Scheme of Rural Tourism

Tourism growth potential can be harnessed as a strategy for Rural Development. The
development of a strong platform around the concept of Rural tourism is definitely useful for a
country like India, where almost 74% of the population resides in its 7 million villages. Across
the world the trends of industrialization and development have had an urban centric approach.
Alongside, the stresses of urban lifestyles have led to a "counter-urbanization" syndrome. This
has led to growing interest in the rural areas. At the same time this trend of urbanization has led
to falling income levels, lesser job opportunities in the rural areas leading to an urbanization
syndrome in the rural areas. Rural Tourism is one of the few activities which can provide a
solution to these problems. Besides, there are other factors which are shifting the trend towards
rural tourism like increasing levels of awareness, growing interest in heritage and culture and
improved accessibility, and environmental consciousness. In the developed countries, this has
resulted in a new style of tourism of visiting village settings to experience and live a relaxed and
healthy lifestyle. This concept has taken the shape of a formal kind of Rural Tourism. Under this
Scheme, thrust is to promote village tourism as the primary tourism product to spread tourism
and its socio-economic benefits to rural and its new geographic regions. Key geographic regions
are identified for development and promotion of Rural Tourism. The implementation is done
through a Convergence Committee headed by the District Collector. Activities like improving the
environment, hygiene, infrastructure etc. are covered for assistance. Apart from providing
financial assistance, the focus is to tap the resources available under different schemes of
Department. of Rural Development, State Governments and other concerned Departments of the
Government of India.

Definition of Rural Tourism : Any form of tourism that showcases the rural life, art, culture
and heritage at rural locations, thereby benefiting the local community economically and socially
as well as enabling interaction between the tourists and the locals for a more enriching tourism
experience can be termed as rural tourism. Rural tourism is essentially an activity which takes
place in the countryside. It is multi-faceted and may entail farm/agricultural tourism, cultural
tourism, nature tourism, adventure tourism, and eco-tourism. As against conventional tourism,
rural tourism has certain typical characteristics like; it is experience oriented, the locations are
sparsely populated, it is predominantly in natural environment, it meshes with seasonality and
local events and is based on preservation of culture, heritage and traditions.

Identification of Villages: Each State/UT Govt. would be requested to furnish one proposal for
promotion of Rural tourism. Based on the merits and after a joint inspection by the Deptt. Of
Tourism, and the State/UT Govt. if required ten proposals would be identified for implementation
in the country.

Preparation of detailed plan for implementation of the project : After shortlisting the
proposals, the State/UT Govts would be requested to draw up a detailed plan of action. The
thrust here would be to achieve convergence between the different schemes of the Govt. of India
and the State Govts. It should be ensured that atleast 50% of the project should be
implemented through achieving convergence of different schemes. Assistance upto Rs. 3 lakhs
would be provided to the State Govt. for engaging an expert for preparing the project report.

Assistance under the Scheme : A maximum of Rs. 50 lakhs would be sanctioned under this
scheme. The activities listed under the para 5 could be taken up.

Permissible activities : The following works may be taken up under the Scheme-
• Improvement of the surroundings of the village. This would include activities like
landscaping, development of parks, fencing, compound wall etc.
• Improvements to roads within the Panchayat limits. This shall not include any major road
which connects the village.
• Illumination in the village.
 • Providing for improvement in solid waste management and sewerage management.
• Construction of Wayside Amenities.
• Procurement of equipments directly related to tourism, like Water Sports, Adventure
Sports, Eco-friendly modes of transport for moving within the tourism zone.
• Refurbishment of the Monuments. (66:33 basis, i.e. CFA of 66%)
• Signages.
• Reception Centres.
• Other work/activities directly related to tourism.
• Tourist Accommodation.
Constitution of a Convergence Committee : A Convergence Committee would be set up
under the Collector to oversee the implementation of the project.

Execution of the works : The execution of the work would be entrusted to any Central
Govt./State Govt. agency and the funds would be released directly to the implementing agency
by the Govt. of India as recommended by the State Govt.

Installments of release : On sanction of a work the first installment of 30% of the sanctioned
amount of CFA will be released. The second installment of 50% would be released on submission
of the UC for the first installment. The balance would be released on the completion of the work.

