the MICE market of India is sized
at INR 37,576 crore, 60 percent of which is attributable to Meetings, Incentives and
Conferences. Further, with the rise of middle class and increase in disposable income,
destination weddings have seen a massive growth in India. A 2017 report by FICCI had
estimated the then destination wedding industry of INR 23,000 crore to grow to INR 45,000
crore by the end of 2020.7 Over the last few years, people have been luxury resorts and small
venues along the East Coast Road for their weddings, owing to their good connectivity as well
as picturesque surroundings allowing families to make memories with beach weddings.
Chennai, the East Coast Road
(ECR), and Mamallapuram already
has significant presence of MICE
events. Mamallapuram and its
vicinity has many properties, like Taj
Fisherman’s Cove, Radisson Blu
Temple Bay, Intercontinental, Four
Points by Sheraton, Sheraton Grand
catering to the luxury MICE &
destination wedding market.

G20 event in Mamallapuram

Consistent marketing of the destination as a MICE hub is critical to establish recall as

well as manage reputation
While the private sector plays a key role in enabling MICE tourism in any destination, the
government has a significant role to play in form of marketing efforts. Currently, Tamil Nadu or
any specific destinations in the state lack focused marketing for attracting MICE events in the
state.
A MICE tourism focused marketing plan can enable the Department of Tourism in not just
promoting the state but also Mamallapuram specifically. Further, with MICE tourism focussing
majorly on businesses and business travellers, easy availability of information can play a major
role in selling a destination.

7 Wedding Tourism Destination India, May 2017, FICCI

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Singapore’s focus on MICE tourism

Singapore has established itself as a major MICE destination through concentrated

efforts ranging from initiatives, EoDB, marketing, access to information etc.
The Visit Singapore official website features all information required for planning of a
MICE event and also allows a planner to reach out to them with specific queries. In
addition to venue related information, the curated team building activities offered benefits
both parties by providing easy ideas to engage employees and increase visitation to key
tourist destinations. Singapore Tourism Board has been dedicatedly marketing MICE
tourism through various channels, as can be seen below

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MoUs with countries/ major event organizers/ associations have been explored to
promote MICE Tourism
Countries and states have partnered with other counties, organizers, and associations to
promote MICE tourism in their respective destinations. The collaborations range from
promoting the destinations for inbound MICE events, to research and education.
Government of Tamil Nadu can evaluate undertaking such collaborations with various
categories of entities – foreign governments, state governments, associations, event
organizers – for promotion of Mamallapuram and other MICE destinations in the state.

Malaysia’s partnerships for design, research and education, and food security to
enhance Malaysia's business events credentials
Malaysia has signed an MoU with Asian Federation of Exhibition and Convention
Associations (AFECA) for collaboration across topics including research and
education.
Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre and ABS Greentech have signed an
MoU to focus on food security through organizing conferences on sustainable
agriculture for the communities, and encouraging and promoting pesticide-free food
products, to help retain nutritional content.

Singapore’s partnerships to broaden MICE footprint in Singapore

STB, together with leading tradeshow organiser Informa Markets, Constellar Venues,
PICO World (Singapore), Cityneon Holdings, Kingsmen Exhibits and the Singapore
Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS), have come
together to sign the Global MICE Sustainability Alliance. The Alliance will explore new
solutions for green events and leverage its global expertise in sustainable event planning.
STB has signed an MoU with Italian Exhibition Group (IEG), a leading exhibition
organiser to expand the Italy-based company’s business in Southeast Asia. Under the
partnership, IEG and STB will explore ways to develop and anchor events in
Singapore and Southeast Asia
STB has signed an MoU with Comexposium to grow existing shows such as Milipol
Asia-Pacific, and launch two anchor events – SILMO Singapore, and Vinexpo Asia.

Kerala’s partnership with Government of Japan

Kerala has sought the support of the Japanese government in turning Kerala into a MICE
destination for chief executive officers (CEOs) of prominent companies in Japan and
those based in India

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India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) has state chapters to promote MICE
tourism
ICPB has states chapters with Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Kerala to promote specific
destinations. For instance - ICPB has entered into a tripartite agreement with a few
agencies (like AIDS Society of India; India Endodontics Society; and National HRD) to
host their future conferences in Khajuraho.

A world class MICE Facility, including a convention centre, is an important

infrastructure to facilitate MICE tourism in a destination
While Mamallapuram and the ECR already has a good presence of business hotels with
meeting rooms and convention facilities, a world class MICE centre with a large capacity
convention centre will play a key role in putting the destination on MICE map of the country.
The National Strategy for MICE tourism (2022) also proposes that “The State governments
must ensure that any City to be positioned as MICE destination shall have at least one good
international level convention centre apart from Hotels, which may also offer convention and
meeting space and accommodation.”
Currently a convention centre is being developed in the TTDC property at Mamallapuram for
a budget of INR 20 crore.
Development of a MICE centre with required facilities (including commercial components like
shopping, cinemas, entertainment options etc.), in an attractive location (like close to other
attractions – Shore Temple/ Mahabalipuram Beach) must be explored. The MICE centre can
be developed through PPP, based on its feasibility through adequate risk sharing mechanism.

7.4.3 Beach tourism

Mamallapuram enjoys a coastline along its

East side in entirety. While there are
multiple beaches (Mahabalipuram beach,
Ideal beach, Pallava beach, Palm beach)
along the coastline, only Mahabalipuram
beach is largely visited by tourists.
Mahabalipuram Beach sees the highest
footfall of visitors amongst the beaches in
Mamallapuram. The view of Shore Temple
from the beach also adds to the
experience.
As seen in the image here, the land
between the beach and the Shore Temple
needs improvement in terms of
cleanliness and sanitation. The beach also
suffers from a littering.
Mahabalipuram beach (South of the Shore
Temple) has ad hoc vendors operating on
the beach affecting the aesthetics of the
beach.

