TOURISM

Tourism is travel for pleasure; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of
attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours.
[1]
Tourism may be international, or within the traveller's country. The World Tourism
Organization defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common
perception of tourism as being limited to holiday activity only", as people "traveling to
and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive
year for leisure, business and other purposes".

Tourism can be domestic or international, and international tourism has both incoming
and outgoing implications on a country's balance of payments. Today, tourism is a major
source of income for many countries, and affects the economy of both the source and host
countries, in some cases being of vital importance

Significance of tourism

Strandkorb chairs on Usedom Island, Germany. Not only does the service sector grow
thanks to tourism, but also local manufacturers (like those producing the
strandkorb), retailers, the real estate sector and the general image of a location can benefit
a lot.

Drawa National Park in Poland, famous for its canoeing routes

Tourism is an important, even vital, source of income for many regions and countries. Its
importance was recognized in the Manila Declaration on World Tourism of 1980 as "an
activity essential to the life of nations because of its direct effects on the social, cultural,
educational, and economic sectors of national societies and on their international
relations."[2][13]
Tourism brings in large amounts of income into a local economy in the form of payment
for goods and services needed by tourists, accounting for 30% of the world's trade of
services, and 6% of overall exports of goods and services.[6] It also creates opportunities
for employment in the service sector of the economy associated with tourism.[14]

The service industries which benefit from tourism include transportation services, such
as airlines, cruise ships, and taxicabs; hospitality services, such as accommodations,
including hotels and resorts; and entertainment venues, such as amusement
parks, casinos, shopping malls, music venues, and theatres. This is in addition to goods
bought by tourists, including souvenirs, clothing and other supplies.

Definitions

In 1936, the League of Nations defined a foreign tourist as "someone traveling abroad for
at least twenty-four hours". Its successor, the United Nations, amended this definition in
1945, by including a maximum stay of six months.

In 1941, Hunziker and Kraft 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."[16][17] In 1976,
the Tourism Society of England's definition was: "Tourism is the temporary, short-term
movement of people to destinations outside the places where they normally live and work
and their activities during the stay at each destination. It includes movements for all
purposes."[18] In 1981, the International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism
defined tourism in terms of particular activities chosen and undertaken outside the home.
[19]
In 1994, the United Nations identified three forms of tourism in its Recommendations on
Tourism Statistics:[20]

Domestic tourism, involving residents of the given country traveling only within
this country

Inbound tourism, involving non-residents traveling in the given country

Outbound tourism, involving residents traveling in another country

The terms tourism and travel are sometimes used interchangeably. In this context, travel
has a similar definition to tourism, but implies a more purposeful journey. The
terms tourism and tourist are sometimes used pejoratively, to imply a shallow interest in
the cultures or locations visited. By contrast, traveler is often used as a sign of
distinction. The sociology of tourism has studied the cultural values underpinning these
distinctions and their implications for class relations.[21]
TOURISM IN INDIA
India has become a popular tourist destination with thousands of people visiting different
parts of India each year.

It has much to offer to travelers and tourists. It is a land of hills, rivers, plateaus, plains,
beaches, deltas and deserts. It also houses many luxurious hotels and resorts to cater to its
booming travel and tourism industry.

India offers luxury travel to its travelers and tourists. Cruise from the picturesque natural
sites to the architectural wealth in this beautiful land. Almost all the cities in India have
something to interest tourists.

Travel and tourism is the largest service industry in India. It provides heritage, cultural,
medical, business and sports tourism. The main objective of this sector is to develop and
promote tourism, maintain competitiveness of India as tourist destination and improve
and expand existing tourism products to ensure employment generation and economic
growth. In this section, we provide information about various tourist destinations, modes
of travel, accommodation and approved travel agents.

Some of the major tourist destinations in India are the Himalayas, Agra,
Jaipur,Goa, Kerala, Delhi, Orissa and Maharshtra.
Tourism in India is economically important and is growing rapidly. The World Travel &
Tourism Council calculated that tourism generated 8.31 lakh crore (US$120 billion) or
6.3% of the nation's GDP in 2015 and supported 37.315 million jobs, 8.7% of its total
employment. The sector is predicted to grow at an average annual rate of 7.5% to 18.36
lakh crore (US$270 billion) by 2025 (7.2% of GDP). [1] In October 2015, India's medical
tourism sector was estimated to be worth US$3 billion. It is projected to grow to $78
billion by 2020.[2] In 2014, 184,298 foreign patients traveled to India to seek medical
treatment.[3]

About 88.90 lakh (8.89 million) foreign tourists arrived in India in 2016 compared to
80.27 lakh (8.027 million) in 2015, recording a growth of 10.7%. [4][5] Domestic tourist
visits to all states and Union Territories numbered 1,036.35 million in 2012, an increase
of 16.5% from 2011.[6] In 2014, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh were the
most popular states for tourists.[7] Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Agra and Jaipur have been
the five most visited cities of India by foreign tourists during the year 2015. Worldwide,
Delhi is ranked at 28 by the number of foreign tourist arrivals, while Mumbai is ranked at
30, Chennai at 43, Agra at 45, Jaipur at 52 and Kolkata at 90.[8]

The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015 ranks India 52nd out of 141
countries overall. The report ranks the price competitiveness of India's tourism sector 8th
out of 141 countries. It mentions that India has quite good air transport (ranked 35th),
particularly given the countrys stage of development, and reasonable ground transport
infrastructure (ranked 50th). The country also scores high on natural and cultural
resources (ranked 12th).[9] Some other aspects of its tourism infrastructure remain
somewhat underdeveloped however. The nation has very few hotel rooms per capita by
international comparison and low ATM penetration.[10] The World Tourism
Organization reported that India's receipts from tourism during 2012 ranked 16th in the
world, and 7th among Asian and Pacific countries.[11]

The Ministry of Tourism designs national policies for the development and promotion of
tourism. In the process, the Ministry consults and collaborates with other stakeholders in
the sector including various Central Ministries/agencies, state governments, Union
Territories and the representatives of the private sector. Concerted efforts are being made
to promote new forms of tourism such as rural, cruise, medical and eco-tourism. [12] The
Ministry also maintains the Incredible India campaign.

Despite the rich cultural and natural heritage which India possesses, the security issues
and crime especially against female visitors, form a persisting trouble that has plagued
the Indian tourism industry.[13][14][15]

Visa policy of India

Visa policy of India

India

Visa not required

e-Tourist Visa

Visa required

India requires citizens of most countries to have a valid passport and apply for a visa at
their local Indian embassy or consulate, before they travel. They can apply directly by
mail or in person, or through their local travel services company. India has recently
implemented an online method for citizens of 40 countries to apply and receive an e-
Tourist Visa.[16] Nationals of Bhutan, Maldives and Nepal do not require a visa. Citizens
of Afghanistan, Argentina, Bangladesh, DPR Korea, Jamaica, Maldives, Mauritius,
Mongolia, Nepal, South Africa and Uruguay are not required to pay a fee when obtaining
Indian visa.[17]

A Protected Area Permit (PAP) is required to enter the states of Nagaland and Sikkim and
some parts of the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and
Kashmir, Manipur, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Uttaranchal. A Restricted Area Permit (RAP)
is required to enter the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and parts of Sikkim. Special
permits are needed to enter Lakshadweep Islands.[18]

e-Tourist Visa

In order to boost tourism numbers,[19] the Indian Government decided to implement a new
visa policy, allowing visitors to obtain a visa on arrival at 16 designated international
airports by obtaining an Electronic Travel Authorisation online before arrival without the
need to visit an Indian consulate or visa centre.[20] As a result of this, 56,477 tourist
arrived on e-Tourist Visa during the month of October, 2015, as compared to 2,705 during
the month of October, 2014 marking to a growth of 1987.9%. During JanuaryOctober,
2015 a total of 2,58,182 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 21,995 during
JanuaryOctober, 2014 registering a growth of 1073.8%.[21]

The facility will be made available to citizens of about 180 countries in several phases.
[22]
On 27 November 2014, India introduced its visa on arrival enabled by ETA facility for
tourists and business visitors, to citizens of following countries Australia, Brazil,
Cambodia, Cook Islands, Djibouti, Fiji, Finland, Germany, Indonesia, Israel, Japan,
Jordan, Kenya, Kiribati, Laos, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexico,
Micronesia, Myanmar, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue Island, Norway, Oman, Palau,
Palestine, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Russia, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands,
South Korea, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, UAE, Ukraine, USA, Vanuatu and Vietnam.[16]The
facility was extended to China, Macau and Hong Kong on 30 July 2015. [23] The facility
was further extended to citizens of Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Aruba, Belgium,
Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, East Timor, Guatemala, Hungary, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta,
Malaysia, Mongolia, Monaco, Mozambique, the Netherlands, Panama, Peru, Poland,
Portugal, Seychelles, Slovenia, Spain, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,
Surinam, Sweden, Taiwan, Tanzania, Turks and Caicos Islands, the United Kingdom,
Uruguay and Venezuela on 15 August 2015.[24]

The visa on arrival requires a tourist to apply online on a secure Government of India
website, at least 4 to 30 days before the date of travel. If approved, the passenger must
print and carry the approved visa with the travel documents. The visa allows holders of
Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter and stay anywhere in India for 30 days.
The ETA can be obtained twice in a single calendar year.[16] The visa on arrival facility is
expected to be expanded to about 180 countries over time. In April 2015 the scheme was
renamed to e-Tourist Visa in order to avoid confusion.[25]

Challenges to the tourism industry

Security issues and crime, especially against women, remain a major challenge that
stained the reputation of Indian tourism industry in recent years. It is widely considered
to be dangerous for a woman to travel alone in India, as they are prone for harassment,
rape[15] or being murdered. Several cases of foreign women visitors being harassed, raped
and even murdered have caught international attention, such as the case of British
teenager Scarlett Keeling who was raped and murdered in the Indian state of Goa in
2008.[13]In 2015, China and Japan have issued travel warnings for female travellers not to
travel to India, even as a group, unless it is absolutely necessary.[14]

As a reaction to the poor security for women, India's tourism minister, Mahesh Sharma,
has advised foreign women not to wear skirts in public or walk alone at night in the
country's small towns and cities.[28] This statement garnered criticism, with Ira
Trivedi writing in an open letter to the minister that not all parts of India are unsafe and
that the government should be working to ensure women's safety instead of victim
blaming.[29]
 MINISTRY OF TOURISM

THE ORGANISATION

The Ministry of Tourism, is the nodal agency for the formulation of national policies and
programmes and for the co-ordination of activities of various Central Government
Agencies, State Governments/UTs and the Private Sector for the development and
promotion of tourism in the country.This Ministry is headed by the Union Minister of
State for Tourism (Independent Charge).

