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TOURISM INDUSTRY IN INDIA”
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INTRODUCTION OF TOURISM
Tourism is travel for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes or the provision of services to support this leisure travel. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited". Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity. In 2004, there were over 763 million international tourist arrivals.
Tourism is vital for many countries, due to the income generated by the consumption of goods and services by tourists, the taxes levied on businesses in the tourism industry, and the opportunity for employment in the service industries associated with tourism. These service industries include transportation services such as cruise ships and taxis, accommodation such as hotels, restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues, and other hospitality industry services such as spas and resorts
DEFINITION
One of the earliest definitions of tourism was provided by the Austrian economist in 1910, who defined it as, "bob total of operators, mainly of an economic nature, which directly relate to the entry, stay and movement of foreigners inside and outside a certain country, city or a region."
Hunziker and Krapf, in 1941, defined tourism as "the sum of the phenomena and relationships arising from the travel and stay of non-residents, insofar as they do not lead to permanent residence and are not connected with any earning activity." In 1976 Tourism Society of England defined it as "Tourism is the temporary, short-term movement of people to destination outside the places where they normally live and work and their activities during the stay at each destination. It includes movements for all purposes." In 1981 International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism defined Tourism in terms of particular activities selected by choice and undertaken outside the home environment.
Introduction to Indian tourism
India's amazing diversity offers you everything you could ever want in a visit. From the moment that you set foot in India to be greeted by a graceful namaste, a gesture that denotes both welcome and respect, you are on the way to one of the most rewarding experiences of your life.
Bounded by the majestic Himalayan ranges in the north and edged by a spectacular coastline surrounded by three seas, India is a vivid kaleidoscope of landscapes, magnificent historical sites and royal cities, golden beaches, misty mountain retreats, colourful people, rich cultures and festivities.
At any part of the year Indian can offer you a dazzling array of destinations and experiences. In summer, when the subcontinent is sizzling, there are spectacular retreats amidst the heady beauty of the Himalayas or the lush heights o the Western Ghats with cool trekking trails, tall peaks to conquer stretches of white water for the adventure seekers. In the cool of an Indian winter, cities come alive with cultural feasts of music and dance. The balmy weather is an ideal time for you to visit India hopping through romantic cities studded with ancient and medieval forts and palaces. The sun-drenched beaches are inviting and wildlife sanctuaries with their abundance of flora and fauna are a buzz with the nurture of the young.
You can taste the delights of the Indian monsoon anywhere in the country-on a camel safari in the Rajasthan desert when nature comes alive and the peacocks dance, along the west coast where the relentless slant ingrain paints the countryside in brilliant greens or even trekking amidst the stark grandeur of mountain valleys lying in the rain shadow of the Himalayas
Experience exotic India live like a maharaja in the rich ambiance of royal forts and palaces that are now heritage hotels; luxuriate in the serene beauty of a coral island with its turquoise lagoon; participate in the exuberance of a village fair or a colourful festival; day dream on a house boat drifting down the palm - fringed backwaters; delight in the grace of dancer or shop till you drop buying exquisite silks, carved figurines, brass and silver ware, marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, finely crafted jewellery, miniature paintings, carpets..at unbelievable prices.
As you travel across the length and breadth of this vast nation, you can see history unfold. You can see palaces, forts, temples, mosques and churches which have been witnesses to timeless pasts and which bring before you the glorious traditions, culture and richness which had made this sub-continent prime choice of destination for explorers down ages.
India, always warm and inviting, is a place of infinite variety - one that favours you with a different facet of its fascination every time you come on a visit.
What is the real meaning of Tourism in India?
India, located in Asia is Bounded by the Himalayan ranges in the north, surrounded by the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, and the Indian Ocean). In 2006, about 4 million foreign tourists visited India and spent US$ 8.9 billion.
Delhi is the capital of India. A fine blend of old and new, ancient and modern in every stream of life is the soul of Delhi. A melting pot of cultures, religions and castes makes Delhi a diverse place. Delhi has been the capital of India from the mythological days. The rulers left behind their trade marks in the architecture. Tughlaqabad fort and the Qutub Minar, the Jama Masjid and the Lotus bah'ai temple, The Humayun's tomb and the Red Fort, and India Gate and the Magnificent President's house (Rashtrapati Bhavan). Delhi is famous for its wide roads and crisp winters.
