• Dr. G. Madan Mohan
• Nidhin Ramadas A.E

This descriptive research has made an attempt to assess the awareness level of tourists and their preference towards four tourist spots in Puducherry namely, Auroville, Paradise Beach, Aurobindo Ashram and Ousteri Lake by administering a well structured questionnaire to 101 of such tourists who visited Pondicherry, selected using Convenience Sampling. Results of the study revealed that out of the 101 tourists studied, 97, 92, 85 and 71 tourists are aware about the tourist spots of Aurobindo Ashram, Auroville, Paradise Beach and Ousteri Lake respectively. 4 tourists unaware about Auroville are not aware about Paradise beach while 12 tourists not aware about Paradise beach are aware about Auroville. Five tourists are unaware about both the spots and 80 are aware about both the spots. Furthermore, all the 9 tourists who are unaware about Auroville are aware about Aurobindo ashram while four tourists who are unaware about Aurobindo ashram are aware about Auroville and 88 tourists are aware about both Auroville and Aurobindo Ashram. All the 9 tourists unaware about Auroville are also unaware about Ousterilakewhile 21 tourists aware about Auroville are not aware about Ousteri Lake and 71 tourists are aware about both the tourist spots. Though Aurobindo Ashram has been known for most tourists, Auroville is the most preferred tourist spot and it also has been rated as the most unique spot, followed by Aurobindo Ashram, Paradise Beach and Ousteri Lake. Most importantly, tourists prefer tourist spots depending upon uniqueness of these spots. Auroville and Aurobindo Ashram are the tourist spots which have least number of Highly Displeased tourists, followed closely by Ousteri Lake and Paradise Beach. Tourists with different educational qualifications and those aged less than 30 years are pleased with Auroville while tourists aged 30-50 years, Businessmen and those with monthly income of more than Rs. 70,000 are moderately pleased. Private employees and tourists with monthly income of less than Rs. 30,000 are pleased while unmarried tourists and those above the age of 50 years are displeased with Auroville. Tourists with monthly income of less than Rs. 30,000, students and those aged 30-50 years are pleased with Aurobindo Ashram while those with monthly income of Rs. 30,000-70,000, private employees and those aged less than 30 years are moderately pleased. Both unmarried and married tourists, graduates and Diploma-Holders are highly pleased with Aurobindo Ashram. Tourists aged 30-50 years, graduates, unmarried and married tourists are pleased with Paradise Beach while those aged less than 30 years, Diploma-Holders, post-graduates, those with monthly income of more than Rs. 70,000, private employees and students are moderately pleased with Paradise Beach. Unmarried tourists, those with monthly income of Rs. 30,000-70,000, those aged less than 30 years and Under-graduates are pleased with Ousteri Lake while married tourists, private employees, post-graduates and graduates are moderately pleased.

Tourist spots, Auroville, Paradise Beach, Ousteri Lake and Aurobindo Ashram

"A Study On Tourists Awareness And Preference Towards Tourist Spots In Puducherry", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 12, page no.143-152, December-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRP006037.pdf

"A Study On Tourists Awareness And Preference Towards Tourist Spots In Puducherry", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 12, page no. pp143-152, December-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIRP006037.pdf