Module No.

2: TOURISM PRODUCTS

Tourism Resources- Meaning, Definition, Tourism resources of India-types & typologies

Cultural resources: Art & Architectures, Historical, Festivals, Costumes. Popular Religious
Centres: Hindu, Muslim, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism others. Performing Art of
India: Classical dance, folk, music, musical instruments, costumes, handicrafts, boat race,
food festivals, An overview of tourism development strategies.

Tourism resources-Meaning
• The term tourism resources describes natural and man-made attractions,
infrastructure, services, and the conditions that attract tourists to an area and may
contribute to the formulation of a tourism destination.
• United Nation World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) defines
• Tourism resources as those factors that make it possible to produce a tourism
experience and include:-
 Tangible resources (facilities, attractions, infrastructure, etc.)
 Intangible resources (image, reputation, culture, etc.)
 Human resources (skills, motivations, service levels, etc.)
 Financial resources
Types of tourism Resources
1. Tangible resources
• The key “attractors” in a destination. This includes
 tourist attractions, historic sites, beaches, national parks, events, cultural facilities,
sporting activities etc.
 These attractions will be important initially in motivating a visitor to travel to the
destination.
• Accommodation stock in the destination. This includes
 accommodation which suits the potential visitor in terms of location, price, quality
and type and must be found before the decision to visit is confirmed ( some 50% of
visitor expenditure is on accommodation). If suitable accommodation is not found
the destination could well not be visited.
• Transport - main roads, rail, sea and air links
 Even if the destination has quality attractions and accommodation, visitors will be
deterred from visiting if good transport links do not exist
  Other resources - conference facilities which will be important in attracting
business visitors
2. Intangible resources
 The reputation of the destination regarding value for money, service quality,
hospitality, etc.
 The image of the destination concerning safety and security, uniqueness of
experiences on offer, readiness to receive tourists, etc.
 The culture of the destination e.g. welcoming of tourists, hospitality, lifestyles, etc.
3. Human resources
• include:-
 Investment capital
 Public capital for services, infrastructure, etc.
 Finances to develop and market tourism, etc.
4. Cultural & Heritage resources
• Focus on historical, artistic, scientific, and lifestyle/heritage
• Experience cultural environments, visual and performing arts, lifestyle, values,
traditions and events.
• Festivals, banquets, music, theater, village and rural life, gastronomy,
visiting/tasting local products, village buildings and “atmosphere”, historic and
religious monuments and ruins, famous people
• Cultural tourism (or culture tourism) is the subset of tourism concerned with a
country or region's culture, specifically the lifestyle of the people in those
geographical areas, the history of those people, their art, architecture, religion(s),
and other elements that helped shape their way of life.
• Cultural tourism includes tourism in urban areas, particularly historic or large cities
and their cultural facilities such as museums and theatres
Resource Based Cultural Tourism
1. archaeological sites monuments, routes, and museums
2. architecture (ruins, famous buildings, whole towns)
3. art, sculpture, crafts, galleries, festivals, events
4. music and dance (classical, folk, contemporary)
5. drama (theatre, films, dramatists)
6. language and literature study, tours, events
7. complete (folk or primitive) cultures and sub- cultures.
 8. Theme Parks
9. Cultural-historic events