The administrative head of the Ministry is the Secretary (Tourism). The Secretary also
acts as the Director General (DG) Tourism. The office of the Director General of Tourism
{now merged with the office of Secretary (Tourism)} provides executive directions for
the implementation of various policies and programmes. Directorate General of Tourism
has a field formation of 20 offices within the country and 14 offices abroad and one sub-
ordinate office/project i.e. Indian Institute of Skiing and Mountaineering (IISM)/
Gulmarg Winter Sports Project. The overseas offices are primarily responsible for
tourism promotion and marketing in their respective areas and the field offices in India
are responsible for providing information service to tourists and to monitor the progress
of field projects.The activities of IISM/GWSP have now been revived and various Ski
and other courses are being conducted in the J&K valley.

The Ministry of Tourism has under its charge a public sector undertaking, the India
Tourism Development Corporation and the following autonomous institutions:

Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) and National

Institute of Water Sports (NIWS)

National Council for Hotel Management and Catering Technology (NCHMCT)

and the Institutes of Hotel Management.
Role and Functions of the Ministry of Tourism

The Ministry of Tourism functions as the nodal agency for the development of tourism in
the country. It plays a crucial role in coordinating and supplementing the efforts of the
State/Union Territory Governments, catalyzing private investment, strengthening
promotional and marketing efforts and in providing trained manpower resources. The
functions of the Ministry in this regard mainly consist of the following:

All Policy Matters, including:

o Development Policies.

o Incentives.

o External Assistance.

o Manpower Development.

o Promotion & Marketing.

o Investment Facilitation.

Planning. Co-ordination with other Ministries, Departments, State/UT Governments.

Regulation:

o Standards.

o Guidelines

Infrastructure & Product Development.

o Guidelines

Human Resource Development

o Institutions.

o Setting Standards and Guidelines.

Publicity & Marketing:

o Policy.

o Strategies.

o Co-ordination.

Research, Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation

International Co-operation and External Assistance

o International Bodies.

o Bilateral Agreements.

o External Assistance.

o Foreign Technical Collaboration

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING DESTINATION
PREFERENCES OF TOURISTS IN INDIA

Although the literature on experience as such, as well as various concepts pertaining to

specific experiences (such as for example landscape experiences or tourist experiences is
quite large, this article maintains that some of these conceptions are too ambiguous.
Therefore this paper presents a threefold idea of the phenomenon of the tourist
experience. Based on a review of tourism literature and general psychological literature it
is argued that experiences are influenced by expectancies and events and that they remain
or are constructed in the individuals' memory, forming the basis for new preferences and
expectancies. Such a cognitive approach to the concept of experience highlights the
distinction between the tourist event and its precursors and effects. At the same time this
approach highlights the importance of the experiencing subject in constructing a
meaningful concept of tourist experiences.

Knowledge of consumer psychology and consumer behaviour in relation to tourism is

valuable in determining the success of tourism and hospitality ventures. The book is an
edited collection of papers from the 3rd Symposium on Consumer Psychology of
Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure, held in Melbourne, Australia in January 2003. Themes
covered by the papers include attitudes, emotions and information processing; motivation
and learning; consumption systems; decision and choice; experience and satisfaction;
market segmentation; attraction and loyalty; and image and interpretation.
 TRENDS OF TOURISM IN INDIA BY 2025

India is a huge tropical country and is well known for its diverse climatic features. India
has become one of the worlds promising tourist destination with large number of visitors
each year. It has a dramatic growth of tourism over the last 25 years and it is one of the
most remarkable economic changes. Tourism activity has long lasting socio-economic
impacts on the host economy and community. India is the 12th most attractive tourist
destination in the Asia-Pacific by the report of world economic forum.

Future Of Travel And Tourism In India

The future of India Tourism industry is increasing year by year. India offers many tourism
packages to the visitors. India is the only country that offers different categories of
tourism. The Indian government took efforts to encourage different kinds of tourism in
India. India shows an exponential growth in tourism industry because of the support
given by the government.

The tourists can enjoy different kind of tourism. They are:

Eco Tourism
Health Tourism
Adventure Tourism
Cultural Tourism
Heritage Tourism
Wildlife Tourism

Only in India the tourists can enjoy all these kinds of tourism together. The survey
according to FICCI (Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry) states
that there is a very bright future for the tourism industry in India. India has always been
known for its diverse climate, hospitality, uniqueness etc this is the reason why India has
been doing well in all types of tourism in India.

Indian government adopted different approaches for the promotion of tourism in India,
which includes new mechanism for speedy implementation of tourism projects,
development of integrated tourism and rural destinations, special capacity building in the
unorganized hospitality sector and new marketing strategy. India plans to modify the visa
policy during 2014 by allowing visitors from most countries to obtain an electronic visa
online. As a result of this visa policy Indian government is expecting a boom in tourism
industry. All types of tourism in India shows a rapid growth in the last decade .so the
Indian government decided to increase revenues from the tourism sector by projecting
India as the "ultimate tourist spot". So there is no doubt that the development of tourism
industry in India is very strong in the next two years.

Emerging trends in Tourism and Hospitality

1. What Is Hospitality Industry ? The hospitality industry is a broad category of

fields within the service industry that includes lodging, restaurants, event
planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, and additional fields within the
tourism industry.
2. What is Tourism Industry ? Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure, or business
purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to
and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one
consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".
3. Emerging Trends in Travel & Tourism in India Recent Trends In Indian Tourism:
The tourist numbers and activities in India seem to suggest more of an optimistic
scenario. The gloomy phase of 200809 has been mediated successfully with
focused policy interventions and industry initiatives that in turn added momentum
to the growth process Another pertinent dimension worth noticing is the
relationship between the growth in tourist arrivals and the earnings during this
 period. For instance, in rupee terms, the annual increase in earnings has been
much faster to that of
4. Percentage Change in Monthly International Tourist Arrivals and Revenue- India
5. Trend in Domestic Tourist Arrivals in India
6. Indian Nationals Going Abroad
7. Quest For New Tourism Products Indias Tourism Policy (2002) has
accorded great importance for tourism product development and diversification to
increase the numbers of domestic and international tourists. It goes without saying
that Indias ancient civilization, cultural diversity, unmatched heritage sites and
other cultural manifestations have allured the tourists through ages and would
continue to be its prime USP. But, the tourist motivation and purpose of
holidaying areundergoing fast changes and that makes it imperative to create new
tourism product offerings to satisfy the new tourist class.
8. Rural Tourism India is a country of villages and showcasing the rich rural life,
art, culture and heritage in villages in responsible manner would be mutually
beneficial since tourism and conservation complement each other.
9. Golf Tourism Golf is considered to be a game of rich and is quite popular in
advanced countries. A potentially viable market segment is also emerging in the
country. Recognizing the potential to develop golf as a niche tourism product for
attracting both international and domestic tourism, Ministry of Tourism took
many bold initiatives to identify and strengthen the development. Recently, it
organized a workshop (January 2011) in New Delhi on Promotion of Golf
Tourism to evolve a
10. Adventure Tourism The urge for adventure is there in every humanbeing.
Perhaps due to this innate nature of man that adventure tourism is one of the most
popular niche segments of tourism industry Owing to Indias enormous geo-
physical diversity, it has taken a big shape over the years. Adventure tourism is
very much a part of Indias tourism policy and almost ever State has definite
programme to identify and promote its
11. Camping Sites Promotion of Camping sites has been encouraged with
adequate acknowledgement of its adverse effects on environment. Besides
 providing unique rewarding experiences, responsible conduct of camping can be a
major source for both additional economic opportunities in remote areas as well
as an instrument of conservation.
12. Medical Tourism Medical tourism or health tourism is often described as
rapidly growing segment in the country. India is adequately equipped with state-
of-the-art hospital infrastructure and facilities to treat many critical illnesses.
13. By now, India has been able to establish as a favorite destination for many
complex surgeries like cosmetic surgery, joint replacement surgery, cardiac
surgery and like at very low cost in comparison to the developed countries. This
indeed gives great momentum for the hospitals in particular and tourism in
general. Many specialized hospitals and tour operators have already come up to
promote themedical tourism.
14. Wellness Tourism- The core of wellness tourism in India is the ancient medical
system of Ayurveda combined with the system of Yoga. Indeed, many states in the
country have already taken great strides to promote wellness as a tourist product.
Wellness tourism may be described as travelling for the purpose of revitalizing
ones health and spiritual well-being especially through alternative healing
practices.
15. Ecotourism India is often termed as hotspot of bio-diversity and this rich natural
heritage is unparallel in many ways. Such valuable resource base gives impetus
for the practice of variety of alternate tourism forms and many of which are
already in existence. The national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves
and a multitude of other natural settings are indeed avenues for not only learning
and experiencing the natures splendidly and life systems but also a major source
for great variety of adventure offerings
16. Highway Tourism Highways are like veins in the symbolic body of a country.
Even in the most ancient times, the kings have well envisaged the importance of
highways and constructed numerous inns and wells to facilitate the travelers. In
modern times too, initiatives has been taken to develop tourism infrastructure
along the highways so that it caters the travelers and provides income and
 employment opportunities along the hinterland. Haryana has been pioneering this
concept in successful fashion.
17. Rail tourism:- Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), a
public sector enterprise under Indian Railway, promotes rail tourism in India.
From luxury trains to steam locomotive trains, hill charters and Char Dham trains;
it offers the tourists with attractive options and at the reasonable costs. Maharaja
Express, Mahaparinirvan Express (Buddhist circuits), Bharat Darshan and Bharat
Tirth are some of its famous train journeys. It also has provisions for charters and
exclusive tour packages. Besides IRCTC initiatives, state-level corporations and
private operators also operate tourist trains. Indeed, the world famous Palace on
Wheels and Deccan Odyssey are part of successful rail tourism initiatives in
theworld.
18. Spiritual Tourism Globally people are increasingly mentally disturbed and
looking for solace in spiritual reading, meditation and moments of divine ecstasy.
Our country has been known as the seat of spiritualism and Indias cosmopolitan
nature is best reflected in its pilgrim centers. Thus India has been respected as
a destination for spiritual tourism for domestic and international tourists. Spiritual
tourism is also termed as religious heritage tourism.
19. Sustainable Tourism The concept of sustainability means that mankind must
live within the capacity of the environment that supports. Sustainable
development has been defined briefly as that which meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs.
20. Top Trends in Airlines, travel & tourism Low cost In 2012 low cost operators
were responsible for 23% of all US air traffic. However, discount carriers are now
finding that they are having to compete on more than just price as customers are
demanding higher levels of comfort and entertainment. This has led to the
discount diva a customer who has sophisticated tastes in relation to airport
and in-flight services, but expects bargain basement prices too.
21. The death of distance How about lunch in Paris or dinner in New York? This isnt
as crazy as you might think (even if you live in London) because people are
 getting used to going further. What was once exotic is now considered ordinary,
which means that travellers are constantly seeking out new and further flung
destinations like Latin America and Asia. Part of the reason for this is the growth
of low cost carriers pushing routes further out. US carriers like Jet Blue, Spirit
and AirTran are all adding destinations like Jamaica, Costa Rica and the
Dominican Republic to their schedules. Its also got something to do with people
having more money to spend and airlines making the experience more
comfortable. One could even argue that its to do with security post 9/11. If
youve got to get to an airport 2 or 3 hours before your flight you might as well
make the journey worthwhile by going somewhere far away.
22. Luxury travel As low cost services spread across the world, so too does the
appeal of the opposite: high-cost, high touch exclusivity and personal pampering.
For some, low cost fares leave extra cash to splash out on expensive hotels, while
for others business and first class cabins are the new hotels. And, of course, the
more travellers get used to luxury, the more of it they want, which leaves them
with something of a dilemma. How to set yourself apart from everyone else when
almost everyone else seems to have exactly the same idea?
23. Planned spontaneity Travellers are taking advantage of the plethora of no-frills
airlines, affordable hotels (also booked at the last moment) and last-minute/find-
and-seek websites to increasingly act on a whim. Thus making spontaneous
decisions to go somewhere is becoming the norm, especially for the Internet
generation who do everything at Internet speed.
24. Just relax The more life speeds up, the more people will want to step off for a
while. Hence the growth in spa experiences, personal indulgences and stress relief
holidays. This trend is even influencing domestic architecture and interior design
with bathrooms turning into spa heavens and whole houses turning into tiny
resorts of sorts.
25. Experiential travel According to the World Tourism Organisation, cultural
holidays are the fastest growing sector of the tourism market. This segment
includes everything from backpackers looking for real experiences half way up
 the Amazon, to flocks of retirees booking cultural tours through SAGA or the
British Museum. As a result towns and cities are increasingly marketing
themselves using whatever nature and history have given them. This dovetails
with an increased interest in unusual but safe destinations. Examples would
include former Soviet bloc countries such as Bulgaria and Balkan countries,
especially Croatia. Another emerging segment that is part of this cultural
voyeurism is whats been called religious tourism.
26. Mobile: Paper Tickets Will Become Pass One of the most underrated
elements of Apples iOS6 launch last fall was the debut of its new Passbook app.
An electronic wallet, it manages everything from hotel and flight reservations to
loyalty and gift cards, and makes it easy to access related electronic documents
(boarding passes; tickets; coupons). Passbook has already been embraced by
airlines including United, American, and Lufthansa and hotel groups such as
Starwood. Given Apples extraordinary reach, it wont be long before other
companies join in, transforming the way we travel.
27. Transportation: You Will Share a Ride To the delight of kindergarten teachers
around the globe, travelers will embrace the idea of sharing this yearat least
when it comes to getting around. By Bike: Ten thousand short-term rental
bikes will hit New York City this Marchjoining 477 other bike-share programs
from Seattle to Seoul.
28. By Car: The hourly car rental gets even more convenient with Car2go, which lets
you locate and drive a nearby vehicle without a reservationand park it in any
legal space of your choosing. The service is available in 17 cities worldwide.
By Taxi: New apps, from Chicagos Taxi Share to Bostons GobiCab and New
Yorks Cab Corner are making it easier than ever to split fares. By Private
Plane: Offering a new twist on fractional jet ownership, Share-a-Jet Exchange lets
members hitch a ride on someone elses jetpotentially halving the cost of a
private flight.
29. Tech: You Will Stay Connected at 35,000 Feet In-flight Wi-Fi pioneer Gogo is
now available on 1,500 planes flown by nine North American carriers, while
 Singapore is the latest international carrier to begin a fleet-wide rollout using
OnAir technology. Up next: faster connectivity, led by JetBlue, which is
launching free service early this yeara refreshing change, now that some
domestic carriers charge as much as $40 per flight. And there are more
innovations in the works, as American, Delta, and a handful of other airlines adopt
video-
30. Six Technology Trends Revolutionizing The Hospitality Industry Cloud /
Software as a Service (SaaS) Mobility Social Personalised systems
Integration Globalisation
31. Top Hospitality Industry Trends for 2013 Increase in Travel's
Personal Value Expect More International Visitors Social Media and Mobile Will
Be Inseparable Photo-Sharing Will Dominate More Unrehearsed Marketing
Videos Content Marketing Will Replace Traditional Advertising Guests Will
Crave Food, Not Celebrity Chefs More Meeting Planners via Social Networks
Outbound Travel Among 65+ Years Indians To Triple By 2025

