- August 31, 2019
- Posted by: Shivani Agarwal
- Category: Featured, GLOCAL DEVELOPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, Latest Work
Since centuries, India has been famous for the snake charmers, magicians, craftsmen and tribes. With changing times, there has been an equal emphasis on the growing industries, expanding cities and increasing global presence. The rich diversity and culture of the country with a vast history leaves the visitors with mesmerisation and a wish to visit again. Tourism has been a great player for cultural exchanges, foreign exchange earnings and soft power. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, Tourism and Travel account for 9.2% of total Indian economy, which contributes to 8.1% of total employment.
India’s rich diversity in geographies, topographies, climates, languages, cuisines, cultures, tribes, religions, beliefs, history, architectures, arts and crafts attract tourists from all around the world and within the country. According to the Ministry of Tourism, the foreign tourist arrivals in India in 2017 were 10.4 million with 14% of annual growth. According to the same report, Bangladesh, United States of America and the United Kingdom stood as the topmost source countries. While the number of domestic tourists to all States and UTs in the same year were 1652.49 million with a growth of 2.3%.
If compared to smaller countries like Switzerland, where 11 million people holidayed (from May to October 2017), we can understand that there is a huge untapped potential. The successive governments have been concentrating on this particular sector to not only earn foreign exchange but also increase economic opportunities in sectors of hospitality, aviation, other transports, local art and craft. However, there are hurdles in the path of realizing the full potential of tourism in India like marketing and promotion, inadequate physical and non-physical infrastructure, lack of creative opportunities.
In the recent budget of 2019-20, Rs. 1378 crore has been allocated to Tourism Ministry for development of tourism infrastructure and Rs. 575.50 crore for promotion and publicity. Further, the culture ministry was allocated Rs. 875.33 crore for the central schemes and projects. The two ministries saw a rise of 1.82% and 7% respectively in the allocation from the last year’s budget. The finance minister proposed that 17 historical sites would be converted into world-class “Iconic sites” especially focusing on infrastructure development.
Infrastructural Issues
One of the significant issues with the infrastructure is connectivity. The number and capacity of airlines fall short of the demand that can be generated. Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) Scheme is a step in the right direction. Last-mile connectivity to the tourist spots or smaller places is an area of concern. The villages and cultural spots need to be very connected with public transport with the adjoining main tourist cities. The other areas of concern are the availability of basic amenities like water, sanitation, hygiene, wheelchairs etc at each travel destination. The physical upkeep of the monuments with timely renovations is a required step. Therefore the proposal of developing iconic sites is a good start point as it would encourage and set examples for the other sites. However, just as the devil lies in the details, the success lies in the implementation of the scheme.
Adopt a Heritage Scheme launched in 2017 nudged both public and private sector companies to develop a specific tourist site and maintain basic and advanced amenities. An ambitious scheme got a good response initially with Red Fort being adopted by the Dalmia Group and Qutub Minar and Ajanta Caves by Yatra Online. However, the momentum has dropped with only 11 MoUs being signed so far.
The scenic beauty of the destination is the first point of attraction. The problem of managing crowds at the destinations is a major problem in the famous heritage spots, which act as a discouragement for the majority of the visitors. Another issue is the cleanliness and hygiene, a significant concern for the tourists especially the foreigners. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan is a contributor in this regard to bring about a positive change at the policy, behavioural and psychological levels.
Marketing is the game-changer
Creative marketing is another area which requires special attention. The diversity in India can cater to tourists with a wide range of interests and budgets. The requirement is of creatively investing in the promotion of what India has to offer. There has to be a dual emphasis on what the nation has to offer and what is expected by the tourists at large. Example of golf tourism and Japanese community is a good example of how avenues of attraction can be created. Specific cuisines, crafts, dresses, adventures and activities need to be advertised for specific target audiences. The forgotten architectures and cultures, lost due to ignorance, lack of maintenance or encroachment need to be revived and publicized. The recent renovation of the Safdarjung tomb in New Delhi is an excellent example in point. Any such step ahead requires in-depth research which is specific to local culture or site and also the tourist segment it caters. The need is to emphasize the history and heritage, and the ways to incorporate it with the tourism of today’s era.
The tour packages need to include local and indigenous culture, craft, villages, cuisines to integrate different communities within the tourism economy. Inter-state tour packages need to be encouraged and promoted to allow more options for tourists to cover. However, this requires a high-level upgrade in the connectivity to enable seamless commute and networking. The inter-country tour packages in Europe can be a point of inspiration which allows tourists to pick and choose the destinations and cover a handful of countries within the limited time. The inter-state packages based on various separate themes (for example, spiritual retreat, history, religion, local craft etc) or a mixture of them, need to be planned and marketed. Successful execution of any such scheme is possible only through joint efforts between the different states.
Dissemination of information from a credible point of the source is a crucial factor. The government websites, information booths at the stations and tourist spots, pamphlets and tour maps need to be updated, easily accessible and available in multiple languages for the ease of the visitors. App-based technology can be of great help for the same. Further, digital and print marketing needs to keep up with the trends of the market. Madhya Pradesh Tourism advertisements on the television are good examples to emulate.
The craze of travelling abroad has risen immensely amongst the upper-middle and upper class. In 2017, the number of Indians travelling abroad was 4.7 million compared to 4.6 million in 2016, according to VFS Global. Not taking anything away from overseas travel, the domestic tourism needs to be fuelled reap the dividends of the vast population and increasing disposable income. This will not only strengthen the economy but also integrate cultures and communities. Honourable Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day’s emphasized on the tourism potential India holds. He urged all the Indians to visit at least 15 destinations by 2022.
No place can be separated from its ecology. It is necessary to promote ecologically sensitive tourism to allow destinations to live a longer life. This is possible when all the stakeholders from top to bottom are concerned about the environment which includes care for cleanliness, flora, fauna, resources and aesthetics. Any marketing strategy, infrastructural plans, policies or business collaborations need to have environment as a prime consideration. Mass awareness campaigns, school books and NGOs need to focus on bringing about appreciation and preservation of environment and heritage.
A happy tourist is a self-acclaimed ambassador for any destination. As a host, the efforts need to look towards making each visitor wish to travel again. All the stakeholders from politicians, policymakers, private players and citizens need to endeavour towards building a world-class image of India and creating a wholesome experience for the travellers. With the ideology of ‘Atithi Devo bhava[1]‘, India has all the potential to live up to the philosophy of ‘Vasudev Kutumbkam‘[2].
[1] Indian thought of considering guests as God.
[2] Indian thought of considering the entire world as a family.