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North of Shore Temple, the beach (also known as Mahabalipuram Beach) is relatively cleaner.
This segment of the beach is next to a fishermen village. The coastline here features a few
restaurants.
Tourists engage in surfing activities in this section of the beach. However, the same is not
regulated.
As for the other beaches – Palm beach, Ideal beach, Pallava beach – are all next to private
properties/ TTDC property. These are seldom visited by general tourists and are mostly treated
as private beaches. These beaches are cleaner and better maintained. However, it must be
noted, that these beaches also be accessed by general public.
Since most of the coastline is rocky, there are limited adventure related activities in
Mamallapuram beaches. As discussed earlier, certain sections in the coast have already been
discovered by surfers. Moreover, Covelong or Kovalam, a quaint fishing village and an
erstwhile port town, ~20 kms from Mamallapuram beach, is not just steeped in history but also
a key surfing destination with an exposed beach break that has consistent surf.
Surfing trainers like Surfturf, Mumu Surf School etc. are already operating in Mamallapuram.
The annual Covelong Point Surf, Music and Yoga Festival, started in 2013, is a regular fixture
in India’ surfing community map, and also attracts families and tourists for activities beyond
surfing, like food and music.
Decongesting Mamallapuram beach through promoting the other beaches can improve
the quality of experience of travellers
Developing the coastline/ sections of the coastline through promenade development and
landscaping can provide a nice view of the beach while walking along the coast to enjoy the
beauty of the coast. Since many of the beaches abut private resorts/ hotels, collaborating with
these properties can be explored for improving sections of the coast.
Further, Government of Tamil Nadu has proposed beautification of beaches between Marina
Beach and Kovalam Beach for a budget of INR 100 crore. Extension of the same to
Mahabalipuram Beach can be assessed to improve the beach front in Mamallapuram.
Blue flag tags have proven to attract sustainability focused travellers
Blue flag beaches have seen prominence across states in India. Tamil Nadu also has a beach
with blue flag tag at Kovalam. The blue flag tag is accorded on meeting a set of criteria largely
aligned to sustainability. The 33 criteria are divided into four main areas comprising
environmental education and information, water quality, environmental management, and
safety and services.
The blue flag tag acts as a recognition which has been proven to attract more tourists. The
evaluation of the impact of the 8 blue flag beaches included increase in footfall for recreation
activities by approx. 80% leading to economic development.8
In 2020, Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change announced that they aim to
develop and deliver 100 more blue flag beaches in the next 5 years9.
Developing a section of the coastline to meet the blue flag criteria and obtain the certification
can help promote beaches beyond the Mahabalipuram beach. This will also contribute to
sustainability of the destination.

8 Press Information Bureau

9 Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, Annual Report, 2020-21

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Policy development can be explored to manage unorganized vendors/ shacks at the

beaches
To regulate current vendors and shacks at Mamallapuram beach and promote setting up of
establishments on other beaches, Government of Tamil Nadu may evaluate formulating a
beach shack policy in line with similar policies of other states.

Goa Tourism Shack Policy

Applicable For: Erection of temporary seasonal structures, beach shacks, deck beds,
Umbrellas, huts, and other structures
Permission Validity: 1 year (1st Sep 2022-31st May 2023), No sub-letting allowed
Permission Grant: Based on draw of lots
Further Permissions required: From Departments such as Excise, Health, Food & Drugs
Administration, Electricity, Fire Services and other concerned authorities as may be
applicable. Fee: Based on Beach Category and Services to be paid annually
Location of Shack: As per allotted license and demarcated area in the site plan
Vigilance of compliance: Geotagging of the shacks to mark their positions. The Tourist
Police, the Tourist wardens, the Supervisors and flying squad appointed for vigilance. In
case of default – seizure of security deposit, penalties or even suspension of license /
blacklisting.
Activities Permitted: sale of food items and beverages (license to be obtained from
Department of Food & Drugs Administration and Excise.)
Timings: 7:00 am till 11:00 am (no loud music after 10:00 pm allowed)
Structure of the shacks: erected out of eco-friendly materials or other modern materials
Other requirements: Compulsory installation of portable toilets as per the criteria, display
of food & other items with rate cards, installation of CCTVs, etc.

Developing a promotion strategy for surfing can enable a new experience in

Mamallapuram
While surfing activities are currently being
undertaken at Mamallapuram beach, Kovalam
is the major surfing destination in the vicinity.
Kovalam also hosts the Annual Surfing Festival
attracting surfers from across the globe.
Surfing and windsurfing are the major activities
available at both Kovalam and Mahabalipuram.
Marketing Mamallapuram as a surfing
destination can help attracting adventure
seekers. The surfers also tend to stay longer
thus increasing the average length of stay.
Consultations with experts including Surfing Federation of India will be undertaken to further
assess the potential of development of surfing tourism in Mamallapuram.

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Engaging academic institutions, communities, private sector for maintaining the quality
of beaches can be explored
Countries across the globe have leveraged communities and academic institutions for
maintaining their beaches. This also enables a sense of pride in the local communities resulting
in lesser litter over time.
Mamallapuram can run a “Adopt a Beach” program to partner with private sector/ NGOs/
academic institutions to maintain the beaches in the destination.