Heritage resources
• Heritage resources (primary sources) are often the main motivators for
stimulating travel to destinations.
• The world’s most visited attractions are natural features, national parks,
World Heritage Sites and other heritage resources.
The heritage tourism products
• Religious tourism
• • Religious tourism is one of the most prevalent forms of heritage tourism in the
developing world today and is among the earliest precursors of modern day tourism
• • Pilgrimage takes many forms, but central among these is the desire of religious for
blessings, become closer to God, offer more sincere prayers, become healed, and
receive forgiveness for sins.
• • Much pilgrimage requires self-humbling and penitence, which can be effected
more readily in some cases by the afflictions associated with traveling along a
prescribed pilgrim route (Shair and Karan 1979
• In India, for example, domestic and international travel by Hindus for religious
purposes is an important part of the tourism economy, and the Kumba Mela
religious pilgrimage is the largest tourist gathering in the world (Singh 2006)
• Heritage tourism also helps empower local communities.
• Three major concerns have to be addressed for local empowerment to be realized,
namely finance, zoning, and integrating living and historical cultures .
• Heritage conservation rejuvenates historic urban space through renovation,
restoration, and reconstruction of historic buildings.
• This makes urban spaces more livable and attractive for investment.
• Historic preservation may help achieve sustainable economic growth
• Maintenance and preservation of cultural heritage can help create awareness of, and
pride in, history and civilization.
• It creates pride in communities for their heritage and provides self-confidence in
their culture and heritage, which can result in more local efforts to protect the
cultural past.
 • Heritage preservation also provides avenues for different stakeholders to open
dialog and cooperate.
• When local heritage becomes a center of attraction to, international visitors, remote
areas receive more attention from national governments and the international
community, thereby reducing their peripherality from the capital’s perspective.
• Ignored and neglected regions can soon become nationally and internationally
recognized sites.
• Heritage is a source and symbol of identity.
• Both tangible and intangible heritage plays an important role in creating individual,
community, and national identity.
• For nations, heritage is a means of affirming their national identity and promoting
solidarity.
• There are opportunities for national unity and global recognition through the
World Heritage

Pilgrimage should be considered a form of heritage tourism from at least three

perspectives.
 First, the sites visited are heritage places, including churches, mosques, temples,
synagogues, shrines, sacred mountains, and caves/ grottos.
 Second, pilgrimage routes have become heritage resources based on their historical
role in the practice of pilgrimage.
 Finally, the forms of worship and the religious rites undertaken at venerated places
have become part of an intangible heritage, or a set of socio-cultural practices that
demonstrate inwardly and outwardly the weightiness of the journey.

Living culture
• Living culture is an important part of heritage tourism .
 Agricultural landscapes, agrarian lifestyles, arts and handicrafts, villages, languages,
musical traditions, spiritual and religious practices, and other elements of the
cultural landscape provide much of the appeal for tourism. •
 Rice paddies and farming techniques, traditional architecture and building
materials, intricate clothing and cloth, exotic-sounding music, vibrant ceremonies,
and unusual fragrances and flavors are part of the appeal.
 An interesting and vital part of living culture is culinary heritage, cuisine, and
floodways. The foods, preparatory methods, food-associated rites and rituals.
Historic cities and built heritage
Built heritage in non-industrialized states can be classified in general terms into two forms:
 indigenous/native or colonial. • Many great and ancient cities have become world-
class destinations in Asia,Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe.
 They are significant international gateways and centers of tourism commerce.
 In most cases,they are composed of indigenous architecture and organic
morphology with a substantial mix of colonial influence
Archeological sites and ancient monuments
• Archeological sites and ancient monuments are important elements of cultural
heritage .
• • Often, they are the primary draw, as noted earlier, for international tourists, and
their resources, can become international icons.
• • Ruins and ancient sites are important components of indigenous culture in
locations where material culture was a part of the tangible past.
Industrial heritage
• Other types of heritage resources are important on a worldwide scale but are less
prominent in LDCs( less developed countries).
• For example, industrial heritage has become commonplace in Western Europe,
North America, and Australia, owing in part to those regions’ transition from
fundamentally manufacturing and primary, extractive economies to post-industrial
service economies.
• Thus, remnants of industrializing societies are sometimes now considered things of
a distant or recent past, but a past nonetheless, whereas the economies of
underdeveloped countries still tend to be highly dependent on extractive (e.g.,
fishing, mining, logging) activities and heavy industry.
• Similarly, literary is often geared toward citizens of the developed world, with sites
commemorating the lives and writings of famous Western novelists and artists.
Performing Art of India:
• Performing arts has a well-placed status in the culture and tradition of Indian
society.
• Indian performing arts are well acclaimed by people from across the globe.
Performing arts of India have had a long and rich development of growth and
development. Performing arts has a well-placed significance in the civilization and
 tradition of Indian society. Indian performing arts are well praised by people from
across the globe.
• Love, humor, pathos, anger, heroism, terror, disgust, wonder and serenity are the
nava rasas or nine basic emotions, which are fundamental to all Indian aesthetics.
Based on the nava rasas or the nine basic emotions, the Indian performing arts exist.
• The major performing arts of India are:
 Classical dance
 folk, music
 musical instruments
 Costumes
 Handicrafts
 boat race
 food festivals