Visa, one of the global leaders in payments technology, released a study that explores the
mega-trends reshaping and accelerating the growth of travel and tourism. The research
forecasts a staggering 193 per cent growth in outbound travel for Indians above 65 years
of age, during the decade ending 2025.

Interestingly, the estimated annual growth in outbound travel amongst Indians, stands at
11.4 per cent y-o-y (year-on-year) for the 65+ age group, higher than the projected 4.9 per
cent increase for those below 34 years and 6.4 per cent for the age bracket 34-64 years.
This growth can be attributed to the growing preference among older travellers towards
outbound travel and combining medical treatment with vacation. Globally, travellers aged
65+ will more than double their international travel to 180 million trips, accounting for
one in eight international trips.

The study further highlights that India ranks 4th in the Asia Pacific region and 9th
worldwide, in terms of cross-border spends on medical services. The report examined
cross-border spending for medical services in more than 176 countries.

TR Ramachandran, Group Country Manager, India and South Asia, Visa said, The
growing income levels among the Indian middle class are creating a new travelling
class. That combined with the preference for outbound travel of Indians above 65 years
of age and increased connectivity is changing the outbound travel landscape in a very
different way. Unlike earlier days, older travellers can afford bigger trips and are more
focused on comfort and health than saving money. At Visa we understand the role of
tourism as a sustainable economic growth driver. Insights such as these help industry
stakeholders and governments build capabilities to address these needs and ensure that
the economic impact of tourism goes further.

The study looked at current travel patterns across the globe combined with industry
estimates and forecasts for travel, estimating that close to 282 million households will
plan at least one international trip per year by 2025, up nearly 35 per cent from 2015.
Among those households most likely to travel internationally, Visas study estimates that
spending will reach an average of US$5,305 per household, per year, by 2025.

The study also identified key drivers expected to impact global travel over the next
decade, including a growing middle class globally, greater Internet connectivity, and
improved transportation infrastructure across many countries, and an aging global
population with more time for leisure travel.

Visa partnered with Oxford Economics to create detailed travel and tourism forecasts
with 50 of the largest economies in the world and collected data from 750 major cities
worldwide to analyse how three key trends traveling class, aging, and connectivity
will impact the 50 markets for outbound tourism. The analysis and insights will help Visa
to provide better solutions to each of the markets.
GOVT REGULATIONS IN INDIA BY 2025

This paper studies the role of local government in the tourism sector. It sets out
opportunities to maintain and strengthen local government investment in activities and
infrastructure that stimulate tourism growth and enhance regional delivery in order to
fulfil an important aspiration ofTourism 2025.

The relationships that exist on many levels between tourism and local government are
best served when viewed as partnerships. Tourism and local government intersect across
all themes within Tourism 2025. The partnership aspiration must be to effect the best
possible economic and social outcomes for communities touched by tourism.

Regional tourism has a fundamental relationship with local government that reaches
across a myriad of touch points, from regional marketing to infrastructure planning. Local
government investment in the industry is vital to the health of tourism industry and its
ongoing growth.

These complex inter-relationships are founded on an understanding of the economic and

social benefits tourism can bring to local communities and mutual respect for the role
each other plays in enabling economic growth in regional New Zealand.

This paper identifies the different roles local government plays in tourism and its
contribution to the development of a dynamic and vibrant tourism industry.

Actionable initiatives

Review Regional Tourism Organisation capability and funding

Many Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) have inadequate budgets, resources and
skills to mount significant marketing campaigns. This review should include funding
levels, marketing skills and focus of activity and mechanisms for cooperation. It would
include looking at inputs vs. outputs and give regional tourism funders some comfort as
to the value of their investments. It would also signal to communities that tourism is a
serious business and regional marketing is worthy of investment.

Event strategy

Clear and compelling event strategies under a national framework need to be part of
every RTOs marketing plan. Opportunities for cooperation on a national event strategy
should be reviewed and considered.

Destination management plans

Destination management plans developed in council, industry and community

partnerships provide a vision and direction for tourism. They identify how to achieve
agreed targets through management, development and promotion of a regions unique
assets. While many regions are engaged in this process, more encouragement and support
is required to embed destination management plans into every councils tourism
framework.

Engagement with local government

Providing a balance between the social and environmental needs of communities and the
visitor industry is an on-going process, for example local alcohol policies, resource
consents and freedom camping regulations, with inherent opportunities and challenges.

The industry also needs to work with councils to ensure they have the right information
to make decisions on infrastructure that satisfy visitor demands and community values
and expectations. This is best achieved working in partnership.
 Regional marketing

Councils support more effective regional marketing which deliver stronger value
propositions and improve regional brand awareness.

Regional funding

The visitor industry needs to play a part in investment decisions that impact it,
particularly around funding collection mechanisms such as use of targeted rates and/or
other rating options. These rates often provide the council with revenue to invest in
development and promotion of the visitor industry.

RTOs are currently over-reliant on local government funding. They suffer from
inadequate levels of funding for regional marketing, tourism infrastructure and product
development. Regional funding deficiencies need to be addressed and
new/complementary funding mechanisms explored.A working group of relevant
public/private organisations to examine and address funding issues would be a good start.

An examination of current funding arrangements needs to be carried out on a nationwide

basis so that potential productivity gains can be found and options can be analysed that
consider:

Option 1 Restructuring for greater efficiencies and better use of resources within
current levels of investment

Option 2 Increase funding levels through existing resourcing structures

Option 3 Restructure the funding of regional marketing, destination

management and visitor information delivery in order to increase resources and better
deliver growth to the visitor sector and the economy at large
STEPS BEING TAKEN BY GOVT OF INDIA

1) The tourism ministry has sanctioned Rs 131 lakh for the development of four rural
tourism sites. The states in which these sites are Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,
Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Tripura. Apart
from that, it has launched a new scheme called Swadesh Darshan for integrated
development of tourist circuits around specific themes.

2) The ministry has split the northeast region into the ..

The ministry has split the northeast region into theme-based circuits to boost tourism in
the zone under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme.