Following codal formalities: The executing agency shall follow all codal formalities while
awarding contracts and procurement of equipments and ensure complete transparency in its
transactions.

Management of assets created: The infrastructure and assets created will be maintained and
managed by the State/UT Governments or their agencies with no financial commitment to Govt.
of India except those assets created in the protected areas of ASI.

Prescription of the Schedule of Rates: While executing the works the executing agency shall
follow the Schedule of rates prescribed by the CPWD or the State PWD.

Submission of the Utilisation Certificates:The executing agency shall furnish the Utilisation
Certificate through the State Government for release of the second installment. A Completion
Certificate has also to be furnished through the State Govt. before the release of the final
installment.
Village Tourism in India
TUESDAY, JULY 28, 2009

Introduction:-

Once Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation quoted that “India lives in its village”. And, believe me

its really true.

An Indian village is the true reflection of rich culture and tradition of our great nation. And, the best

way to peep into a bucolic ambiance of an Indian village is by indulging yourself in a village tourism.

As the name reflects, village tourism means a tourism that deals with a tour to rustic environment of a

village. Similar to other forms of tourism, Village tourism is also a part and parcel of Indian tourism

industry.

What is Village Tourism?

Village tourism is a specialized field of tourism whose main objective is to popularize village

destinations as a tourist place.

Village tourism will surely aid you to have an insightful look into a different world of calm and serenity.

Chirping birds, mud-plastered walls and thatched roofs of village huts, big shaded trees, green

patches of land and zig-zag kutcha roads are the prime facet of a Indian Village. And, if you have the

desire to immerse yourself in the nostalgia of a village surrounding than you must opt for Village

tourism.
Popular Destinations Of Village Tourism In India:-

If you are bored with the regular tourism that gives you the glimpse of colorful city life than you must

try out village tourism in India. India has abundance of villages that are away from the complexities of

urban lifestyle.

Along with the other forms of tourism, nowadays Indian tourism industry is also giving special

emphasis on village tourism. To serve this purpose, Indian government is developing some sites in

India particularly for Village Tourism such as

Mandwa Village in Rajasthan: Mandwa village of Rajasthan is fondly called as the “open air gallery

of Rajasthan. This village is one of the pioneer destination of village tourism in India. Mandwa is a

desert village and dotted with some beautifully designed havellis or mansions. If you are planning to

tour Mandwa than you must carry both woolen and cotton clothes as the temperature varies

drastically between day and night. The best time to visit Mandwa is from September to February.

While your trip to Mandwa, drink lots of liquid product to beat the heat of scorching sun rays.

Kinnaur Village in Himachal Pradesh: Another prominent destination in India that serves as

popular site for village tourism in India is Kinnaur village in Himachal Pradesh. This hilly village of

Himachal Pradesh is nestled among the great heights of Himalayas. It is a haven for both the

adventure enthusiasts and nature lovers. Kinnaur has ample of soft and hard trekking routes and

orchards of apples, peaches and apricots that will surely fulfill desires of both trekkers and nature

lovers. Often routes of this village remain close for 6th months, so the best time to visit Kinnaur is

from May to October. It is advisable to carry both light to heavy woolen garments for your trip to

Kinnaur village due to its climate condition.

Durgapur Village in Assam: It is one of the recently developed and much hyped village tourism site

in India. Durgapur village is located in the North-eastern state of Assam and very close to Kaziranga

National park. It is a unique village. In this village, almost 70 families are trained by the State Tourism

Board to look after the needs of tourist who comes here to enjoy a memorable village vacation in
India. Durgapur village is also famed to reflect the local Assamese culture.

Beside them Indian Government is trying to develop some more villages as a spot for village tourism

in India.