Classical dance:
Indian Dance dates back to the earliest Indus Valley Civilization. It is traced on carved
stones which the earliest Indian civilization gave importance to diverse forms of Dance.
Dance when combined with song and storytelling, dance metamorphosed into theatre. The
different dance form of India offers scintillating experiences to the viewers. Along with the
major dance forms like Bharatnatyam, Mohiniyattam, Koodiyattam, Kathakali, Kuchipudi,
and Odissi, some other local and tribal versions of dances are also practiced in India.
Kathakali gained much eminence from the universal community. Chakyar Kootthu, a dance
practiced in Northern Kerala is accepted by the United Nations. The Kathak style started in
northern India and stressed on musical footwork. Manipuri of Manipur uses elegant
turning and winning in its dances. The Natya Shastra, the initial Indian text on the subject,
speaks of ekaharya (solo dance) and the anekaharya (dance as performed by more than
one person) which was written between 200 BC - AD 200 by Bharatamuni.
Folk , music and musical instruments:
Evolution of Indian Music goes back to the Vedas. Two types of classical music, Carnatic
and Hindustani have been commenced following the 5th century and had been influenced
by Bhakti traditions. Other varieties of Indian Music are the folk, popular and pop. Indian
filmy music and Punjabi pop (Bhangra) are considered as world-class melodic genres. The
Muslims aggressors influenced the Hindustani instruments, styles and schools of
performance.
Handicrafts
The crafts of India are diverse, rich in history, culture and religion. The craft of each state in
India reflect the influence of different empires. Throughout centuries, crafts have been
embedded as a culture and tradition within rural communities.
List of 12 Most Amazing Handicrafts of India:
1. Pashmina Shawls. Source. Pashmina is a fine type of wool. ...
2. Woodwork. Source. The northern states of India have a rich tradition of the
woodwork. ...
3. Pottery. Source. ...
4. Leather. Source. ...
5. Jute. Source. ...
6. Shell. Source. ...
7. Brass Handicrafts. Source. ...
8. Bamboo Handicrafts. Source.
9. Phulkaris
10. Zardozi
11. Saris and Silk
12. Carpet Weaving

Boat races

Boat race are among the grandest traditions still alive and thriving in Kerala. People
go to these events in large numbers to watch these snake shaped beauties go head to
head in rhythm to the old boat songs sung in full volume. These snake boats or
'chundanvallam' are up to 100 feet long and bring the serene backwaters to life. There
are many important races that occur during these events and we have listed below
some of the most famous boat races that happen in Kerala. These are spectacles that
need to be experienced in person to know their true beauty.
Costumes
Some of the most common traditional dresses of India for Indian women are sarees, ghagra
choli, and salwar kameez. The most widely worn traditional clothes for men include
sherwani, dhoti-kurta, bandhgala, kurta-pajama, angarkha, lungi, etc. Ethnic clothing is just
one of the things that distinguish one part of India from the other. The traditional Indian
clothes and attire have earned admirers from people from all over the world.
Food festival
India has a diverse culture that can be experienced either by travelling or sampling
every region’s culinary delights. Food gives us a glimpse into a region’s history and soul
and helps us understand how local produce is used differently by different states. One of
the best ways to get a crash course in our rich culinary history is by attending Indian food
festivals. If you consider yourself a true-blooded foodie, then it is time to broaden your
palate by making your way for many fantastic food festivals in India. We have curated the
ultimate list of food festivals in India to satisfy your bingeing needs.
Some famous food festivals in India:
1. The Grub Fest