The government will soon launch six tourist circuits in a big way to provide a boost to the
sector.

"Our aim is to create better infrastructure for facilitating tourists to visit more places,"
Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma said at a tourism investors' meet organised by FICCI
here Thursday.

2) The ministry has split the northeast region into theme-based circuits to boost tourism
in the zone under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme.

The government will soon launch six tourist circuits in a big way to provide a boost to the
sector.

"Our aim is to create better infrastructure for facilitating tourists to visit more places,"
Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma said at a tourism investors' meet organised by FICCI
here Thursday.
He said the government has finalised a blue print for growth of tourism and more tourist
circuits will be added soon.
"We will be launching six tourist circuits soon. They are Ramayan Circuit, Desert Circuit,
Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit and Rural Circuit," Sharma said.

Tourism Ministry has already been working on launching spiritual circuits across the
country which include Buddhist Circuit, Jain Circuit and Sufi Circuit.

Kamakhya (Guwahati) has been identified under the National Mission on Pilgrimage
Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD).

Some of the major infrastructural components under both plans are:

a) Development/upgradation of passenger terminals

b) Improvement of road connectivity leading to tourist sites/destinations

c) Use of clean energy sources for street lighting.

d) Wayside amenities with emergency vehicle breakdown, repair and refuel facilities

e) External infrastructure such as water supply, sewerage, drainage, electricity and roads

f) First-aid centres

g) Helipads, heliports, airstrips, ropeways

h) Communication system, Mobile Services, Internet Connectivity, Wi-Fi

3) Major cleanliness campaign under the Swachh Bharat movement for protecting and
preserving the sanctity of monuments of national heritage. The ministry has also launched
a special e-poster with Prime Minister's message requesting the tourists and the people of
the nation to wholeheartedly engage themselves in the cleanliness of their surroundings
and help create a Swachh Bharat, Swachh Smarak.
4) Financial assistance to states, including places of religious importance, for various
tourism projects in consultation with them subject to availability of funds, inter-se
priority, liquidation of pending utilisation certificates and adherence to the scheme
guidelines.

For development of tourism infrastructure in the country, the ministry has introduced two
new schemes:

Prasad: Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive and

Swadesh Darshan: Integrated Development of Theme-Based Tourist Circuits

Under Prasad, 12 cities have been identified for development initially, namely: Amritsar,
Ajmer, Dwaraka, Mathura, Varanasi, Gaya, Puri, Amaravati, Kanchipuram, Vellankanni,
Kedarnath and Guwahati. Under Swadesh Darshan scheme, Spiritual Circuit has been
identified as theme circuit for development

Rs 100 crore and Rs 600 crore have been allocated for Prasad and Swadesh Darshan
schemes, respectively, to develop tourist destinations of global standards.

5) On a pilot basis, a ' Incredible India Helpline ' has been set up to guide the tourists.
6) Ministry has adopted a code of conduct for safe tourism, which contains a set of
guidelines to encourage tourism activities to be undertaken with respect to basic rights
like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation of both tourists and local residents, in
particular women and children.
a) Guidelines on safety for states for travellers have been formulated. These include:

b) Precautions to be taken during pre-travel arrangements.

c) Travel information on calamities/situations by the State Government.

d) Identifying, locating tourists in times of emergency.

e) Government communication and inter-agency coordination.

f) Regulations of service providers (Transport Services, Accommodation Sector).

g) Regulating leisure and recreational services including adventure sports.

h) Address insolvencies and dispute settlement.

CREATING JOBS IN TOURISM

. HOSPITALITY AND TOURISM IN THE INDIAN SCENARIO

The tourism and hospitality industry is one of the largest divisions under the services
sector of the Indian economy. Tourism in India is a key growth driver and a important
source of foreign exchange earnings. In India, the sector's direct contribution to gross
domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow at 7.8 per cent per annum during the period
2013-2023. The total market size of the tourism and hospitality industry in India was at
US$ 117.7 billion in 2011 and is expected to touch US$ 418.9 billion by 2022. The
foreign direct investment inflows in hotel and tourism sector during the period April
2000March 2014 was at US$ 7,348.09 million, as per the data announced by
Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion. According to a study conducted by SRI
International ,India is plan to be number one for growth globally in the wellness tourism
sector in the next five years, clocking over 25 per cent gains annually through 2017. The
tourism sector in India is prosperous due to an increase in foreign tourist arrivals (FTA)
and a larger number of Indians travelling to domestic destinations. According to statistics
available with the [Rao *, Vol.1(Iss.1):August,2014] ISSN- 2350-0530 Science
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL of RESEARCH GRANTHAALAYAH A knowledge
Repository Http://www.granthaalayah.com International Journal of Research
-GRANTHAALAYAH [1-8] World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), income gained
from domestic tourism rose by 5.1 per cent in 2013 and is anticipated to increase by 8.2
per cent in the present year. Hotels are also an extremely significant component of the
tourism industry. The Indian hospitality sector has been growing at a cumulative annual
growth rate of 15 per cent every year, adding required amount of foreign exchange to the
economy. On part of the Indian government, which has provided policy and
infrastructural support, has been instrumental in the promotion and development of the
industry. The tourism policy of the government objective is to speed up the
implementation of tourism projects, development of integrated tourism circuits, unique
capacity building in the hospitality sector and new marketing strategies
5. EMERGING TRENDS IN HOSPITALITY The Indian hospitality industry has
emerged as one of the key industries driving the growth of the services sector and,
thereby, the Indian economy [Rao *, Vol.1(Iss.1):August,2014] ISSN- 2350-0530 Science
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL of RESEARCH GRANTHAALAYAH A knowledge
Repository Http://www.granthaalayah.com International Journal of Research
-GRANTHAALAYAH [1-8] 5.1. PROMOTE F&B REVENUE During the changed
scenario has meant that many Hotels have started re working their strategy. One of the
strategies adopted is pushing up revenues from F&B (Food & Beverage) as well as
Banqueting functions. This has started paying dividends with some of the Hotels
reporting increase in F& B revenue by 20 to 25% year on year. Going forward F&B
revenues are likely to play a key role in the revenue stream of the Hotel. 5.2.
PERVASIVE WELLNESS Pervasive wellness support to rise to the development of new
hotel patterns and other operations specializing in weight loss and total wellness designed
to transform you during and after your stay. 5.3.HEALTH CAMPS Health camps Signals
broadens to include overall wellbeing, health as the centre of a holiday experience
becomes more desirable. Hotel chains are re-branding around wellness, recognizing the
concept and focusing on fitness .Indias health and wellness tourism is expected to
generate revenues of INR320bn in 2016, after increasing at a growth rate of 25.6% over
the next 4 years. 5.4. SANCTUARY AND REFUGE : Due to time pressures and an
increasingly complex, interconnected world mean consumers search for more accessible
places where they can escape and relax in safety away from the stresses of the day to day.
Hotels will be provides a tech-free experience. Guests leave devices at the front desk and
the in room entertainment is the fireplace. 5.5. ASSISTED LIVING Hotels will become
an increasingly attractive option for electronically assisted long-stay living as a buffer
between the post-retirement and pre-nursing home life stages. People aged over 60
currently hold more than 50% of the wealth in developed societies would like to assisted
living developed as a residential alternative to nursing home care option for seniors
because of its emphasis on resident choice, dignity, independence and privacy. 5.6.
TEMPORARY MIGRANTS International and intra-national migration as many hope for
better economic prospects. Seasonal workers, mainly in agriculture, continue to be the
single most important group of temporary worker migrants .The ability to move globally
continues, migration will increase exponentially driven partly by pull factors (i.e. need
for workers) and push factors (i.e. civil unrest, [Rao *, Vol.1(Iss.1):August,2014] ISSN-
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GRANTHAALAYAH A knowledge Repository Http://www.granthaalayah.com
International Journal of Research -GRANTHAALAYAH [1-8] poverty). The migrants
will require temporary medium-term accommodation in predictable locations. The Hotels
will provide additional facilities to migrate for earning extra revenue. 5.7. MARKET
TRAVELERS The middle class in Asia and western countries are newly mobile and
require accessible hotel accommodation for both work and leisure. By 2030 the global
middle class will more than double in size, from 2bn today to around 5bn. International
travel is still relatively young in China, it grow by 17% per year over the next decade .
The role of virtual environments in our daily lives blurs with the physical and consumers
cease to distinguish between these in the products and services that they consume. 5.8.
REACTIVE ENVIRONMENTS The proliferation of sensors, data and automation are
creating reactive environments that can sense anything from weather patterns to user
behavior, and automatically adapt the space and hospitality service experience .By 2020
the number of connected mobile devices is set to increase from 9 billion today to 24
billion.. Smart home technologies such as remote monitoring, light and heating control,
motion detectors and cameras are all capable of being operated by smart phone. 5.9.
MEGA-CITY LIVING The more urbanization globally has been one of the most
significant trends in population dynamics over the past century. The number of
megacities is projected to increase to 37 in 2025, at which time they are expected to
account for 13.6 per cent of the world urban population. The tremendous growth in urban
populations will create thunder pressures on food, water, waste treatment, and health
care, by 2025, 5.10. ARCTIC/ANTARCTIC TRIPS The growth of Space Tourism,
increasing interest and participation in Arctic/Antarctic trips, deep sea exploration and
other remote journeys all drive more to seek to access the latest hospitality patterns.
Space tourism, specifically suborbital space flights, could become a billion-dollar market
within 20 years. The Advancing submersible vehicle technology increase access to deeper
ocean depths, followed by more demand for hospitality industry
6. EMERGING TRENDS IN TOURISM The following are emerging trends in tourism
industry by adapting the service marketing approach for achieving great success. [Rao *,
Vol.1(Iss.1):August,2014] ISSN- 2350-0530 Science INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL of
RESEARCH GRANTHAALAYAH A knowledge Repository
Http://www.granthaalayah.com International Journal of Research
-GRANTHAALAYAH [1-8] 6.1. SEDENTARY LIFESTYLE It has been observed that
contemporary travelers being bored by the sedentary lifestyle and mounting work
pressure are yearning for leisurely activities and they are more eager in having new and
unique experiences. 6.2. WILLING TO UTILIZE THEIR VACATIONS Travelers are
willing to utilize their vacations to the utmost to rejuvenate. Traditional travel sector
which include adventure travel, nature tourism, cultural and heritage tourism and
vacationing with family are still popular with the tourists. 6.3. THRILLING
EXPERIENCES Tourists are also admiring several non-traditional activities such as
birding, mountain biking, cruise travel, festivals and special occasions, the thrilling
experiences will offer splendid memories at tourism place 6.4. THE RISE OF E-
TOURISM The internet has modernized the face of travel industry, with its massive
impact among the tourists. Travelers influencing their decision-making and is the
fundamental force behind personalization and customization. Now a day they also prefer
online bookings and reservations nowadays. These immense changes brought by
technology to buy a standard tourist package proposed by a tour operator 6.5.
EMERGING TRAVEL AGENCIES Airlines, travel agencies and other travel
professionals are merging with each other with the objective that bigger is better.
Moreover, the growing competition among the airlines has resulted in opening up of new
routes and most of the new routes to the US are more focused to the Western countries
6.6. POTENT ELDERLY PEOPLE A large number of financially potent elderly people
across the globe with enough time are looking forward to enjoy their dream vacations and
are planning to travel 6.7. INBOUND DESTINATIONS [Rao *,
Vol.1(Iss.1):August,2014] ISSN- 2350-0530 Science INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL of
RESEARCH GRANTHAALAYAH A knowledge Repository
Http://www.granthaalayah.com International Journal of Research
-GRANTHAALAYAH [1-8] Eastern Europe, with many countries joining the EU, Asia
and South America will play a major role as leading inbound destinations since they
excite and arouse the interest of many travelers. We can predict that competitive
advantage will be entered to develop and exploit. 6.8. OUTBOUND MARKETS The
biggest emerging outbound markets, we can cite here China and India with over a billion
people each, many of which are starting to travel internationally for Improving their
infrastructure, mainly road and airport and preparing communication media in relevant
languages, which can very useful to attract the global tourists. 6.9. SUSTAINABLE
TOURISM The great demand and will continue its growth in the future since many
travelers are now aware of the negative impact of tourism environment and have,
therefore, become more responsible with regard to sustainability. 6.10. NEW DESCRIBE
ON GLOBAL WEATHER CHANGE Tourists thinking of about the planet, the erratic
weather patterns and the natural disasters that will likely happened and are happening
already. The travel agencies will gradually see new means of transport gaining ground to
the detriment of air traffic, and tourists are willing to fly across the ocean if they consider
the carbon footprint of their flights. 6.11. NEW POLICIES FOR SAFETY AND
SECURITY The tourism based countries are to be introduced new law enforcement
agencies that protect both tourists and anti-social local practiceners.
FUTURE TECHNOLOGY IN TOURISM