Village Tourism in India

With beholding the beauty of rivers, lakes, hills, sea beaches, mountains, flower gardens,
farming fields etc, villages in India attracts tourist from all parts of the world. Their charm
compels one to take a vacation and relax some day away from the cacophony of urban life.
According to the Census Report 2001, India is home to to about 638,691 villages.
Thatched huts, evergreen mustard/paddy fields, grazing cows and the aroma of local cuisines
offers a bucolic style of living to tourist in Indian villages. The quality of life, cultural beliefs,
traditional activities and occupations revives the pride of rural India. Both men and women are
skillful in managing small-scale industries relating to production of handicraft, pickles, hand-
crafted decor elements, fabric and sequined dress-materials

Eco India » Sustainable Tourism » Agritourism

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Agritourism
Agritourism is the latest concept in the Indian tourism industry,
which normally occurs on farms. It gives you the opportunity to
experience the real enchanting and authentic contact with the
rural life, taste the local genuine food and get familiar with the
various farming tasks during the visit. It provides you the welcome
escape from the daily hectic life in the peaceful rural environment.
It gives you the chance to relax and revitalize in the in the pure
natural environment, surrounded by magnificent setting. See the
real India and have the experience of the lifetime on the farm stay
holidays.

Farm Stay :
Well you must now be bored of visiting the hill stations and staying
in the first class Ac hotel room. And you might be looking for the
change this time. And to offer you the holidays with the difference agritourism is definitely a good option.

To get that very special experience of the rural ambiance and to enjoy the rural life, Indian tourism
provides you the opportunity to stay right away in the farms houses along with the other villagers and
experience the difference. Witness the unique lifestyle of the villagers. Learn about the their age old
traditions and culture, which they resume till date. Converse with them and feel how warm hearted and
simple they are. Along with them spend time playing the pleasing rural games such as taash (cards) and
kho kho. Than there are interesting bull fight and wrestling matches held on various occasions in the
village. On the tour to the village what attracts you the most is the colorful costumes of the villages.
Womens are seen wearing the ghagra choli (Skirt and top) or the saris. While are men are donned up in
the traditional kurtas and turbans. Both men and women are usually seen wearing the various jewelery
items.

Venturing into the agricultural farms :

Roam into the vast spreaded acres of agricultural lands along with the group of villagers who can provide
you the better insight of the village. As you roam into the fields, feel the smell of the India soil, which
gives you the real flavor of India. Enchant with the farmers working hard in the fields. Take the view of the
bulls ploughing the fields. The wells, other water bodies, mountains and forests are the added attraction
for the tourists.

Animal Rides :
Apart from all this, holidays on farms provides you the complete entertainment. Ride on the bullock carts
along with the villager's into the agricultural fields. See them carrying fodder for animals into the buggies.
You can even take the camel ride to explore the village and the surrounding areas.

Cow Milking :
Cow milking is real exciting activity, which can't be escaped. Practice the art of cow milking from the
villagers. Feed the cows with the fodder and chapatis. See how the rural womens cook food on the chulas
made of mud. Taste the authentic rural cuisine and drink fresh milk of cow.
Rural art and craft :
Villages are expert in making the handicrafts, it is something which is passed on from their one generation
to the other. You can carry some of the items back to the home as the momentum.

Village fairs and festivals :

You can also participate in the village seasonal harvest fair and festivals. Onam, Baishaki and Pongal are
some of the village most famous harvest festivals. Than you can enjoy the traditional dance and music
performed by the villagers on such occasions. You are advised to respect the local tradition and please
do not take out the photographs without permission as the villagers are quite conserve and orthodox.

A place for rural tourism

M. Ramesh
A unique village resort in Andhra Pradesh... amidst hills, sugarcane crop and paddy
fields.

Madapoosi Narasimhan has spent Rs 4 crore on a time-share resort here. When

completed, the resort would stand as a contrasting feature on the landscape, a five-star
facility in the middle of crops and more crops; to hear the honk of an automobile, you'd
have to walk at least 3 km.