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8 Proposed initiatives and interventions

8.1 Spatial Planning & Hard Interventions

Figure 8-1: Proposed Master Plan for Mamallapuram

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Table 8-1: List of Proposed Hard Interventions

Primary Attraction
• Development of Tourist Plaza & Parking
Tourist Plaza near Shore • Streetscape improvement
Temple • Interpretation Centre/Digital Gallery
• Lighting & illumination

• Tourist amenities like drinking water, kiosk, etc

Arjuna's Penance and
• Rejuvenation of Koneri Tank
Butter Ball Complex
• Streetscaping

• Tourist amenities like drinking water, kiosk & shade canopy

Panch (Five) Rathas
improvement and lighting
Complex
• Parking improvement

• Illumination of beach, night tourism,

Improvement at • Improvement of access ways, shacks and commercial
Mamallapuram Beach activities,
• Water sports, adventure sports, Jetski.
Secondary Attractions
Heritage Plaza at Old Develop area as Heritage Square with flag posts, lighting,
Bus Stand street vending etc.
PAN Destination
Streetscaping Signages, color coding indicating the directions
PBS scheme connecting all the iconic sites. Canopy, lighting
Public Bike Sharing
and basic amenities at stops
Development of Hop-on/Hop-off Bus Service from New Bus
Hop-on/ Hop-off E-Bus Terminal. Connecting proposed bus stand to the tourist
from New Bus Terminal destinations. Bus stops within walking distance of the tourist
locations.
Solid Waste Solid Waste Management Plan for Areas around the Heritage
Management Monuments to be integrated with MNTDA.

8.2 Soft Interventions

8.2.1 Digital Interventions

• WhatsApp Chatbot for Travel and Tourism for Mamallapuram. This chatbot consists of all
the information related to Destinations, Tours, Art and Culture, Ecotourism, Festivals,
Wedding Destinations and Accommodations. It will be be a Digital travel guide for the
tourists.
• Responsive Crowd Management Solution for Nilgiris - The responsive crowd management
programme will make it possible to actively track and react to the actions and behaviors of
crowds in crowded areas of Mamallapuram. With increase I tourism footfall, it will be
necessary to better control crowd movements to meet this goal. In order to count the
number of people at a specific time and place, this initiative will use digital technologies
like video analytics, facial recognition, AI, and others. This will give decision-makers and
administrators the necessary tools and actionable insights to improve crowd safety and
security and better manage city resources and people movements around.

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• Digital Platform for Connecting City Residents with Tourists “Rozgar Mamallapuram” -
Rozgar Mamallapuram is a digital engagement platform that allows city residents to interact
with visitors by offering them potential key services. As Mamallapuram city is known for its
hospitality and Food, this initiative aims to harness these qualities through a platform.
Building a new economic channel, residents can offer a wide scope of services ranging
from accommodation, food, tours, sports and wellness events, and even souvenirs with the
list of services continuously expanding. Besides enabling visitors to create deeper
connection with the city, this platform can also boost and grow the economy in
Mamallapuram, due to the additional commercial aspects it will offer its residents vis-a-vis
the visitors using the app.
• Setting up of Prayatak Seva Kendrs in partnership with CSC SPV at Arjuna’s Penance.
• Preparation of detailed action plan for short term, medium term, and long-term duration for
the implementation of the proposed interventions

8.2.2 Employment, Skilling and Community Engagement

Following is the framework used for developing the strategic action plan
• Mapping skilling opportunities: Map short-term, long-term and RPL (recognition of prior
learning) courses in line with courses offered by NSDC in the Tourism and Hospitality
sector.
• Capacity Building: Undertake skilling of job roles required in the destination along with
upskilling or providing refreshers to workforce already involved in the location. Some of
the categories of persons for capacity building are:
- Taxi drives, Auto Drivers, cleaners, cooks
- Tourist touch points and service
- Street Food Vendors for food safety and hygiene practices
- Artists for promotion of art, branding, packing and shipping
- Youth and community members
- Tour guides
• Liaising and partnering with National level training partners and Institutions for
conducting trainings
• Support in implementation of action plan
Based on the above framework an action plan is proposed below which will evolve through the
iterations of the Master Plan.
Table 8-2: Action Plan for Commnity Training Programs

Community Training Programs

S.No Training Program Tentative Possible Beneficiaries

Duration

1 Soft Skills - Front office 14 days Local Community

Roles

2 Soft skills - Bus 6 days Taxi Drivers, Auto Drivers, Bus

conductors, Drivers conductors & Drivers

3 Soft Skills - Tourism 2 days Tour operators, Tourist guides, tourist

Sector officers

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4 French Language 45 days Tour operators, Tourist guides, tourist

officers

6 English Language 30 days Tour operators, Tourist guides, tourist

officers

7 Tourist Guide 30 days Youth, Community, Professional &

Students

8 Jewellery and souvenir 45 days Local Community

making (Shells, pearls)

9 Lifeguard at the beach 4 days Local Community

10 Waste Disposal 7 days Local Community

11 Housekeeping 4 days Local Community

12 F&B Service 15 days Local Community

13 Adventure Travel guide 15 days Local Community

14 Safety and Hygiene 5 days Street Food Vendors

15 Branding, Packaging and 5 days Local community Artists, Local Youth

Marketing

8.2.3 Branding, Marketing and Promotion

Mamallapuram needs to plan its marketing strategy around addressing these challenges and
position itself as a captivating destination that seamlessly blends history, culture, and natural
beauty. There needs to be constant effort to enhance visitor engagement, encourage repeat
visitation, and contribute to the sustainable development of the site while preserving its
invaluable heritage for future generations.
Utilizing all media, the messaging needs to be consistent with positioning Mamallapuram as a
contemporary destination that is a World Heritage site.