6 Technologies That Will Change the Future of Luxury Travel

1) Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Device

It won't let you bend spoons or stop bullets... yet. But the Oculus has brought us
substantially closer to living in the Matrix. It's not going to wow anyone on the runway
with its bulky headset and accompanying wires, but the experience of wearing one is
undeniably spectacular.

Applications to Travel: Luxury travel advisors will be able to show their clients exactly
what their suite, first-class cabin, or 360 degree view will look like before they book
the trip.

2) Amazon Echo Artificial Intelligence

We no longer have to journey to a galaxy far, far away for technology that makes
travelling more convenient. The Amazon Echo (a.k.a. Alexa) can remind you to make
reservations at Epicure and let you know if you'll need a jacket to visit the Eiffel Tower
tomorrow. Leveraging the power of Amazon servers, Echo recognizes and responds to
inquiries. Although its capability to understand 99+ languages is slightly under that of
C-3P0, the Amazon Echo is the AI travelers are looking for.

Applications to Travel: Imagine an Amazon Echo in every hotel room as the front-line
concierge, with personalized knowledge of each guest's needs.

3) Da Vinci 3D Printing

Once limited to the realm of magic, mass produced bespoke products are now possible
with the advent of 3D printing. For brands looking to leave a lasting impression on
travelers, 3D printers represent an enormous opportunity.
Applications to Travel: For the guest, 3D printing is about quickly producing a
forgotten item. Imagine printing swimming goggles, iPhone chargers, or shaving razors
on-demand as guests need them. 3D printers will also play a huge role in new hotel
development and operations as designers can quickly print realistic models of rooms,
F&B spaces, and more.

4) GoPro Wearable Technology

The Truman Show envisioned a world where a person's every moment was filmed,
packaged, and distributed for entertaining the masses. With cameras like the GoPro,
you don't need an entire movie studio and elaborate sets to capture authentic
entertaining moments.

Applications to Travel: The GoPro is enabling extreme, adventure, and eco-travelers to

document their experiences in artful ways. Luxury tour operators and destination
management companies (DMCs) will follow suit, resulting in breathtaking digital
travel "entertainment" replacing sales brochures and materials.

5) Narrative Wearable Technology

Having to carry your phone, select the app, and take the photo before the memorable
moment has passed means that even "Smart phones" can be a hassle. Narrative has
managed to "get smart", however, by developing a wearable camera that allows you to
capture the moment in the moment.

Applications to Travel: The most amazing travel moments often happen spontaneously
when the camera is off. The Narrative captures the unexpected surprises of a traveler's
journey, surfacing the most interesting moments at the end of each day. This will
fundamentally change selfies, time-lapse videos, and the dynamic of travel photos on
Instagram.

6) Quadcopter Drones
The future has always promised convenient and ubiquitous flying, and though we aren't
flying in cars (yet), drone technology has given us the spirit of flight with stunning
aerial cinematography and videography.

Applications to Travel: Never before has resort and destination photography seen a
technological breakthrough like the drone. Aerial shots of beaches, rice-paddies, vistas,
surfing will present luxury travel experiences with clarity and context.

For decades books, television, and movies have been depicting futuristic technologies
with varying degrees of accuracy. At present there are monumental shifts occurring in
the technology industry that will change the way we live, work, and yes, travel.

Telecom

Its no secret that we are one of the biggest telecommunications markets in the world
already. When counting mobiles and landlines, were only behind China in terms of
numbers, but hold much more promise because of our more open industry. We also have
some of the lowest call tariffs in the world because of competition. When it comes to
internet penetration, weve only connected a little above 300 million people, and that
number can easily double, potentially.

Consider that most of the places connected via phones dont even have roads, and you
can see how companies have developed very specific expertise that those from the first
world just dont have. Companies such as Bharti Airtel, Tata, MTNL and Reliance
Communications have market shares or stakes in places ranging from Nepal to Kenya,
and as more of the world starts wanting to get connected, Indian telecommunication
companies are probably going to be the ones to connect them.

Banking software

The Global Development Horizons(GDH) report titled Capital for the Future: Saving
and Investment in an Interdependent World says that the developing world will dominate
the global saving and investment landscape in the near future, and Indias share in this
will almost double by 2030.

Our strength is the fact that unlike many countries in Europe and Asia which are addled
with an ageing population, over half our population is under the age of 25. This means a
large number of working people with aspirations to both save and borrow money,
thus boosting the banking sector in the country.

The demands that a vastly young customer base will bring in, will help make Indian
banking try newer things and go more digital. Its not a stretch to think that because of
these demands, there will be quite a few financial innovations coming out of India in the
near future, which will then be used on the rest of the world developing or otherwise.

Medical information systems

The Indian medical fraternity is rightfully hailed as one of the best in the world. The
medical tourism market itself is valued at $4 billion, with 1.27 million people from
countries such as Canada, UK, US, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka coming in as
medical tourists. Its not just for costs, its also because of expertise.

We do have a doctor:patient ratio ( 1:1700) thats much less than the 1:1000
recommended by the World Health Organization(WHO). BEcause of this, Indian doctors
see more patients a day than any other nation. One positive of this is increased
experience, but the negative aspect is stress on the doctors. What does this lead to? More
doctors turning into entrepreneurs, in order to help other doctors, because of indepth
understanding of the problems they face.
Specialised services and dedicated apps for the medical community through which
doctors can access regularly updated case studies are gaining importance.

Already, services such as Curofy and Daily Rounds both based in India are making
waves among the global medical fraternity. We expect this to become a trend where India
becomes a global leader in innovating medical information systems.

Internet of Things(IoT)

Though the Internet of Things is still an emerging segment, many Indian companies are
already upping their game on that front. For instance, HCL Technologies is all set to
launch an IoT incubation centre in the city of Richmond in the US. The objective of the
centre is to leverage the Microsoft Azure IoT Suite for life sciences and healthcare, and
the industrial and manufacturing sectors. However, its not just big companies that are in
the fray, and many start-ups have sprung up.

CarIQ aims to make your car smarter by using an IoT-based device to communicate with
others who have the same brand/make of car. SenseGiz is another IoT startup that allows
you to attach small sensors to anything you want (such as keys), so that you never spend
time looking for them. Entrib ShopWorx is a company that helping manufacturers make
the shop floor smarter. Teewee is a company thats connecting all your gadgets and
bringing all content to your TV. LifePlot is bringing out the cheapest and most mobile of
electrocardiography tools. All of this is merely scratching the surface of innovations in
IoT happening in India.

IoT also has a lot of potential for farmers sensors can collect data to advise farmers
about crop needs, and also be used in disaster prediction systems to warn farmers in
advance.

In a rapidly urbanising India, which is expected to grow to 600 million by 2030,

transportation systems will be of utmost importance, and IoT is going to enable smarter
systems. With so much potential, and so many challenges ahead, its a no-brainer to
assume that IoT will be big in India, but we think India will be big in the global IoT space
as well.
HOW TO IMPROVE INBOUND AND DOMESTIC TOURISM

The role of local government in tourism

Local government is arguably the visitor industrys most important partner and the largest
visitor industry operator in the country.

Local councils play an important role in determining the level and quality of visitor
services and infrastructure availability, the events that take place and the public money
that is invested in destination promotion.

They also support local experiences which attract visitors, such as zoos, museums, art
galleries, events and festivals. Such attractions benefit both local communities and
visitors. Councils invest in infrastructure such as ports, airports, stadia, parks and
gardens, as well as taking responsibility for much roading, provision of clean water,
removal of sewerage and waste, signage and the creation of a safe environment for
visitors to enjoy. Enhanced local amenities which help attract visitors also make the host
community a great place to live. This investment also benefits industries other than
tourism.

Local government is a primary investor in regional marketing activities often delivered

through RTOs and i-SITE Visitor Centres. They also manage the regulatory environment
which influences tourism development and investment under which tourism businesses
operate.