One of the few places in India where colours of nature changes with the seasons. From Kerala to Kashmir and from Gujarat to Assam all the mouth watering delicacies and shopping goods are found in Delhi. The cosmopolitan nature of the city has only added to the beauty and glory of it. Big gardens, wide roads, ancient structures, and power of politics is what Delhi is all about. Delhi is popularly known for its monuments. Most of them which are built by the Mughal Emperors
The state of Goa is situated on the West Coast of India, between the borders of Maharashtra and Karnataka and is better known to the world as the former Portuguese enclave on Indian soil. With the rule of the Portuguese for over 450 years and the consequential influence of the Latin culture, Goa presents a somewhat different picture to the foreign visitor than any other part of the country. The state of Goa is famous for its excellent beaches, churches, and Hindu temples. The Bom Jesus cathedral, Mangueshi Temple and Shantadurga are famous attractions in Goa.
Kerala is a state on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India. Nicknamed as one of the "10 paradises of the world" by the National Geographic traveller, Kerala is famous especially for its ecotourism initiatives. Its unique culture and traditions, coupled with its varied demography, has made it one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Growing at a rate of 13.31%, the tourism industry significantly contributes to the state's economy. The Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, the government agency that oversees the tourism prospects of the state, has adopted the brand "God's Own Country" for its campaigns. The slogan holds global Superbrand status .Unlike most other states in India, Maharashtra boasts of a large number of popular and revered religious venues that are heavily frequented by locals as well as out-of-state visitors. It also boasts of the City of Mumbai with its Bollywood fame, ancient cave temples at Ajanta and Ellora, the Tuljabhavani temple at Tuljapur, the Mahalakshmi temple in Kolhapur, the city of Pune the seat of the Maratha empire, the fantastic Ganesh chaturthi celebrations and much more
Rajasthan, literally meaning "the land of the kings", is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Northern India. The vast sand dunes of the Thar Desert attract millions of tourists from around the globe every year.
Unique Characteristics of The Tourism Industry
There are four main characteristics which distinguish the tourism industry from other service providers
Inflexibility:
The tourism industry is highly inflexible in terms of capacity. The number of beds in a hotel or seats on an airplane is fixed so it is not possible to meet sudden upsurges in demand. Similarly, restaurant tables, hotel beds and airplane seats remain empty and unused in periods of low demand. The seasonal nature of tourism activity exacerbates this problem
Perishability:
Tourism services are highly perishable. An unused hotel bed or an empty airplane seat represents an immediate loss of that service as a means of earning profit. This has an impact on overall industry profitability.
Fixed location:
Tourism destinations are fixed locations so effort must be concentrated in communicating the facility to the potential consumer. A consumer can conveniently watch a Hollywood movie at the local cinema but has to be persuaded to travel to India to see the Taj Mahal.
Relatively Large Financial Investment:
Every modern tourist establishment and facility requires large investment, frequently over a long time scale. This means that the level of risk and the rate of return are critically important to tourism management.
1. Tourism Industry & Indian Economy
2. Introduction
o In a country as diverse and complex as India, it is not surprising to find that people here reflect the rich glories of the past, the culture, traditions and values relative to geographic locations and the numerous distinctive manners, habits and food that will always remain truly Indian, according to five thousand yearsof recorded history.
o The tourism industry in India is substantial and vibrant, and the country is fast becoming a major global destination. India’s travel and tourism industry is one of the most profitable industries in the country, and also credited with contributing a substantial amount of foreign exchange. This is illustrated by the fact that during 2006, four million tourists visited India and spent US $8.9 billion.
o Tourism & Indian Economy
o Tourism industry has become an important part of the Indian economy. Its contribution to the GDP and to the employment in the country is close to 6% and 9% respectively for the year 2005-06 and 2006-07. Thisindustry is one of the major foreign exchange earners in India. The tourism sector is linked to many other sectors of the economy, affecting the growth and employment in those sectors.
o Several reasons are cited for the growth and prosperity of India travel and tourism industry.Disposableincome in India has grown by 10.11% annually from 2001-2006, and much of that is being spent on travel.
