State tourism minister Gokula Indira inaugurates centre for tourism and hotel management in Madurai Kamaraj University on Wednesday. — DC

The hotel industry in Tamil Nadu is in for a boom with likelihood of 76 new hotels to be established in the state in a couple of years, said state tourism minister S. Gokula Indira.

Inaugurating the centre for tourism and hotel management at Madurai Kamaraj University on Wednesday, she said there was also a possibility of 4 and 5 star hotels with 3,500 rooms coming up across the state.

She was hopeful that the 5-year integrated post graduate programme on tourism and hotel management, to be offered by the university from this academic year, would help students get employment in star hotels and draw salaries at par with IIT students.

Having realised the importance of tourism and scope for growth, the varsity proposed the programme and admit about 120 students, she said, appreciating effort of vice chancellor Kalyani Mathivanan.

While 77 colleges in southern districts are affiliated to MKU, three more would be added, as CM Jayalalithaa has ordered to start colleges in Tirumangalam, Vedasanthur and Aruppukottai from this academic year, she said, pointing out that AIADMK government has allotted Rs 15,000 crore for education.

VC Kalyani Mathivanan said the varsity has planted seeds for two ambitious projects — tourism and hotel management programme and opening a multi-speciality health centre for those living on campus and in its vicinity.

She said tourism and hotel management have become areas of prime concern with increasing tourists and expanding global markets. It is one of the largest service industries, providing 8.78 per cent employment in India.

The centre would focus on cardiology, gynaecology, diabetes, dentistry and ophthalmology, she said.

source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> Channels> Cities> Regions> Madurai / DC, June 07th, 2012