To make India more tourist-friendly this is what should be done, in my opinion:

1. Greater regulation of the tourist accommodation sector. Now many

visitors report guest house and hotel owners trying to charge more than the
agreed price when tourists need to check out. This is absolutely immoral, and
such a horrible way to end ones holiday abroad.
2. Cleaning tourist areas from litter - Indian families have the habit of
leaving lots of plastic waste on beaches and other beautiful natural spots,
which makes the place unattractive and is very upsetting for tourists to see.
3. Regulating taxi and rickshaw transport sector - unscrupulous taxi and
rickshaw drivers quote inflated prices and sometimes try to intimidate
tourists if they refuse to pay the false price. This, of course, really damages
the name of India as the travelers will tell about this unpleasant experience
when back home.
4. Building more sidewalks as its intimidating for tourists new to India to
share the road together with cars and buses.
5. Making cities greener - as its depressing to walk through a city that has
only pollution, dusty buildings and beeping cars with zero greenery.
6. Teaching sellers in tourist areas not to shout at tourists in order to get their
attention and to sell them something - this doesnt increase their sales, but
only gives India a bad name. I know its part of Indian experience, but
personally Id rather not be plagued every time I walk outside just because
my face is white.
7. Inspecting restaurants in tourist places (should be done in all places, to be
honest) for cleanliness and food quality. Many tourists get food poisoning
when in India, and of course they talk about it when they go back to their
home countries.
GROWING DOMESTIC TOURISM

Two vehicles stop at a service station for fuel. Two parties check in to a hotel. Two tables
are occupied in a restaurant. In real terms, in many situations domestic and international
tourism are indivisible: they are entwined and mutually dependent, throughout the
industry. International and domestic tourism are the same, and yet not the same. They are
not the same economically, because although both contribute to New Zealands GDP
the dollar an international visitor spends counts as an export. Yet it is the domestic spend
which provides the vital bread and butter financial base for a large portion of our
tourism businesses, without which many would not exist to service our international
visitors. As our wealth increases, the amount of discretionary spend at our disposal
likewise increases. The challenge and the opportunity for our industry is to persuade
Kiwis that domestic tourism is at least as good a bet as travelling overseas and is
definitely a better bet than buying other discretionary items such as motor vehicles or
electronics. We need domestic tourism to be more competitive. As we look out to 2025, a
growing economy and an ageing population will lead to greater numbers of New
Zealanders having increased amounts of money and time for travel. More competitive
products and promotion will encourage more of those New Zealanders to travel
domestically. Domestic tourism is a vital part of the solution to improve both seasonality
and regional dispersal.

INSIGHT We have a growing body of good insight focused on international tourism but
domestically we are comparatively insight poor. MBIEs Regional Tourism Indicators
and Estimates have been a big step forward as has private sector domestic insight
initiatives such as that now being developed by AA with support from The Fresh
Information Company. However, a stronger and more cohesive value-targeted approach
to the creation of domestic tourism research is needed. AN AGEING POPULATION The
number of New Zealanders aged 65+ has doubled since 1980 and by 2025 will be well on
its way to doubling again. The vast majority of these people are healthy and active, with
leisure time and money to spend. As more of New Zealands baby boomers move into
retirement, we can expect them to travel more, internationally and domestically.
PRODUCT competes with the rest of the world for domestic travel, just as it does for
international travel, and just like our international visitors, New Zealanders are looking
for unique and authentic experiences. As the Otago Central Rail Trail case study
illustrates, by developing offers for specific target markets, New Zealand tourism can
encourage Kiwis to see more of their own country. PROMOTION In 2012, 53% of the
collective marketing budgets of the 29 RTOs targeted Australia and beyond. If domestic
tourism is to increase its share of New Zealanders travel spend, it must first win the
battle with outbound tourism for share of mind. Greater and more coordinated effort to
make New Zealanders aware of unique experiences they can have at home will grow
demand for domestic tourism. RTOs have a vital role helping this coordination.
MEANS OF TRANSPORT BY 2025

Roads carry almost 85 percent of the countrys passenger traffic and more than
60 percent of its freight.

Rail carried some 19.8 million passengers and 2.4 million tonnes of freight a day
in year 2009 and is one of the worlds largest employers.

Major improvements in the sector are therefore required to support the country's
continued economic growth and to reduce poverty.

Indias transport sector is large and diverse; it caters to the needs of 1.1 billion people. In
2007, the sector contributed about 5.5 percent to the nations GDP, with road
transportation contributing the lions share.

Good physical connectivity in the urban and rural areas is essential for economic growth.
Since the early 1990s, India's growing economy has witnessed a rise in demand for
transport infrastructure and services.

However, the sector has not been able to keep pace with rising demand and is proving to
be a drag on the economy. Major improvements in the sector are therefore required to
support the country's continued economic growth and to reduce poverty.

Roads. Roads are the dominant mode of transportation in India today. They carry almost
85 percent of the countrys passenger traffic and more than 60 percent of its freight. The
density of Indias highway network -- at 0.66 km of roads per square kilometer of land
is similar to that of the United States (0.65) and much greater than China's (0.16) or
Brazil's (0.20). However, most roads in India are narrow and congested with poor surface
quality, and 33 percent of Indias villages do not have access to all-weather roads.

Rural Roads-A Lifeline for Villages in India: Connecting Hinterland to Social Services
and markets
Railways. Indian Railways is one of the largest railways under the single management. It
carried some 19.8 million passengers and 2.4 million tonnes of freight a day in year 2009
and is one of the worlds largest employer. The railways play a leading role in carrying
passengers and cargo across Indias vast territory. However, most of its major corridors
have capacity constraint requiring capacity enhancement plans.

Ports. India has 13 major and 199 minor and intermediate ports along its more than 7500
km long coastline. Indias seaborne foreign trade being 95% by volume and 67% by
value, the ports play a very significant role in improving foreign trade in a growing
economy. These ports serve the countrys growing foreign trade in petroleum products,
iron ore, and coal, as well as the increasing movement of containers. Indian ports handled
cargo of 850 million tonnes and about 9.0 million TEU container traffic in year 2010.
Over the last decade, the average annual growth rate of port cargo volume has been about
10%.. The future potential for port sector, particularly container ports is huge considering
that the container traffic is projected to grow to 40 million TEU by 2025. Inland water
transportation also remains largely undeveloped despite India's 14,000 kilometers of
navigable rivers and canals.

Aviation. India has 128 airports, including 15 international airports. Indian airports
handled 142 million passengers in 2010-11 and 1.6 million tonnes of cargo in year 2009-
10. The CAGR for the domestic passenger and freight growth over the last decade has
been 14.2% and 7.8% respectively. The dramatic increase in air traffic for both
passengers and cargo in recent years has placed a heavy strain on the country's major
airports. Passenger traffic is projected to grow more than 15% annually over 2011-13 and
it is estimated that the aviation industry, currently 9th largest in the World, will require 30
billion USD investment in the next 15 years to keep pace with the growing demand.

Urban Transport. India is experiencing rapid urbanization with the present urbanization
levels at 30% translating to a population of roughly 340 million living in urban areas. The
number of million plus cities is presently at 42 and the urban economy accountd for
roughly 60% of the GDP. Motorisation rates in India are in double digits as in most
developing economies. Only about 20 cities out of 87 cities with a population in excess of
500,000 and state capitals have any kind of organized transport and only 3-4 cities could
lay claim to a mass rapid transit system. The share of public transport in cities with
population sizes over 4 million has declined from 69% to 38% between 1994 to 2007.
Accident and fatality rates are one of the highest in the world affecting primarily the poor
and vulnerable without their own means of transport.

Transport infrastructure in India is better developed in the southern and southwestern

parts of the country.

Challenges

The major challenges facing the sector are:

Indias roads are congested and of poor quality. Lane capacity is low majority of
national highways are two lanes or less. A quarter of all India's highways are congested.
Many roads are of poor quality and road maintenance remains under-funded. This leads
to the deterioration of roads and high transport costs for users.

Rural areas have poor access. Roads are significant for the development of the rural
areas - home to almost 70 percent of India's population. Although the rural road network
is extensive, some 33 percent of Indias villages do not have access to all-weather roads
and remain cut off during the monsoon season. The problem is more acute in India's
northern and northeastern states which are poorly linked to the countrys major economic
centers.

The railways are facing severe capacity constraints. All the countrys high-density rail
corridors face severe capacity constraints. Also, freight transportation costs by rail are
much higher than in most countries as freight tariffs in India have been kept high to
subsidize passenger traffic.

Urban centers are severely congested. In Mumbai, Delhi and other metropolitan centers,
roads are often severely congested during the rush hours. The dramatic growth in vehicle
ownership during the past decade - has reduced rush hour speeds especially in the central
areas of major cities.
 Ports are congested and inefficient. The average annual growth of cargo volume in the
ports in the last decade was close to 10%, However, capacity utilization in some of the
major ports remain as low as 58-60% Both bulk and containerized traffic is expected to
grow at a much faster pace in future and by some estimate the container traffic is
projected to grow to about 4.5 times of the current volume by 2025. India's ports need to
significantly ramp up their capacity and efficiency to meet this surging demand.

Airport infrastructure is strained. . Air traffic has been growing rapidly leading to severe
strain on infrastructure at major airports, especially in the Delhi and Mumbai airports
which account for more than 40 percent of nations air traffic.

Key Government Strategies

Indias Eleventh Five Year Plan identifies various deficits in transport sector which
include inadequate roads/highways, old technology, saturated routes and slow speed on
railways, inadequate berths and rail/road connectivity at ports and inadequate runways,
aircraft handling capacity, parking space and terminal building at airports. Government
aims to modernize, expand, and integrate the country's transport services. It also seeks to
mobilize resources for this purpose and to gradually shift the role of government from
that of a producer to an enabler. In recent years, the Government has made substantial
efforts to tackle the sectors shortcomings and to reform its transport institutions. These
include:

Increasing public funding for transportation in its Five Year Plans.

Launching the ambitious National Highway Development Program which has seven
phases and is expected to be completed by 2012. It includes improved connectivity
between Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata, popularly called the Golden
Quadrilateral, in the first phase, North- South and East- West corridors in phase two, four
laning of more than 12,000 km in phase three, two laning of 20,000km and six laning of
6,500 km respectively in phase four and five, development of 1,000km of expressway in
phase six and other important highway projects in phase seven. Total expected investment
is INR 2.2 trillion.

Accelerated Road Development Program for the North East Region to provide road
connectivity to all State capitals and district headquarters in the North East region.
Financing the development and maintenance of roads by creating a Central Road Fund
(CRF) through an earmarked tax on diesel and petrol.

Operationalising the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to act as an

infrastructure procurer and not just provider.

Improving rural access by launching the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (Prime
Ministers Rural Roads Program).

Reducing the congestion on rail corridors along the highly trafficked Golden
Quadrilateral and improving port connectivity by launching the National Rail Vikas
Yojana (National Railway Development Program).

The development of two Dedicated Freight Corridors from Mumbai to Delhi and
Ludhiana to Dankuni.

Improving urban transport under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission
(JNNURM).
Upgrading infrastructure and connectivity in the country's twelve major ports by
initiating the National Maritime Development Program (NMDP).
Privatization and expansion of the Mumbai and New Delhi Airports and development of
new international airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore.