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o Today Indian economy depends a lot upon its invisibles and tourism sector is a major part of it. “ It is a treat to watch such type of unity” remarked the President of India at the inauguration of fifth Global Travel and Tourism Summit in New Delhi on 8th April, 2005.
o India n tourism crossed 3 million mark (3.37million) in number of arrivals of foreign tourists in year 2004, showing a remarkable growth of 24 % over the previous year. The number of foreign tourist arrivals in2004, 3.37 million, in India formed 0.44% of total world foreign tourist arrivals. The foreign exchangeearnings have also grown by 38% to US$ 4810 billion.
o The total contribution of this sector, direct and indirect, to Indian GDP is around 5.83%.This sector is directly and indirectly linked to many other sectors in the economy. A growth in tourism industry affectsindustries like handicrafts, handlooms, transportation (mainly aviation), real estate (or infrastructure) and many more. One of the major sectors to which tourism is linked to is Real Estate
o Both these sectors act complementary sectors to each other. More the number of tourist arrivals more is the requirement of better infrastructure, hotel, restaurants, houses etc. The point to be noted over here is that this real estate sector is not a stand alone sector. It is further linked to more than 200 different sectors like cement, steel, glass, electrical, water supply, carpentry, transportation and many more.
o Another major aspect of the tourism industry is the employment opportunities attached to it. Tourismindustry is the largest employer in the world. In India, the direct employment from tourism contributes to 4.59% of the total employment in the country. Adding the indirect employment to it, the figure goes up to 8.27% i.e. the total employment generated by the industry in India is around 40 million.3 Also, 50% of this employment generated is indirect. This means that the growth in this industry has a strong impact on the employment in other industries also.
o The year 2004-05 saw tourism emerging as one of the major sectors for growth of the Indian economy; the foreign exchange earnings increased from Rs. 16,429 crore to 21,828 crore. In 2006, the tourismindustry registered a growth rate of 17.3% in foreign tourist arrivals, which has been the highest in last 10 years. Foreign exchange earnings grew at an even higher rate 30.2%.
o India tourism industry is thriving due to an increase in the arrival of foreign and greater than before travelby Indians to domestic and abroad destinations. The visitors are pouring in from all over the world: Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia. At the same time, the number of Indians traveling has alsoincreased. Some tourists come from the Middle East to witness the drenching monsoon rains in India, a phenomenon never seen in desert climates.
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o The disastrous tsunami didn’t affect India’s tourism industry, as tourist arrivals in India rose 23.5% inDecember 2004 and tourist arrivals crossed the 3 million mark for the first time in 2004
o Global recession has failed to affect Kashmir tourism industry as more and more tourists continue to throng the valley.According to the players in the tourism industry, many domestic tourists have already cancelled their tours to European countries and are coming to Kashmir valley. This has helped toincrease the number of footfalls in Kashmir.
5. Medical Tourism
o The next big opportunity in Indian Tourism industry could be Medical Tourism. Medical tourism has the potential to generate Rs. 10,000 crore. To cater this opportunity, the Tourism Ministry of India has set a target of attracting one million medical tourists by 2010. It has the potential to become a major driver ofIndian economy like Information Technology. The medical procedures in India are much cheaper as compared to US and European countries.
o For example in April 2005 Madras Medical Mission hospital successfully completed a complex heart operation for US$8000 on an 84 year old patient which would have cost US$40,000 in US. Another advantage for India is that, it can provide many medical treatments at one place, like yoga, meditation, ayurveda, and allopathy. Indian government is also taking steps to promote Medical Tourism.
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Leakages Though the tourism industry is booming and helping both Indian and world economies to grow, there are a few downsides to this industry. A huge seasonal employment exists in this sector. This seasonal employment is mainly in developing countries where tourism industry is not much developed. In these countries for a few months the tourism is low and comparatively fewer workforces are required. Here the jobs are also under paid when compared to the similar jobs in developed countries and are in unsociable hours.
CONCLUSION
Tourism industry in India is growing and it has vast potential for generating employment and earning large amount of foreign exchange besides giving a fillip to the country’s overall economic and social development. But much more remains to be done. Eco-tourism needs to be promoted so that tourism in India helps in preserving and sustaining the diversity of the India's natural and cultural environments. Tourism in India should be developed in such a way that it accommodates and entertains visitors in a way that is minimally intrusive or destructive to the environment and sustains & supports the native cultures in the locations it is operating in. Moreover, since tourism is a multi-dimensional activity, and basically a service industry, it would be necessary that all wings of the Central and State governments, private sector and voluntary organisations become active partners in the endeavour to attain sustainable growth in tourism if India is to become a world player in the tourism industry.