Mamallapuram, is a historic town in Tamil Nadu, India, renowned for its ancient rock-cut
temples, monuments, and sculptures. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and attracts
visitors from around the world. The themes around which Mahabalipuram can be promoted
include:

1. Heritage and History: Mahabalipuram is known for its rich heritage and historical
significance. The town boasts remarkable monuments dating back to the 7th and 8th
centuries, including the famous Shore Temple, Arjuna's Penance, Pancha Rathas, and
the Varaha Cave Temple. Mamallapuram is renowned for its magnificent rock-cut
architecture. The intricate carvings and sculptures on the temples and caves showcase
the exceptional craftsmanship of the Pallava dynasty that attract not only heritage and
culture enthusiasts but also architectural experts and history buffs.

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2. Beach Tourism: Mahabalipuram is located along the Coromandel Coast, offering scenic
beaches and breathtaking views of the Bay of Bengal. The golden sandy shores and the
serene atmosphere make it an ideal destination for beach lovers. The promotion can
emphasize the tranquil beaches, water sports activities, and seaside resorts available in
Mahabalipuram.
3. MICE Destination: Mahabalipuram, is not only a popular tourist destination but also has
the potential to serve as an excellent MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and
Exhibitions) destination. Hotels all along ECR have a range of modern conference and
convention centers, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and amenities. These venues
can accommodate various sizes of gatherings, from small meetings and workshops to
large-scale conferences and exhibitions.

The strategy for destination marketing and branding has been discussed below in 3 key
sections – branding through creating a visual identity for Mamallapuram, marketing &
promotion through the right messaging to the right channels, and continuous engagement
with visitors to collect feedback and manage grievances.

Branding strategy for Marketing and promotion Engaging with the

Mamallapuram strategy customer

Branding strategy Visual Identity of Mamallapuram’s brand

Creating a visually captivating and memorable brand identity for Mamallapuram, including a
distinct logo, color palette, and design elements that reflect its rich history and artistry will
help providing a unique identity to Mamallapuram.

The name ‘Mamallapuram’ brings the famed Shore temple in mind. The visual identity needs
to highlight the unique features and attractions of Mamallapuram, such as its UNESCO
World Heritage status, stone carvings, local culture, and scenic beaches. Crafting a clear and
compelling brand message that showcases the destination's charm and cultural significance
is essential. The Brand Logo shall need to be not just representing all that Mamallapuram
stands for, it also needs to be acceptable to all stakeholders.

A public contest for creating a logo for Mamallapuram can also be a good way of engaging
communities.

A Tagline binds the visual identity and provides a foundation for all communication. The
Mamallapuram Tagline shall follow the TN Tagline ‘Where stories never end’ . A few
probable taglines for Mamallapuram can be:

“Mamallapuram: Where Ancient Legends Come Alive”

“Mamallapuram: Where Stories Echo Through Time”

“Unveiling History: Mamallapuram's Eternal Tales”

“Mamallapuram: A Tapestry of Timeless Tales”

“The Living Chronicle: Mamallapuram's Everlasting Narratives”

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Marketing & Promotion – Right communications through the right channels

By incorporating traditional media, industry collaborations, and digital media strategies,

Mamallapuram can create a comprehensive marketing plan that reaches a wide audience
through various channels. This integrated approach ensures maximum visibility, engagement,
and awareness about Mamallapuram as a must-visit cultural and historical destination.

The marketing activities shall encompass both the business partners from the Tourism
industry as well as the final stakeholder, the Tourist himself into this process

Targeting the Tourism Industry Stakeholders (B to B)

The tourism industry constitutes multiple stakeholders, most important of them being
the tour operators, travel agents and other people generating their livelihoods out of
tourism. Promotion plan of Mamallapuram to tourism industry stakeholders includes:

• Collaborating with travel agencies and operators, providing comprehensive information

and attractive tour packages.
• Organizing familiarization (FAM) tours to showcase key attractions and build confidence
in promoting Mamallapuram.
• Hosting industry events and workshops for networking and partnerships.
• Participating in trade fairs and exhibitions, showcasing Mamallapuram's essence.
• Forging partnerships with local businesses, hotels, restaurants, and tour operators is
essential. By creating enticing travel packages and offers that include Mamallapuram shall
lead to cross-promoting each other's offerings and leverage their customer base to
increase awareness and visitation.
• Engaging the local community to offer authentic cultural experiences.
• Providing educational resources like destination guides and brochures. By undertaking
these actions, we aim to effectively promote Mamallapuram and drive tourism growth.
• Creating a year-long calendar of events to generate interest and pull in visitors

The table below summarizes the proposed events calendar for Mamallapuram.
Table 8-3: Proposed Events Calender for Mamallapuram

Month Event

January Mahabalipuram Dance Festival: Enjoy a month-

long festival showcasing classical dance
performances against the backdrop of ancient
temples.

February Sculpture Symposium: Witness renowned

sculptors from around the world creating stunning
sculptures in an open-air symposium.

March Heritage Walk: Join a guided heritage walk

through Mahabalipuram's historic sites, learning

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Month Event

about their architectural significance and cultural

importance.

FAM- Tour operators, International & National

April Shore Temple Music Festival: Experience

mesmerizing classical music concerts held in the
enchanting ambiance of the Shore Temple

May Story cum glamping fest on the lines of lit fest

June Yoga Retreat: Indulge in a rejuvenating yoga

retreat, combining meditation, wellness sessions,
and beachside yoga sessions.

FAM Bloggers, National & international

July Photography Workshop: Participate in a

photography workshop where professionals guide
you to capture the beauty of Mahabalipuram's
architecture and landscapes.

August Tamil Nadu Tourism Festival: Immerse yourself

in a vibrant celebration of Tamil culture, featuring
traditional music, dance, and food.

September Coastal Cleanup Drive: Join a community-driven

initiative to clean and preserve the beaches of
Mahabalipuram, contributing to environmental
conservation.