Enhancing sector capacity and improving efficiencies through clear policy directive for
greater private sector participation. Large parts of the NHDP and NMDP are to be
executed through public private partnerships (PPP).
TOP 10 TOURIST DESTINATIONS IN INDIA

India is very very diverse probably the most diverse of countries that you will find on
this earth. We have some of the Coldest places in Kashmir, A place that has highest
rainfall in world Cherrapunji, and also one if the driest places on the Earth The Thar
Desert. Adding to that More than half of Indian boundary is home to beautiful beaches.
And dont forget that Northern part of India hosts Himalayan Ranges snow capped
mountains.

Mix all this with different cultures and hundreds of Languages and Dialects You have a
got a potent mix of diversity. If you really think, I really am amazed that with such
diverse people & geographies how do we operate as one single democratic country !

Anyways, I am digressing here. Let me now give you

The Top 10 Tourist Destinations in India

Agra

Agras Taj Mahal is one of the most famous buildings in the world, the mausoleum of
Shah Jahans favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It is one of the New Seven Wonders of the
world, and one of three World Heritage Sites in Agra.

Completed in 1653, the T?j Mahal was built by the Mughal king Sh?h Jah?n as the final
resting place for his beloved wife, Mumt?z Mahal. Finished in marble, it is perhaps
Indias most fascinating and beautiful monument. This perfectly symmetrical monument
took 22 years (1630-1652) of hard labour and 20,000 workers, masons and jewelers to
build and is set amidst landscaped gardens.

Jaipur / Udaipur
Jaipur is also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital of the Indian state of
Rajasthan. Jaipur is a very famous tourist and education destination in India.

Lots of people flock to Jaipur to view the various forts and monuments in Jaipur which
reflect its glorious past. Tourism is a significant part of Jaipurs economy. Some of the
worlds best hotels are located here.

Forts & Monuments

Hawa Mahal

Amber Fort

Jaigarh Fort

Nahargarh Fort

City Palace

Jantar Mantar

Jal Mahal

Rambagh Palace
 Chandra Mahal, The City Palace, Jaipur

Diwan-e-Aam, City Palace

Central Museum, (Albert Hall Museum)

Goa
Goa is Famous for its pristine beaches, infact 90% of all the tourism in Goa happens only
for its beautiful beaches in Coastal Areas. Goa has two main tourist seasons: winter and
summer. In the winter time, tourists from abroad (mainly Europe) come to Goa to enjoy
the splendid climate. In the summertime (which, in Goa, is the rainy season), tourists
from across India come to spend the holidays.

In 2008 there were more than three million tourists reported to have visited Goa, more
than half million of whom were from Foreign visitors. Infact, many foreigners have made
Goa as there home for its laid-back and relaxed lifestyle !

Kashmir
Kashmir was once called Heaven on Earth, and once of the most beautiful places in the
world. However, in last couple of decades, terrorism has faded its charm A place home
to Himalayan Ranges.
The State of Jammu & Kashmir has main three geographical regions known as The
Lesser Himalayas or the Jhelum Valley (Kashmir), The Inner Himalayas or The
Indus Valley (Ladakh & Frontier areas) also called Trans-Himalayas, and The Outer-
Himalayas or The Southern mountain range (Jammu). The area of Jammu & Kashmir
is 2, 22,236 square kilometers.

Kanyakumari

Though there are several places of tourist-interest in the town and district, Kanyakumari
is especially popular in India for its spectacular and unique sunrise and sunset. The
confluence of three ocean bodies the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean, and the Arabian
Sea makes the sunrise and sunset even more special. On balmy, full-moon evenings,
one can also see the moon-rise and sunset at the same time on either side of the horizon.
Kerala (Backwaters)

Kerala, situated on the lush and tropical Malabar Coast, is one of the most popular
tourist destinations in India. Named as one of the ten paradises of the world and
50 places of a lifetime by the National Geographic Traveler magazine, Kerala is
especially known for its ecotourism initiatives, Beautiful Backwaters and Alternative
healing massages.

Old Delhi
Delhi, Capital of India has many attractions like mosques, forts and other monuments that
represent Indias history. The important places in Old Delhi include the majestic Red
Fort. New Delhi on the other hand houses many government buildings and embassies,
apart from places of historical interest.

The Qutub Minar, Red Fort and Humayuns Tomb have been declared World Heritage
Sites.
Ajanta Ellora

Ajantha & Ellora are 28 30 rock-cut cave monuments created during the first century
BC and 5th century AD, containing paintings and sculptures considered to be
masterpieces of both Buddhist religious art and universal pictorial art.

The caves are located just outside the village of Ajantha / Ellora in Aurangabad district in
the Indian state of Maharashtra.

Since 1983, the Ajanta & Ellora Caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Darjeeling
Darjeeling in India owes its grandeur to its natural beauty, its clean fresh mountain air
and above all, the smiling resilient people for whom it is a home. Known for its natural
splendor, Darjeelings best gift to its visitors is the dawn of a new day. The mountains
awaken first with a tentative peeking of the sun.

A steep ride, five kilometers from Ghoom, or an invigorating walk up a steep incline,
leads sun worshippers to Tiger Hill. The air is chilly with darkness and damp. To the east,
a dull orange sun emerged painting the sky with brilliant strokes of magenta, gold, orange
and fuchsia. The snow capped Everest, Kabru, Kanchenjunga, Jannu and other peaks
slowly emerge from slumber to start a new day. The sun worshippers gasp at the
magnificent sight.

Mysore

Mysore is a tourism hot spot within the state of Karnataka and also acts as a base for
other tourist places in the vicinity of the city. The city receives the maximum number of
tourists during the period of the Dasara festival when festivities take place for a period of
10 days. One of the most visited monuments in India, the Ambavilas Palace (also known
as Mysore Palace) is the center of the Dasara festivities.
TOURISM THE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL:

India is a large country with a rich history. The presence of this history is seen in the
innumerable heritage sites available throughout the country. India also has a rich religious
diversity and history. Almost every town and Village is dotted with incredible
architectures of ancient past. There are innumerable hills, mountains, rivers, lakes that
offer tremendous tourism possibilities. Add to this the need for modern amusement parks,
water parks and theme parks. And combine the wide variety of handicrafts and other
crafts.

What we get is a potential unparalleled around the globe for a robust tourist industry. The
tourist industry of India should be India's greatest Industry.

The Intention of this PIL is only to request the government to tap this potential to get
more revenues, provide employment to youth of this country and maintain the heritage of
the country.

Right to Tour India and see its heritage and responsibility to maintain the heritage:

Every Indian has a right to travel and see the rich heritage that this country has to offer to
him. It is further the responsibility of each Indian to pass on this heritage to the next
generation in a very good condition.

This is a request to the government to implement laws that will first of all declare this
right and responsibility of every individual.

Sample: Every Citizen has a right to see the rich Indian heritage in all its beauty and
splendor in well maintained environment. It is further the duty of each and every citizen
to see that the heritage is maintained properly and passed on to the next generation of
Indians.
In this PIL this is followed by allowing creation of facilities for tourism and providing
incentives for tourism to ordinary citizens.

Proper facilities:

In terms of modern life and modern needs every heritage site in addition requires
infrastructure that is perhaps bigger in size than the heritage structure itself. Some of
these infrastructural needs are:

Proper transportation facilities: Families in different strata need facilities like bus,
cars, trains to their favourite destinations. Major distances are covered by trains or
1.
planes. Sufficient facilities exist and additional facilities can be made for the same
based on requirements.
Proper accommodations for families to stay there. Irrespective of the size of the
heritage facility, families need to stay there and accommodation needs for a family
2.
are constant. Based on the perceived demand for a tourist site, accommodations are
needed in nearby locality.
The educational nature of heritage sites should not be forgotten. Theatres showing
educational videos about the heritage site and its history should be available and
3.
cost should be included in tour costs so that children's needs are not sacrificed by
parents.
Food and restaurants: Food and Restaurants are required at tourist sites. The
restaurants should be able to serve a variety of Indian food to suit all taste plus also
4.
have stress for local food. Restaurants should be able to supply high quality bottled
water to the health conscious tourist of the day.
Toilet, bathroom and urinal facilities. Adequate toilet, bathhroom and urinal
5.
facilities are required at heritage sites. These facilities also need maintenance.
Primary HealthCare: Every facility should be equipped with a primary healthcare
6.
center to provide first aid and minimum stress and fatigue relief.
7. Handicraft and local crafts sales facilities. A tour is probably a time when every
Indian is brought close to local handicrafts and local craftsmen. provide adequate
 space for having shops to sell Indian Handicrafts, garments and traditional items.
The place will have both National and Local handicrafts on sale and display.
Room Entertainment facilities. Today's accommodations need Televisions, Cable
8.
TV, Internet, Communication and other facilities.
Amusement Parks and secondary entertainment facilities. Each heritage site that
has some or all of the above facilities can provide some land in nearby locality for
9.
amusement parks and rides which can be a source of additional income and also
provide additional employment.
Bank and ATM facilities. Most tourist locations require Bank and ATM facilities.
10. Nationalized banks can be directed to provide ATM facilities nearby
heritage/tourist sites.
Waste disposal facility. Waste management and disposal requires special needs. For
example in case of spitting, the company will have person trained to remove the
damaged soil with proper equipment (not with bare hands). Replace the damaged
soil with good soil. Have the soils transported to soil management facility to clean
the soil and recycle wastes. Persons performing unclean acts can be fined for such
11.
purposes. In case of defecating in places other than toilets the process of removing
and replacing soil and deodorizing etc. should be followed. Tourist sites should not
create wastes that are unmanageable or pollute the environment. Water Treatment,
solid waste transportation facilities and in rare cases waste incinerator, Effluent
treatment plants may be necessary.
Additional needs:

Secular nature of tourism:

India is a country with diverse cultures and diverse beliefs. Secularism is the core need of
the society. Every aspect of tourism should display this secularism. No tourist place
can be non-secular. Every mode of transportation should display the secularism message.
Every person employed in the tourist trade and every organization or person benefiting
from the tourist trade should be secular and must give the secularism pledge in writing
and follow it in every action.

Sample Declaration: We are a Secular tourist company and we do not distinguish or

discriminate between any religion or god in this world and accept all religions as a
representation of good beliefs.

Cultural entertainment:

The Tourist sites also provide additional opportunity to employ Indian dancers, singers
and musicians to entertain the tourists. Popular Tourist sites can have venues for
providing entertainment to tourists by Sangeet Visharad's, Pandits, Bharatnatyam,
Kuchipudi, oddisi and other dancers, singers, local dancers and musicians.

Spiritual Tourism, Ayurvedic Spas and other tourism :

India also has vast potential for spiritual tourism (yoga and meditation tourism),
Ayurvedic spas, relaxation type tourism.