RUSTIC FLAVOUR: In the 'heart of India'. M. Ramesh

Be honest. The last time you had a holiday at a beachside resort you deluded yourself
that you had a great time. Sure, you swam in the sea, rode boats, worked out in the
gym and had a few drinks by the bonfire; but heart of hearts, you knew there was
nothing unique about this experience. One beachside resort is exactly the same as the
other and the feeling of déjà vu is a drop of poison in the jar of joy.
What is `Indian' about a stay in a five-star hotel?
An emerging alternative to this is eco-tourism (or village tourism), which is the fastest
growing segment in the tourism industry, according to the World Tourism Organisation
— with an annual growth of 5 per cent worldwide and representing 6 per cent of the
world GDP, 11.4 per cent of all consumer spending.
Although there are a number of `village tourism projects' in India — the Government of
Kerala announced 50 such projects last month — this concept is yet to evolve fully in
India. India saw 4.4 million tourist arrivals in 2006 (and earned $6.5 billion), but only a
tiny percentage opted for village tourism.
That's a pity because village tourism is truly `budget' for the tourist, while the benefits
go directly to the villagers. Often tourists stay in the homes of villagers and get a real
feel of the `heart of India'.
To sample village tourism, let's go to Annur, a tiny village in Chittoor district of Andhra
Pradesh, which has never seen any activity other than agriculture — until now. This
swathe of agricultural land lies at the foot of rocky hills. Two types of crops are grown
chiefly: sugarcane and paddy.
Madapoosi Narasimhan has spent Rs 4 crore on a time-share resort here. When
completed, the resort would stand as a contrasting feature on the landscape, a five-star
facility in the middle of crops and more crops; to hear the honk of an automobile, you'd
have to walk at least 3 km.
Walking into the resort, I was reminded of the gangster Ben (Bugsy) Siegel who, in the
1940s, audaciously set upa gambling resort in the middle of the Nevada desert, 500 km
from the nearest habitation.
As financiers are sceptical (just as Siegel's were), Narasimhan sold off his property in
Chennai to put up a demonstrative unit at Annur, selling time-shares of which, he
hopes, would open up bank funding.
Will the time-shares sell? While the village itself is in the middle of nowhere, there are
plenty of interesting places in the vicinity. The little Krishnapatnam dam is 10 km away
— an excellent swimming and picnic spot. At an hour's drive is the Kone waterfalls.
Historic temples — Sholingur, Kalahasti, Tirupati, Narayana Vanam, Pilliar Koil — are all
less than a couple of hours' drive. Since all these lie among hills and waterways, there
is plenty of fun to be had.
So, the range of activities goes as follows: breakfast, temple visit or architectural
tourism, lunch, siesta, a tour of the sugarcane fields or the many jaggery-making
cottage units in the area or a visit to a picnic spot or a game of tennis, and dinner by a
bonfire in the company of fireflies. The cuisine is typical rustic fare — spicy Andhra food
cooked in earthen pots on slow, firewood ovens in open kitchens. Narasimhan hopes
NRIs would buy Annur time-shares, drawn by the resort's unique offering of a
combination of pilgrimage and leisure.
Whether Narasimhan is an entrepreneurial genius, only time can tell; but he is exactly
where Ben Siegel once was. Ben's project suffered huge cost overruns, because he kept
changing the design for perfection and, as a consequence, had to borrow excessively,
often from the mafia — a trap Narasimhan has carefully avoided falling into.
A walk into Annur village, however, will not get you in touch with any mafia. The locals
are mild-mannered village-folk, wont to greeting a stranger with some offering from the
kitchen. Take out a camera and the whole family will line up for a pose, grinning. A
walk into the fields will often bring you to a pumpset; it is great fun to bathe in their
gushing waters.
A little yonder, there are workers cutting cane. I ask them the obvious question: Do
you encounter snakes? "Oh, all the time," laughs Muthu, a worker from Puducherry.
"Last week, they caught one — this big — weighing about 65 kg." It was a python that
had slipped in from the neighbouring hills.
Out pops obvious question No. 2: Are you guys not afraid? "We are, but what to do?
We've to make a living," Muthu's colleague Palani says. Last year, Palani's brother was
bitten by a snake and had been rushed to Palipat, 5 km away, for first-aid. The
treatment cost about Rs 6,000, roughly a month's earning. The landowner gave him a
`grant' of Rs 200, which Palani "threw back on his face". Landowners are, by law,
required to take health covers on agricultural workers, but this is neither followed nor
enforced.
See? That is the whole point abouteco-tourism — apart from the scents of the crops,
you see the heart of India, the aspirations and disappointments of its inhabitants,
something a five-star hotel stay or a fibreglass boat-ride will never get you.
It is still a nascent industry, but entrepreneurs like Narasimhan are confident it will
boom.
Meanwhile, another day comes to a close at Annur. As darkness engulfs the resort,
thousands of bats leave their roosts and, shrieking loudly, perform aerobatics in the
sky. Below them stands the only fully built unit of the resort, patiently waiting for its
first commercial occupant.
That brings us to the question: What became of Ben Siegel's gambling resort in the
middle of the desert? Taken over by financiers, it turned out to be a commercial
success and a lively township developed around it.
Because of his links with the mafia, however, Ben did not live to see it — it became the
city of Las Vegas.