October Food Festival: Indulge in a gastronomic

extravaganza, savoring a diverse range of local
delicacies and international cuisines at a food
festival.

International Kite Festival

November Stone Carving Workshop: Learn the ancient art

of stone carving from skilled artisans, creating your
own masterpiece to take home as a souvenir.

December Beach Volleyball Tournament: Cheer on teams

competing in an exciting beach volleyball
tournament, showcasing athleticism and
sportsmanship.

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Month Event

Mahabalipuram Dance Festival: Enjoy a month-

long festival showcasing classical dance
performances against the backdrop of ancient
temples

Targeting the Visitor (B to C)

Tourism has traditionally been a sector, where government markets their destinations
through tour operators and other travel business. However, with the advent of the internet
and the growing millennial and Gen Z population, the importance of engaging with the
potential travellers directly has grown significantly, making it akin to a segment requiring
extensive customer marketing.

Below are a few approaches proposed for direct marketing to the potential travelers:

• Online Presence: Developing an informative and user-friendly official website for

Mamallapuram is crucial. Optimizing the website for search engines will improve visibility.
Utilizing search engine marketing (SEM) techniques, such as pay-per-click advertising,
will help drive targeted traffic.
• Social Media Marketing: Establishing an active presence on popular social media
platforms is vital. Sharing captivating visuals, engaging content, and user-generated
content will help generate interest. Regularly interacting with followers, promptly
responding to inquiries, and encouraging social sharing of Mamallapuram experiences
are essential.
• Influencer Partnerships: Collaborating with travel influencers, bloggers, and vloggers
will allow us to showcase Mamallapuram to a wider audience. Inviting them to experience
the destination and share their experiences through their platforms will help leverage their
reach and influence.
• Content Marketing: Producing high-quality and informative content that highlights the
history, culture, art, and architecture of Mamallapuram is key. Publishing engaging blog
posts, articles, and videos on the official website, collaborating with travel publications,
and actively engaging with online travel communities will help amplify the reach of our
content.
• Print and Media Advertising: Advertising in travel magazines, newspapers, and other
relevant print media outlets will allow us to reach a broader audience. Utilizing radio,
television, and outdoor advertising will help showcase the allure of Mamallapuram.
Consistent messaging and visually appealing creatives are necessary.

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Engagement with
customers - Visitor feedback

Continuous monitoring of the performance of the marketing efforts, tracking key metrics, and
adapting our strategy accordingly are essential to ensure successful promotion of
Mamallapuram. By refining its branding, marketing, and promotional activities, it is possible to
position Mamallapuram as a captivating destination for visitors to explore.

Following methods may be adopted for continuous engagement with customers

• Online Reviews: Actively encouraging visitors to leave reviews and testimonials on

various online platforms, such as TripAdvisor, Google Reviews, and social media channels,
is essential. Promptly responding to reviews, addressing concerns, and expressing
gratitude for positive feedback are important steps
• Visitor Surveys: Conducting regular visitor surveys will provide valuable insights into their
experiences in Mamallapuram. Using this feedback, one can identify areas for
improvement and enhance the visitor experience
• Feedback Integration: Actively listening to visitor feedback and implementing their
suggestions to improve our offerings is crucial. Clearly communicating updates and
changes based on visitor feedback will demonstrate our commitment to visitor satisfaction

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9 Layout Plan

9.1 Proposed Heritage Plaza at Old Bus Stand

Figure 9-1: Existing Setting of Old Bus Stand at Mamallapuram

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Figure 9-2: Existing Setting of Old Bus Stand at Mamallapuram

ntr to emple
a a treet

en in Kios s oo etail Kios s

axi uto op on op o
Bus tan

ubli ea n rea

a a treet

Figure 9-3: Conceptual Zoning & Scheme for Proposed Heritage Plaza at Old Bus Stand

9 Layout Plan
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Figure 9-4: Illustrations for Proposed Heritage Plaza at Old Bus Stand

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9.2 Proposed Tourist Plaza near Shore Temple

Figure 9-5: Existing setting of Proposed Tourist Plaza near Shore Temple

Figure 9-6: Conceptual Zoning of Proposed Tourist Plaza near Shore Temple

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Figure 9-7: Conceptual Scheme of Proposed Tourist Plaza near Shore Temple

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Figure 9-8: Illustrations of Entrance Gate & Kiosks at proposed Tourist Plaza near Shore
Temple

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Figure 9-9: Illustrations of Landscape areas with Mandapams/Gazebos at proposed

Tourist Plaza near Shore Temple

10 Integration with PM Gati Shakti

Once the Confirmation on the Study area & the proposed interventions is received, the same
will be integrated with PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan for synchronized planning and
implementation.

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11 Summary of Proposed Projects

Table 11-1: Summary of Proposed Interventions

Sn Project title/ Details Built-up Project Cost Repair & Implementation Short-Term Project Package
Interventions Area (BUA)/ Maintenance Timeline Funding Type No.
(Major Features) (INR Lakh) (0-2 yr) /
quantity/ Cost for first 3 (Central/State/
(in months) Medium Term
Length Yrs (INR Lakh)
(2-5 yr) / PPP)
Long Term
(5-10yr)

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (10) (11)

1. Primary Attraction

1.1 Project 1 Tourist Plaza near 4 Acre 1866 280 24 Short Term Central 1
Shore Temple

1.2 Project 2 Public Amenities at - 364 55 12 Short Term Central

Hillock Monuments
(Arjuna’s Penance,
Krishna’s Butterball,
etc.)