Forming Companies to tackle the needs of tourism:

Providing the above facilities requires massive investments that is not possible by
individuals. Government should allow creation of public owned companies where people
can invest in the form of shares to create such good infrastructure. Almost every town and
village in India can be allowed to have one such company or a subsidiary of a company
that is experienced in the needs of tourism. These companies would be required to carry
out the business with utmost sincerity and diligence. These Companies, its promoters and
employees should be Secular. They should not distinguish between people based on caste,
creed or religion. For this every promoter, investor, tourist, employee should give a
declaration of secularism.

The company will provide sufficient manpower to maintain the sites clean. Every
amenity like proper toilets, waste management, waste disposal, horticulture activity will
be maintained by the company. The company will also provide refreshment and food
facilities from at least five different contractors to meet the varied Indian taste in food.
All people hired for cleaning and waste management will be trained in waste
management practices.

Incentive to explore the heritage:

The government of India is requested to grant sufficient incentive to Indians to explore

this diverse heritage. For this the government can provide benefit to Individuals without
major loss to the government.

Sufficient checks are required that this incentive is not misused.

Incentives:

Upto INR 60000 to be made tax free for the purpose of tourism. This is further divided
into

INR 60000 towards tourist travel for self, spouse, two children and two parents (can also
be spent on self).
INR 10000 towards rides and amusement parks.

INR 10000 towards purchases of Indian handicrafts sold at tourist

locations.

Subject to a maximum of INR 60000 per annum.

Plus as an incentive to support tourist activity in India, every person will have additional
tax benefit as below:

1. Rs. 500 for every 10000 Rs. Spent on tourist activity.

Checks to curb misuse:

All tourist claims can only be made on tourist expense from approved tourist organization
which will be regulated by the government of India.

Only bills of public companies approved for tourist activities can be submitted.

A penalty of 10000 Rs. For any misuse per incident subject to a maximum of INR 50000
per annum, like showing use as tourist expense and making expense on other purpose,
obtaining fake receipts etc.

All bookings will be computerized and connected to central government computer.

Administrative charges :

The Government of India can take an Administrative charge of 10% and State
Governments can take a charge of 10% from the tourist collection towards administrative
charges. The Tourist Industry will employ a number of people in its fold and provide
additional Revenue to the government. Additional taxes like corporate taxes will also
benefit the revenues of the government. Any loss due to the reduction in revenue
collection due to the incentives to Indians will be covered by the revenues raised by these
other means.

Summary:

The Tourism industry in India is a very promising Industry and has potential to become
one of the leading employers of Indians. Professional management and additional
infrastructure is needed so that the Indian can enjoy his heritage to fullest extent.

5 THINGS GOVERNMENT NEEDS DO TO PROMOTE THE

TOURISM INDUSTRY IN INDIA

Its always easy to have armchair discussions about what the government should do and
what it isnt doing. Notwithstanding that, here are a few things wed love to suggest to
the tourism ministry, because we cant help but say again and again that India can make a
lot of money off its tourism wealth but it we are simply letting opportunities slip from our
hands.

Allow corporate sponsorship for heritage buildings

One of the biggest charms of Indian tourism is its architecture and wealth of historic
monuments. And theres a long list of heritage monuments that are still sitting in squalid
environments.

An effective solution for this would be to outsource the maintenance and exterior lighting
of the heritage monument to corporate giants in return for some branding opportunity at
the monument.

Many think this is outright commercialisation. But this is a much better option than
leaving it an abandoned state and let it decay.
Create experiences, not sightseeing spots
If you closely notice, many tourist destinations around the world are merely made up of
created experiences. Be it botanical gardens, architectural monuments, backwaters, the
Himalayas, the tourism ministry should see the potential of a place to attract tourists
rather than merely banking on the natural beauty of a place.

The tourism industry which includes the government and private players, need to
manipulate destinations as experiences and not sightseeing point alone.

For instance, steps can be taken to make the tour replete with tour guides, activities for
the children, culinary tours, interactivity for the tourist with the culture of the place etc.

Build great roads and access points

It would completely wrong on anyones part to simply say Create better infrastructure.
This is a very generic statement. But it is critical to build good roads and approach points
to a certain tourist destination.

For foreign and domestic tourists alike, a bumpy ride with potholes and a punctured tire
only to reach an exotic Indian destination is no good.

Packaged train travel, easy bus connections and safe car hire services with
knowledgeable personnel combines with great freeways and highways may sound
utopian but are critical features for an unmatched tourist experience.

Aggressive tourism marketing strategies

Many people seem to be having a problem with exoticizing India to the West but at some
point if that strategy allows for the raking in of moolah, then why not? Were not
promoting India as the land of snakes and charmers anymore, but the tourism ministry
should surely pursue aggressive online and other marketing strategies to promote India as
a must-visit location. Whether it is broadcasting Incredible India campaigns abroad,
holding tourism seminars or offering Indian locations with facilities to promote foreign
film productions in the country. Aggressive marketing is absolutely critical to be seen and
heard well.
Sell niche tourism areas separately
India is currently in a position where it can make a cash cow out of selling customized
experiences, luxury spa sessions, rare animal sanctuaries, religious pilgrimage tours and
extreme Himalaya tours.

With too many points of differentiation available, Indian tourism should focus on how it
has something on offer for everyone in every category with all budgets. India on
shoestring, India in luxury, the royal India, urban India, the common mans India,
historical India and much more.

The way information is packaged and distributed can go a long way in improving
tourist traffic in the country.

Although the government has already started making a lot of improvements in this area,
we still have a long way to go to let tourism alone generate significant revenue for the
country.

We need to capitalize on India as a destination where the royal Bengal tiger, a common
labourer, a few millionaires, religious dichotomies, exotic culinary treasures and some of
the most expensive spas of the world co-exist.
Steps taken by the Government to increase Tourist Arrivals into
the country

As per the 2nd Tourism Satellite Account of India (TSA) 2009-10 and subsequent
estimation, the contribution of tourism to total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during the
years 2011-12 and 2012-13 were 6.76% and 6.88% respectively.

The steps taken by the Ministry of Tourism to increase the arrival of tourists to India
are:-
(1) Launch of Tourist e-Visa for citizens of 44 countries.

(2) Promotion of the destination through the Incredible India Campaign across the globe.

(3) Participation in major International Tourism & Travel Fairs & Exhibitions.

(4) Organising Road Shows to promote tourism destinations and products of country in
major tourist source markets in collaboration with stake holders.

(5) Development and promotion Niche Tourism products.

(6) Creating an increased pool of trained man power in Hospitality & Tourism sectors for
delivery of quality service to the tourist.

(7) Organising International Buddhist Conclave once in 2 years to show case the
Buddhist Heritage and International Tourism Mart for showcasing the tourism potential
of North East being held every year.

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Tourism (Independent
Charge), Culture (Independent Charge), and Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahesh Sharma in a
written reply to an unstarred question to the Lok Sabha.
CONCLUSION

We dont need to sit back and substantiate the presence of immense number of attractions
and sights that adorn India. That would mean only to argue on what has been proved
well! However, since introspection and criticism are sometimes the best ways of
becoming better, we do need to sit and think how we can make our "Incredible India
more of an eye candy in the eyes of International tourism. With a number of visa and
other policies that have boosted the tourism of India, this is the best time to decide how
our nation can become better and more attractive for the travelers who come here:

1. Create travelling experiences for tourists rather than just attractions

Travelling is an experience rather than just visiting attractions! In order to promote the
tourism of India, we need to invest time and efforts in building travelling experiences for
people brim with tour guides, activities for the children, culinary tours, interactivity for
the tourist with the culture of the place etc. Most of our attractions are left to themselves
and are not built up as experiences and memories to take back home. Further ideas such
as India on shoestring, India in luxury, the royal India, urban India, the common mans
India, historical India and many more would help people in looking into attractions in a
context rather than separate in themselves.

2. More of Hygiene and amenities for kids and disabled

Needless to say that we absolutely lack in these! Basic amenities such as restrooms near
attractions, changing rooms at the beaches and garbage bins are what we lack presently.
Further, even if some of our attractions might have those, they are left in horrible
conditions enough to leave visitors puking. We need to learn a lot from the west in this
case! Disabled access is something that we still need to explore and fix down. When it
comes to travelling within the cities of India, public transport also need to be highlighted
and informed so well that the travelers should not have any problem in exploring! What
about Child freindly destinations? We definitely need to come up with more.
3. Preserving Historical Monuments

Any other nation in this world can hardly match up the number of historical monuments
that dot the landscape of India. But they cant match up the kind of creativity and
inscriptions that goes into ruining those monuments! We seriously need to put punitive
measures against anybody who does this. Further, our monuments also demand a lot of
attention and resurrection to bring them out of obscurity.

4. Marketing Strategies for image formation

Believe it or not! When it comes to tourism, social media is the best recourse these days!
Due to its phenomenal reception and quality, social media and marketing today are the
giants in defining a tourist quotient of a city, state or a country. From broadcasting
Incredible India campaigns abroad, holding tourism seminars or offering Indian
locations with facilities to promote foreign film productions in the country, social media
is the best option. Apart from that even our official tourist websites need to be updated to
inform the readers and travelers well!

5. Friendly Reception

A friendly smile on the face of host at times gives the best whiff to tourism. And this is
one thing that we can implement at our own level to ensure a hospitable image of India
before others. Security concerns also go alongside. A country that serves well, looks well.

6. Promoting Festivals to enhance Indian tradition

We recognize Christmas with west, Tomatina festival with Spain and Rio carnival with
Brazil! But, a country like India has such a plethora of festivals that merely one would
not be able to sum up our diversity of culture and tradition. These festivals do add a dash
of color and light when it comes to defining tourism in India. So let us just make them
more popular and tourist friendly to offer a quintessential Indian experience to the
travelers.
7. Adventure friendly infrastructure

India has yet to cover miles when it comes to offering secure adventure facilities to
travelers. With more and more of people coalescing adventure and tourism, this is an
essential infrastructure that we need to upgrade from its present sorry state.

8. Bollywood-The biggest storyteller of tourism in India

One of the Incredible India quotes states: "Its bit like a Bollywood dream sequence.
Only, you are in it! Since most of the nations know us through Bollywood, it is a
great idea to use it as a beacon of our tourism!

9. Revisit the Unseen and unexplored

We still need to explore the unseen and the unexplored in India. With so many virgin
beaches and mountains gracing our land, there is still a lot to unravel before us and the
world.

10. To understand how tourism can change the face of our nation

This should have been the first point! The day we understand how tourism can change the
face of our nation, half of the battle will be won. It can definitely bring more value,
income and an image to our nation and bring us in the top contenders for the list of travel
destinations!