Luxur y tourism biz sees huge

demand

Amit Shanbaug | Mumbai, October 25, 2010 | Updated 10:22 IST

UTILITIES

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 Buzz

Travel operators who were till recently targeting only foreign travellers for their luxury tour
packages are now shifting focus to domestic travellers for their high-end packages.

According to Subhash Verma, vicepresident, Association of Domestic Tour Operators in India

(ADTOI), traditionally there was this mindset that Indian travellers are budget conscious and
prefers travelling budget but this is fast changing. "There has been a steady growth in Indians
choosing high-end luxury cruises. In the last one year there has been a positive upswing towards
it," he said.

According to Verma, lots of ALL GAIN NO PAIN FOR AFFLUENT

tour operators are looking at INDIANS
this option and are designing
• The mindset that Indian travellers
packages to suit the needs of
are budget conscious is changing as
tourists. "Places like Kerala,
Rajasthan and Goa have more Indians are choosing highend
come out with lots of hotels luxury cruises
which offer luxury villas and
• Luxury villas and spas have come up
spas to cater to the demand,"
in places like Kerala, Rajasthan and
he said.
Goa to cater to this demand
Verma said tourists consider • Luxury tour packages often include
luxury holidays as elitist.
exclusive offerings like wine tasting,
"Luxury travellers also have
cabaret shows, gondola & Mercedes
high willingness to buy as
well. Luxury is increasingly rides
becoming the way of life for • Innovative packages are centred
many," he said.
around exclusive offerings like
Ferrari tours
Tour operator Kouni Luxury
Holidays offers overseas • Many packages are inclusive of
luxury tour packages like business class airfares and five- star
Europe Grande, which
hotel accomodation
includes several exclusive
offerings, such as wine
tasting, indulging in chocolate fondue, watching cabaret shows, taking gondola rides in Venice,
horse carriage ride and exploring Europe in a Mercedes.

Then there is the Classic France package, where the tourist can enjoy a stay at the beautiful ChÃ
¢teau de Gilly Luxe in Vougeot, take a dinner cruise on the Seine River or enjoy a candlelit dinner
on a yacht and a private tour of Burgundy Vineyards with winetasting as a special attraction.
Cox & Kings too, offers packages like Red Travel Ferrari Tours in Italy. The prices start at €7,900
for four nights and five days. This includes the cost of accommodation and hiring a Ferrari. It is
ideal for corporate bigwigs wanting to unwind and indulge in their fantasies as well as couples in
search of the ultimate romantic getaway.

The company's South African Explorer package offers tours in private air-conditioned vehicles
along with the services of English-speaking driver-cum-guide.

Karan Anand, head (relationships & supplier management), Cox & Kings, said there was never a
decline in the luxury travel and tour segment. " Even during the economic crisis, people who had
the propensity to spend did so.

Now with the economy growing in double digits, we expect a boom in luxury travel," he said.

Luxury travel and tour contributes nearly 15 per cent of Cox & Kings' business. " With a boom in
the economy we expect to see this segment growing by at least 25 per cent," he added.

Kesari Tours & Travels has a separate section called Strawberi Holidays. It has come out with
several packages like a six nights and seven days package for Singapore costing around Rs 3 lakh,
inclusive of business class airfare, five-star hotel accommodation and travel by Mercedes S-class
and another package for New Zealand for the same duration at a price of Rs 5.3 lakh to Rs 7 lakh
per person, which includes business class airfare, exclusive lodge stays and helicopter transfers.

Luxury vehicles like Porshe and Ferrari are used for some part of the holiday.

Veena Patil, chairman & managing director (CMD), Kesari Tours & Travels, said luxury travel is on
a high. " People are travelling and are more- than- willing to spend for something exclusive. We
expect this segment to grow at least to around 20- 30 per cent. We have got good bookings for
luxury destinations at places like Vegas, Austria, Switzerland and Bora Bora," she said.