1.3 Project 3 Parking & Public - 182 27 6 Short Term Central

Amenities near
Panch Rathas

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Sn Project title/ Details Built-up Project Cost Repair & Implementation Short-Term Project Package
Interventions Area (BUA)/ Maintenance Timeline Funding Type No.
(Major Features) (INR Lakh) (0-2 yr) /
quantity/ Cost for first 3 (Central/State/
(in months) Medium Term
Length Yrs (INR Lakh)
(2-5 yr) / PPP)
Long Term
(5-10yr)

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (10) (11)

1.4 Project 4 Improvement at - 200 30 6 Short Term Central

Mamallapuram
Beach

Sub-Total of Cost 2612 392

2. Secondary Attraction 1

2.1 Project 1 Heritage Plaza at 0.25 Acre 326 49 12 Short Term Central 2
Old Bus Stand

Sub-Total of Cost 326 49

3. PAN Destination

4.1 Project 1 Streetscaping 100 15 6 Short Term Central 3

4.2 Project 2 Public Bike Sharing 50 7.5 6 Short Term Central 4

Sub-Total of Cost 150 22.5

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Sn Project title/ Details Built-up Project Cost Repair & Implementation Short-Term Project Package
Interventions Area (BUA)/ Maintenance Timeline Funding Type No.
(Major Features) (INR Lakh) (0-2 yr) /
quantity/ Cost for first 3 (Central/State/
(in months) Medium Term
Length Yrs (INR Lakh)
(2-5 yr) / PPP)
Long Term
(5-10yr)

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (10) (11)

Add: Professional, Administrative and Office 154 23

Expenses (5%)

TOTAL 3242 486

Grand Total 3728

Note: The Procurement of E-Bus (Hop-on/Hop-off) can also be considered subject to confirmation of the SIA & MoT.

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12 Tourist Carrying Capacity of Destination

Assessing carrying capacity of a destination is critical for sustainable planning of a destination
and regulating and managing tourists. Physical Carrying Capacity (PCC) is defined as the
“maximum number of tourists that can visit from a specific destination during a given time”.
Following table below summarizes the key attractions in Mamallapuram:
Mamallapuram
Number of
Area (sq. Time
Sl permissible
Site m) Spent (in
No. daily visits
[A] hrs)
[Rf]
1 The Shore Temple 38,670 2 5
A ’ ’ V C
2 Temple, Mahabalipuram Light House, 129,440 3 3
Mahishasurmardini Cave
3 Panch Rathas including Car Parking 25,600 2 5
5 Mamallapuram Beach 26,000 2 5
6 India Seashell Museum 6,000 2 5
Madras Crocodile Bank Trust and Centre for
7 35,000 3 3
Herpetology
The average time of place availability for each of these attractions is assumed to be 10 hrs, as
they are seldom visited at night time.
The optimum space for each tourist (V/a) will be estimated based on best practices and
learnings from discussions with relevant stakeholders. Subsequently, the carrying capacity of
each of these attractions, and hence the destination as a whole, will be calculated using the
following formula:
PCC = A × V/a × Rf
Where,
A is the area of the tourism zone (m2),
V/a is the amount of space every tourist needs to be able to move freely (tourists/m2) and,
Rf is the number of permissible daily visits to a tourism zone (dividing the time of place
availability by the average time of a visit) (unitless).

The carrying capacity analysis will be included in subsequent iterations of the master plan.
Also, further detailing related to KPI’s Target setting, Pre-feasibility of PPP Project, Operation
& maintenance Plan will be taken up based on confirmation of Project interventions.

Tourist Carrying Capacity of Destination

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13 Annexures

Annexure A

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Annexure B
In- Principle Approval for Selected Destination
(Approval by Central Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee)
The Data has been requested & is expected to be received shortly from Ministry of Tourism.

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Annexure C
Details of Stakeholder Consultation undertaken for Preparation of Destination Master Plan
a) Govt. of Tamil Nadu

Sn Consultation Details

1 Consultation-1 Date & Time: 31-03-2023 06.20 pm

Dr. Chandra Mohan. B. Venue:- Chamber of Principal Secretary, Secretariate,
(IAS), Principal Secretary Chennai
to Government, Tourism,
Agenda: Initial Meeting for PDMC Tourism in Tamil Nadu
Culture and Religious
Endowments Department Outcomes of the consultation:
(Initial Meeting for PDMC • Adjacent to Shore temples, 35-40 acre plot is
Tourism in Tamil Nadu) available (presently having some encroachment,
unorganised shops, etc.) to be developed
holistically as an entrance plaza with proper and all
facilities. Area is part of CRZ and consultants to
plan/propose accordingly.
• Proper and holistic mapping to be done for all the
tourist places, so as to capture all the sites/location
including the lesser known ones.
• Landscaping /Gardening to be enhance.
• Proposed plan of local town panchayat to be
collected and studied for proper inclusion.
• Traffic management and circulation is problem
which needs to be studied comprehensively and
suitable solutions to be proposed.
• Entry from NH is being planned and suitable
parking and amenities to be proposed.
• To map all the land banks available with different
departments. This to be done immediately so that
proposal planning will be easy and fast.
• Lesser known monuments to be conserve and
dovetailed along with the other trails to disperse
manage the tourist.
• Toilets to be improved,
• The Tourist experience needs to be improved for
international tourist.
• Challenge for the area is that, the town have grown
around the monuments. Because of the urban
sprawl the roads are narrow and leads to
congestion leading to hardship to tourist and locals.
• Explore solutions to decongest the core area, widen
roads wherever possible, provide heritage look and
feel, etc.
• Plan holistic entrance plaza.

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• Explore if Tiger Cane land (under HRMC) can be

taken up and proposed for suitable interventions.
• Provide enhanced tourist experience with better
illumination, better facilities, better experience and
feel.

