Fri Mar 21 19:26:23 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu Travel Mart Opens in Chennai, State Aims for Tourism Boost

**Chennai, March 22, 2025** – The Tamil Nadu Travel Mart (TNTM) 2025 opened in Chennai on Friday, marking a resurgence in tourism initiatives after a pandemic-induced hiatus. Tourism Minister R. Rajendran inaugurated the three-day event, announcing upcoming regulations to streamline tourism investments following the successful launch of the Tamil Nadu State Tourism Policy 2023.

The Minister highlighted the department’s impressive ₹34 crore profit in the last fiscal year and the state’s strong reputation for MICE tourism. He emphasized the commitment to providing safe and enjoyable tourist experiences.

K. Manivasan, Additional Chief Secretary of Tourism, Culture and Religious Endowments, expressed optimism for the future, stating the department aims to increase tourism’s contribution to the state’s GDP to 15% by 2030. He acknowledged India’s current absence from the world’s top five tourist destinations but highlighted its significant potential.

D. Venkatesan, Regional Director (South) of the Union Ministry of Tourism, praised Tamil Nadu’s appeal for pilgrimage tourism and its effective promotion of geographically indicated (GI) tagged products. He added that the Union Ministry is focusing on providing training and capacity building to further boost the sector. The event, organized by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department in association with Travel and Tourism Fair, is being held at the Chennai Trade Centre in Nandambakkam.

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