The medical tourism market in India has been pegged to grow to

around Rs 11, 000 CR by the next couple of years approx till 2012-13.
Medical treatment in USA or Thailand. Quality health care & medical
treatment in india at low cost.
Cardiac Surgery, Bone Mone marrow transplant, Liver transplant,
Orthopaedic surgery. Cost of key health care treatment is upto 30%
low. Medial tourism in India emerges as a huge money spinner. Go for
medical tour in India and treat yourself with the best quality care in

India.
Medical Tourism Statistics
More and more countries are becoming medical tourism destinations. Medical tourism statistics revealed
an anticipated growth of the industry from about $40 billion in 2004 to $100 billion by the year 2012. The
estimate was made by the Confederation of India and the McKinsey Company.
Another report disclosed that an estimated 750,000 Americans seek treatment abroad in 2007. It was also
estimated that a million and a half Americans sought healthcare outside the US in 2008.

Wildlife and Forest Tourism in India

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Wildlife and Forest Tourism in India

The flora and fauna of India attracts thousands of tourists and this opens up entrepreneurial
opportunities for those who have love for nature

Having completed his masters in business administration, Vikram Singh sought the road well travelled
and embarked on a career in advertising. But not for long. He soon realised that client servicing and
media plans didn't 'speak' to him; it was nature that did. So off he went, to run Wild World India where
he prepares customised wildlife tour packages for foreign visitors. According to Singh, Indian wildlife
tourism has a lot of takers and is the best bet for those passionate about adventurous outdoor work.

"Indiais a superbly diverse country with lots of flora and fauna to explore. That's
one of the key reasons for the large number of foreign and domestic tourists coming
here for wildlife and forest tourism," says Singh. According to statistics from the
Ministry of Tourism, India boasts of 88 national parks and 490 wildlife sanctuaries;
sheltering over 390 mammals, 455 reptiles, 210 amphibians, 1,230 bird species and
30,000 species of insects.
But of all the animals, it's the big cats and the birds that are the biggest attraction for foreigners.
"Migratory birds attract a large number of tourists in India and bird watching is very popular among
them. But having said that, the big cats never lose their loyal audience," says Singh.
With many travel agencies and tour operators making a beeline for attracting maximum number of
tourists in the market, they are being spoilt for choice. According to a recent report by the Ministry of
Tourism, the Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTA) in India during 2010 was 5.58 million people and the
industry sees a healthy growth rate of 9.3 per cent.

"The number of offshore tourists has increased significantly. Most of them turn to nature while looking
for a respite from their hectic schedule. Since there is a lot of information about this subject available
online and on social networking sites, this helps in deciding the composition of their tour," explains
Singh.

Mohit Gupta, chief marketing officer of Makemytrip.com, agrees, "Many visitors book tickets and tours
through online portals. This not only saves time but also gives the visitors an idea of what to expect
once they arrive at their destination."

According to Gupta, although wildlife sanctuaries and national parks attract visitors on a seasonal
basis, India's diverse topography ensures that there is a healthy stream of tourists even during the off
peak season. He continues, "The lean period during January and February sees people going to warmer
areas but sanctuaries and national parks buzz with visitors almost the entire year round."

Heritage tourism: A historic opportunity

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Tourism in India has been on rise and is expected to emerge as

the most important revenue earner for India by 2010. Heritage
tourism has emerged as one of the niche segments of tourism in
India and worldwide. It is often offered in combination with other
elements like religion, wildlife, ecotourism, and even adventure.

