• R.CHANDRAN
• D.ABULFAZAL

TOURISM SITES IN DHARMAPURI DISTRICT Introduction Dharmapuri is a district in Kongu Nadu region in Western part of Tamilnadu in South India. It is the first district to be split from Salem district in Tamil Nadu after the independence of India on Oct 10, 1965. The Other major towns in the district are Karimangalam, Palacode, Pennagaram, Harur and Pappireddipatti. Dharmapuri town is historically called “Tagadur”. Tourism is the largest service industry in India, with a contribution of 6.23 per cent to the national GDP and 8.78 per cent of the total employment in India. India witnesses more than 5 million annual foreign tourist arrivals and 562 million domestic tourist visits. The tourism industry in India generates about $ 100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to $ 275.5 billion by 2018 at a 9.4 per cent annual growth rate. In the year 2009, 5.11 million foreign tourists visited India. Majority of the foreign tourists come from USA and UK. Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh were the top four States to receive inbound tourists. Domestic tourism in the same year was massive at 650 million. Andhra Pradesh (24.2%), Uttar Pradesh (20.7%) and Tamil Nadu (17.8%) received the big share of these visitors. Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency for the development and promotion of tourism in India and maintains the “Incredible India” campaign. In the process, the Ministry consults and collaborates with other stakeholders in the sector including various Central Ministries/Agencies, the State Governments/ Union Territories and the representatives of the private sector. Concerted efforts are being made to promote new forms of tourism such as rural, cruise, medical and eco-tourism. With 34,000 temples of centuries old, Tamil Nadu holds the credit of being the Top State in attracting the maximum number of foreign tourists in India. The history of architecture and sculpture in Tamil Nadu begins with the Pallava Temple of the Dravidian Style. UNESCO has declared monuments like living Chola temples at Thanjavur, Darasuram and Gangaikondacholapuram, monuments at Mahabalipuram and Nilgiris Heritage Train, as World Heritage sites. A recent study made by Anu Chandran assumes importance in the context of tourism promotional activities concerned world heritage sites in Tamil Nadu. The temples of Tamil Nadu reverberate with spirituality and music. Madurai, Rameswaram, Kumbakonam, Chidambaram, Thanjavur and Tiruchirappalli have innumerable temples with different deities. Tourism in today’s world is no longer a luxury or mere sightseeing. Even the most common man can attain the status of a tourist. Tourism today has become more of a knowledge based industry. Many people are involved in tourism directly or indirectly. The commercial operations in travel and tourism influence a wide spectrum of areas of development. Now-a-days a lot of factors draw people towards tourism. The important motivations for travel and tourism may be cultural, social, interpersonal,

Tourism sites in dharmapuri district and its growth

"TOURISM SITES IN DHARMAPURI DISTRICT ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 9, page no.898-901, September-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1809271.pdf

"TOURISM SITES IN DHARMAPURI DISTRICT ", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 9, page no. pp898-901, September-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1809271.pdf