2 Consultation-2 Date & Time: 20-05-2023

Thiru. Dr. K.Manivasan Venue: Chamber of Principal Secretary, Secretariate,
(IAS), Principal Secretary Chennai
to Government, Tourism,
Agenda: Work progress and outcome of site visits to
Culture and Religious
Mamallapuram
Endowments
Department. Outcomes of the consultation:
(Work Progress and • collect segregated tourist data to clearly assess
Outcome of site Visits) them further such as domestic and foreign tourists,
age group, gender, purpose etc. Further based on
these information proposal may be categorized
into Beach Tourism, Adventure tourism, Eco-
Tourism, etc.
• Land shall be used judiciously as it is scarce in the
destinations.
• Local community requirements shall be included in
improvement proposals.
• Half day tour packages can be planned as part of
proposals to encourage attractions in the
destinations.
• View point at Tiger Cave for Sunrise shall be
considered in proposal for Mamallapuram
destination.
• TTDC has plans to organize shows at Arjuna
Penance to reflect history & culture at
Mamallapuram destination.
• Occupancy of tourists at hotels in Mamallapuram
may be studied to assess the stay duration.
Purpose is to make destination attractive for
tourists to extend stay for 2-3 days.

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• Day tour from Chennai – Mamallapuram –

Puducherry is already operated by TTDC and may
be further evaluated for its integration with the
proposals.
• All lands of Government shall be mapped along
with ownership details. Improvement proposals
shall not be made considering lands that can be
acquired in future.
• Toilets are major issue in the destinations and the
issue has to be addressed.
• Existing amenities in destinations have to be
streamlined.

b) TTDC Officials

Sn Consultation Details

1 Consultation-1 Date & Time: May 24th to 31st , 2023

(For Destination Venue: Tourist Officer, TTDC Office, Mamallapuram
Assessment & identification
Agenda: Data collection
of issues, gaps &
opportunities) Outcomes of the consultation:
• Details regarding the existing water sports and beach
tourism are collected.
• The restrictions with respect to the beach and
Recreational tourism are mentioned by TTDC officials.
• Tourist footfall data for the years 2018 to 2022 are
collected.
• Peak tourist months for foreign tourists and domestic
tourists is identified.
• Data regarding the events conducted by TTDC for
tourism development like World tourism day and Yoga
day are collected.
• Major festivals are identified as Pongal, Magi Masam.
• Major yearly events like Dance festival are conducted
by TTDC.
• Special pongal events for foreign tourists is arranged
by TTDC during Pongal.

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2 Consultation-2 Date & Time: 06-06-2023 11.30 am

(For Review of Inception Venue:- TTDC Office, Chennai
report)
Agenda: Review of Inception Meeting
Outcomes of the consultation:
• Consultants are requested to collect details of all
ongoing /new project proposals from concerned
departments.
• Issues related to hard interventions have to be
addressed along with focus on soft interventions as
well.
• Focus shall be made on the destination sites to
develop infrastructure requirements based on
need.
• Entire ECR shall be considered for development as
MICE destination.
• Drop on & drop off facility, integrated shopping
complex, entrance plaza shall be developed as part
of master plan and TTDC shall provide 2-3 acres of
land near Shore temple.
• Smart/e-toilets shall be avoided and conventional
toilets shall be proposed along with O&M agencies.
• Meeting shall be conducted with ASI
Superintendent Mr. Kalimuthu to get the regulations
for development near ASI sites.
• Both CRZ & ASI regulations shall be considered,
and it shall be taken into account before next draft
masterplan is prepared.
• Interpretation centers can be suggested near to
major attractions to highlight the historical
importance and details about sites

.. Consultation-3 Date & Time: June 1st to 30th

(For Destination Venue: Tourist Officer, TTDC Office, Mamallapuram
Assessment & identification
Agenda: Destination Assessment, Data and Gap analysis
of issues, gaps &
opportunities) Outcomes of the consultation:
• Multiple consultations almost daily for data collection.
• Data related to existing accommodation facilities in
Mamallapuram along with the capacity is collected.
• Review of the tourism policy document of Tamil Nadu
for the year 2022-2023 is done with TO of
Mamallapuram.
• Consultations to conduct a DMC meeting with regards
to Mamallapuram.
• The DMC meeting was not scheduled due to the on
going G20 summit during June 15th to June 21st.

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• Identification of the revenue records for the vacant

Govt. lands in Mahabalipuram.
• Letter to the MRO office requesting the presence of
town surveyor for field verification of the vacant Govt.
lands has been sent.
• Data regarding the ongoing projects and proposed
projects with respect to the Iconic destination report,
prepared in 2020.

c) ASI officials

Sn Consultation Details

1 Consultation-1 Date & Time: June 12 2023

Mr. Kalimuthu, SA, ASI Venue: ASI Chennai Circle, Chennai
Chennai Circle
Agenda: Data collection
(For Destination
Outcomes of the consultation:
Assessment & identification
of issues, gaps & • Details regarding the existing ASI sites in
opportunities) Mahabalipuram.
• Overview of the acts and amendments to follow in ASI
sites and Heritage sites like AMASR act 1958 have
been discussed.
• Identification of Restricted zones and Prohibited zones
around ASI sites as per the acts.
• Data regarding the ongoing projects will be provided
with submission of request letter from consultants.