Cultural heritage tourism or heritage tourism is a niche element of the

overall tourism spectrum. It is meant to gain an appreciation of the past or
something we have got in legacy. It is one of the oldest forms of travel, and
involves heritages of all kinds – colonial heritage, urban renewal, religious
tourism, genealogy, industrial heritage, and ethnicity. Thus a visit to Services offered
Cellular Jail in Port Blair,
or to Haldighati and Ellora Caves constitute heritage tourism in the Indian by most of
context. heritage hotels
are
substandard.
Heritage tourism is difficult to segregate from other elements of tourism.
Tourists interested in other areas, like adventure, religion and leisure also Properties are
visit different Indian heritage sites; with monuments like Taj Mahal, good, but
Humayun’s Tomb, Red Fort, Sarnath, Kaziranja, Tirupati, Varanasi, management
Rameshwaram, and Ajanta being quite popular. UNESCO has identified 27 standards have
heritage sites in to improve. Staff
India as world heritage, and has collaborated with state government need to be
authorities to develop several themed itineraries, like linking Buddhist holy trained.
places, legends of Shiva, yoga, and ayurvedic healing.
Eva Steigler
More than five million foreigners visited India in 2007, and out of these, at MD, One Vision,
least, three million visited heritage sites in India. Number of domestic Oslo, Norway
tourists outnumbered foreign travelers by more than 60 times in 2007. The
share of cultural heritage tourism in the overall tourism figures in India, be
it domestic or foreign travelers, is over 60 percent, according to various estimates.
India needs quite a lot of effort and professional touch to keep its heritage sites intact. While
government authorities have been mainly responsible for this, heritage management in India has
started seeing the participation of big players like Tata, Oberoi, Indian Oil Corporation, and
others, on the lines of European countries and the US. Heritage hotels, another color in the
spectrum of heritage tourism, are quite popular among tourists, with celebrities like Amitabh
Bachchhan and Richard Gere also voicing their preference for them. Barring most of major hotel
players like Taj, Oberoi, and ITC, there are several heritage hotels owned by the descendants of
former rulers and aristocrats.
Not everything is, however, honky dory in the field of heritage tourism. Services at heritage sites
are nowhere compared to those at similar sites in countries like Italy, UK, China and Spain.
Foreign tourists often feel cheated as they pay several times more entrance fees compared to
Indians. They often feel disappointed by the shabby treatment they receive at the hands of the
vendors, whose only agenda seems to be to extract the maximum possible money from the
tourists. Tourists are also miffed at the lower levels of services offered by several heritage hotels,
tour operators, transporters and others.
Travel Industry – Important Statistics

- According to the World Tour and Travel Council, India ranks number one in long
term growth.

- Ministry of Tourism expects 10 million foreign tourists and 500 million domestic
tourists in 2010

- This will create 15 million additional jobs by 2010. The contribution of the Travel
& Tourism economy to employment is expected to rise from 30.5 million jobs in
2008, 6.4% of total employment or one in every 15.6 jobs to 39,6 million jobs, 7.2%
of total employment or one in every 13.8 jobs by 2018.

- Real GDP growth for Travel & Tourism economy is expected to average 7.6
percent per annum over the next ten years

- Export earnings from international visitors and tourism goods will grow (nominal
terms) to Rs 2,750.2 bn or US$51.6 bn (4.4% of total) in 2018

- The contribution of Travel & Tourism to Gross Domestic Product is expected to

stay the same at 6.1% (INR 2,859.9 bn or US$73.6 bn) in 2008 to 6.1% (Rs 9,141.1
bn or US$171.5 bn) by 2018.

source: Ministry of Tourism, Newspaper reports

Heritage sites
Be it the exquisite marble inlay work of the Taj Mahal or the titillating
sculptures of the Khajuraho temples or the excellent fusion of science and art in
Konark Sun Temple, Indian heritage sites manifest their richness everywhere.
Taj Mahal, the most popular heritage of India, alone attracts some 2.5 million
tourists every year.
According to various estimates, heritage tourism contributes well over 60
percent to the overall share of tourists in India, both domestic and foreigners.
An interesting aspect of this, however, is that almost 80 percent of foreign
tourists visiting India restrict themselves to the Golden Triangle (Delhi-Jaipur-
Agra) and Rajasthan, areas quite rich in heritage monuments. This comes as a
surprise considering places like Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh,
Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh have so many beautiful heritage monuments.
This, however, also spells huge untapped opportunities heritage tourism
presents. Even if a fraction of the potential of these states is tapped, it can do
wonders. Rajasthan
looked at
Aditya Nath, managing director, Apass India Leisure Solutions, a Delhi-based
heritage
tour operator, says, “A package for the Golden Triangle can easily be sold.
Everyone wants to make easy money. Convincing tourists to visit other places tourism as
will require more efforts.” an
opportunity
Nath says, “Rajasthan looked at heritage tourism as an opportunity to shed its
BIMARU (Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and UP) tag. Better marketing to shed its
strategy backed by focus on infrastructure development and creating safe BIMARU
environment for tourists in the state have proved the differentiator.” (Bihar,
Madhya
Rajasthan has been systematic in promoting its heritage sites. It has been
flexible with time as well. While till a few years ago the state was busy Pradesh,
promoting better known places like Jaipur, Udaipur and Jaisalmer, now Rajasthan,
attempts are successfully being made to market lesser known places, often in and UP)
hinterlands, like Sawai Madhopur, Kumbhalgarh, Kota, Sariska, Alwar, Bundi, tag. Better
Barmer, and Dungarpur. marketing
strategy
backed by
focus on
infrastructu
re
developme
nt and
creating
safe
environmen
t for
tourists in
the state
have
proved the
differentiat
Nath says, “Entrepreneurs do not hesitate to move to lesser explored areas,
provided business opportunities are there. The Rajasthan government has really
been supportive on this front, something other states have failed to emulate.”

