CHENNAI: Boating and jet-ski rides for tourists, that had been stopped following the Christmas Day mishap at Pulicat, are back. Police have opened up the activities for tourists, albeit in a very restricted manner. Boat and jet-ski rides will begin in the coming days at the Radisson BLU Temple Bay Resort in Mahabalipuram.“A lot of tourists, both Indian and foreign, come for the water sports and catamaran rides. We had seen a distinct 10 to 12 per cent drop in total tourist footfalls at our resort after the Pulicat incident. But we can now expect that trend to reverse,” said Vikram Cotah, senior vice-president of Radisson BLU Hotels and Resorts.He added that the resort would take all the necessary safety precautions in reinstating these rides. “For starters, we will restrict the number of people going on the rides to half the total capacity of the catamarans. All those going on the rides will be given life jackets, and there will be at least two fishermen on the boat, who can also act as lifeguards if the need should arise,” said Cotah.The resort has also announced special packages to attract more Indian tourists in view of the coming summer holidays. The foreign tourist season is at its end and the marketing move is aimed at increasing occupancy. “The foreign tourist season started off slowly, but has picked up in the first few months of this year. We are expecting a good season in 2012-13 as well,” Cotah added.He noted that more and more tourists were heading south as other destinations across the country were getting increasingly expensive, while the hospitality sector in Chennai had retained its pricing edge by not profiteering even during boom times.
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