2 Consultation-2 Date & Time: 31-05-2023 11.30 am

Mr. Ismail JCA, ASI, Venue:- ASI Office, Mamallapuram
Mamallapuram
Agenda: Data collection and Gaps
(For Destination
Outcomes of the consultation:
Assessment & identification
of issues, gaps & • Regulations from the Ancient Monuments and
opportunities) Archaeological Sites and Remains Act (AMASR
act amended 2010) should be followed for the
development and constructions in Mahabalipuram
along with Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ).
• According to AMASR act 100 meters from the
compound of the ASI site is a prohibited zone.
• From 100 mtrs up to 300 mtrs the area comes
under regulated zone, for which a No Objection
Certificate (NOC) should be obtained from ASI.
• Recent renovation works like gardens, Path way
works and minor amenities were completed during
the G20 summit.

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• Tiger caves the Conservation work are in

progress.
• Drinking water facilities are proposed to be
updated in the Butter ball complex and Pancha
Rathas complex. The works are supposed to finish
in next one year.
• Sound and Light show at Arjuna’s Penance- DPR
is prepared and awaiting approval from authorities.
• Events like Heritage week (19th Nov- 25th Nov) and
Heritage Day (April 18th) are conducted by ASI.
This event is targeted towards the local students
of Archaeology.
• Local events like Masi Maham in the month of
March is celebrated, where temporary shelters are
prepared in the beach near shore temple.
Predominantly celebrated by locals of
Mamallapuram.
• Issues related to the encroachments of street
vendors in the ASI sites.
• Parking and last mile connectivity issues,
especially during peak months and events.
• Street lighting and CCTV are available sufficiently.

d) Town Panchayat

Sn Consultation Details

1 Consultation-1 Date & Time: 31-05-2023

Mr. Ravi, Manager at Venue: TP Office, Mamallapuram
Town Panchayath
Agenda: Data collection
Mamallapuram
Outcomes of the consultation:
(For Destination
Assessment & identification • One page report of the Town Panchayath is collected
of issues, gaps & from the office.
opportunities) • Detailed maps of the Town Panchayath area are
collected from the office.
• Details regarding the ongoing surveys under AMRUT
scheme for water supply from the Vayalur River.
• Municipal Water supply is from the bore wells.
• Daily water supply is 78 lpcd.

2 Consultation-2 Date & Time: 01-06-2023 and 02-06-2023

Mr. Ravi, Venue:- TP Office, Mamallapuram
Mr. Mahendra, JE, Agenda: Data collection
Mamallapuram TP
Outcomes of the consultation:
(For Destination
• Details of the parks under development/ developed
Assessment & identification
is collected.

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of issues, gaps & • Data regarding the ongoing projects under various
opportunities) schemes like NNT and NSMT are collected.
• Data regarding the projects in previous financial
year are collected.
• Road in ECR Salai- KG emerald 1st avenue is
proposed to be strengthened by paver blocks
under NNT scheme
• Old sculpture road Proposed to be strengthened
by Paver blocks under NSMT scheme
• MGR nagar, Mattu street is proposed to be
strengthened by CC roads under NSMT schemes.

3 Consultation-3 Date & Time: 04-06-2023

Mr. Ravi, Venue:- TP Office, Mamallapuram
Mr. Mahendra, JE, Agenda: Data collection
Mamallapuram TP
Outcomes of the consultation:
(For Destination • Maps related to water network, road network are
Assessment & identification collected.
of issues, gaps & • Delimitation map is collected.
opportunities) • Administrative map collected.

e) Revenue Department (VAO and Revenue Inspector)

Sn Consultation Details

1 Consultation-1 Date & Time: Multiple consultations between May 24th to

31st
Mr. Muthuswamy, VAO
Mamallapuram. Venue: VAO Office, Mamallapuram
(For Destination Agenda: Data collection
Assessment & identification
Outcomes of the consultation:
of issues, gaps &
opportunities) • Owner ship details of the existing Govt. lands in
Mamallapuram is collected.
• Data regarding survey numbers of existing structures
in the Govt. lands is collected from VAO.
• Data regarding the roads, water bodies and burial
grounds in the Govt land list is collected.
• Survey numbers of Dumping sites and resource
recovery park are collected.

2 Consultation-2 Date & Time: Multiple consultations in the month of June

Mr. Muthuswamy, VAO Venue:- VAO Office, Mamallapuram
Mamallapuram.
Agenda: Data collection
(For Destination
Outcomes of the consultation:
Assessment & identification

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of issues, gaps & • Data collected for the subdivision numbers and
opportunities) ownership of the vacant Govt. lands
• Data regarding the ASI site survey Numbers and
the Prohibited zone survey numbers.
• Request for field visit in the presence of Town
Surveyor, VAO and RI along with TTDC officials.
• Data regarding the Survey numbers under CRZ
zone is requested.

f) Mamallapuram New Township Development Authority

Sn Consultation Details

1 Consultation-1 Date & Time: June 02 2023

Mr. Rahul, AD MNTDA Venue: MNTDA office
(For Destination Agenda: Data collection
Assessment & identification
Outcomes of the consultation:
of issues, gaps &
opportunities) • Map related to the Master Plan of Mamallapuram is
obtained.
• Master Plan data for Mamallapuram is obtained

2 Consultation-2 Date & Time: Multiple consultations in the month of June

Mr. Rahul, AD MNTDA Venue:- MNTDA office
(For Destination Agenda: Data collection
Assessment & identification
Outcomes of the consultation:
of issues, gaps &
opportunities) • Data regarding the proposed New Bus stand is
collected.
• Total area of the proposed bus stand is 6.80
Acres.
• Property Details of lands under MNTDA in
Mamallapuram is collected.
• Data regarding the CRZ regulations in
Mamallapuram is collected.
• GIS maps of the Proposed Master plan 2021 of
Mamallapuram new township is acquired.
• Data regarding the proposals under MNTDA is
identified (New Bus stand).
• Collected the list of Villages under Master Plan of
MNTDA
• Data regarding the MNTDA Schedule is collected
from the office of MNTDA

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