Indian Tourism Fact Sheet

Annual Foreign Tourist Arrivals (All India data for

53 lakh
2007)

Real GDP growth for Travel & Tourism

7.90%
economy expected in 2008

Annual forex Inflow in 2007 $11.96 billion

Growth in forex inflow 18.00%

Domestic tourists in 2006 462 million

Export earnings from international visitors and $18.5 billion (6.7% of total
tourism goods as expected in 2008 exports earnings)

Assuming 50% of tourists visit some heritage sites, there would have been three
million foreign visitors and nearly 250 million domestic tourists in 2008.

source: Ministry of Tourism, Newspaper reports

With greater awareness among entrepreneurs and tourists, demand for heritage
monuments from under-explored areas is rising. Sujit Kumar, a guide registered
with the Ministry of Tourism, says, “I have hosted a few groups of British tourists
who went to visit World War II memorials in Kohima.”

Procedure : United States India Thailand Singapore

Coronary Angioplasty 31,000-70,000 $ 11,000 $ 13,000 $ 13,000 $

Heart Bypass 66,000-150,000 $ 10,000 $ 12,000 $ 20,000 $

Hip Replacement 22,000-53,000 $ 9,000 $ 12,000 $ 12,000 $

Gastric Bypass 33,000-58,000 $ 11,000 $ 13,000 $ 13,000 $

[Source : Time Magazine 31 July 2006 ; prices as suggested by one surgical tourism agency ; the first
price quoted for US is the average of Insurer's cost price ; the second price for US is the average for
retail cost]
An article in Newsweek (end 2006) reveals that Bumrungrad hospital treated
400,000 foreign patients in 2005. This number is astounding and must be (not
clearly stated in the article) referring to total hospital visits rather than total number
of patients treated.
Furthermore, the hospital has just opened (mid 2008) a new 18-story outpatient
center, which will eventually increase the hospital's outpatient capacity to 6,000
patients per day.

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The health tourism figures include those going to:
• Hospitals - conventional medicine, invasive treatments, state-of-the-art technology
• Wellness and Spa - complementary medicine, traditional natural preventive medicine, organic additives
addressing the mind, body and soul
• Destination spas - body and mind treatment backed with medical knowledge and hydrotherapy tubs,
wet-rooms, steam baths, sauna, therapeutic message, etc.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand says that Thailand attracts 14 million visitors a year. The majority are
leisure and business travellers. The current country distribution of visitors coming to Thailand with the
primary motive of healthcare, according to the Tourism Authority is:
• U.A.E - 43.6%
• Qatar - 8.9%
• Oman - 6.0%
• Japan - 5.3%
• Myanmar - 5.0%
• Bangladesh - 3.6%
• U.S.A - 2.5%
• U.K - 2.5%
• Germany 1.2%
• France 1.1%
• Australia - 1.0%
• Canada - 0.8%
• Others 18.5%
Thai tourism bodies have recently been heavily promoting the potential in the Middle East, and their own
figures suggest Americans and Europeans are increasingly nervous of the continuing political unrest and
violence. The latest recommendation from the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office is: “We currently
advise against all travel to some specific areas of Thailand and all but essential travel to other specific
areas of Thailand. The situation in Thailand remains volatile. British Nationals should exercise extreme
caution throughout the country.”
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