2. Great Indian Food Festival

3. Mei-Ramew
4. Goa Food and Cultural Festival
5. Sattvik Food Festival
6. Navi Mumbai Food Truck Festival
7. International Mango Festival
8. Ahare Bangla Food Festival

An overview of tourism development strategies

• Invest in Technology
• Local Experiences
• Personalization
• Capitalize on the Growth of Experiential Holidays
• Solo Tourism
• Over-tourism
• Provide better Customer Experience

Invest in Technology
Investing in technology can improve the efficiency of operations and customer experience. Due
to the absence of tech tools, there has been slow growth in the activities related to tourism. A
smooth booking experience is a pre-requisite for any travel industry, and it’s precisely missing in
some cases.
Technological innovations like augmented reality, virtual reality and even voice-based systems,
have an immense potential to redefine how travellers choose their tips. Valuable information
displayed in such a manner can greatly enhance the customer experience. Artificial Intelligence
and machine learning are assisting travel companies to offer personalized suggestions. The better
the experience, the more likely they will use the same service again.

Local Experiences
How the tourists spend their time on holidays has become important nowadays. These people
want to experience the local culture, enjoy local cuisine and participate in local festivals.
Travellers lookout for the itineraries with such facilities through the travel agents.

Personalisation
Individual travellers won’t be looking for ‘One-size-fits-all travel’. Each tourist member has
personal preferences and they are interested in trying different activities. Although
Personalization is more relevant in the case of in-destination activities. For this reason, many
independent travellers are now booking own flights and accommodations to find the specific
experiences they want to indulge in on their holiday.

Capitalize on the Growth of Experiential Holidays

Indian travellers are getting much more active during their holidays. Their trips are not just about
visiting a local tourist destination anymore. The entire members of a family are open to
adventure activities. Water sports like scuba-diving are becoming popular amongst modern
Indians.

Solo Tourism
Many Indians are depending on solo trips. More and more Indians have begun to reflect this
trend. These travellers have specific needs. India has made it easier to travel solo, but still, many
bookings are not easy. When it comes to travel activities, a solo traveller has limited options.
Their problems are relatively easy to solve with technological tools.

Over-tourism
When a destination takes more tourists, it results in over tourism. Over tourism can cause an
impact on ecology, natural resources and even the local culture. Promoting the unpopular tourist
spots will help in maintaining the equal distribution of travellers across the tourist spots,
especially in peak seasons.

Provide better Customer Experience

The customers always prefer great experience. Keeping customer experience at the top of the
priority list is important for the development of the tourist sector. Driven by technology, the
customer has begun to expect hassle-free experience in every aspect of travel. Everything from
booking to the completion of the trip needs to be as pleasant as possible.

Popular Religious Centres: Hindu, Muslim, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism

others
According to Indian constitution India is a secular country .India is a Secular State by the
42nd amendment act of Constitution in 1976.In India many types of religions are found
such as Hinduism ,Islam , Christianity ,Sikhism ,Buddhism ,Jainism.
1) HINDU
India is home to around 90% of the global population of Hindus Most Hindu shrines and
temples are located in India, as are the birthplaces of most Hindu saints. Allahabad hosts
the world's largest religious pilgrimage, Kumbha Mela, where Hindus from across the
world come together to bathe in the confluence of three sacred rivers of India: the Ganga,
the Yamuna, and the Saraswati. Hinduism is often regarded as the oldest religion in the
world Hindus worship a single god with different forms
God(s) : Life is cyclical, so are the gods. Brahma – giver of life ,Vishnu – preserver of life
Also keeps balance good evil . Shiva -- destroyer of world. Akshardham, one of the largest
Hindu temples in the world.
2) ISLAM
Muslims compose 14.23% of the Indian .It is a second highest religion in India Muslims
offer five daily prayers at specific times of the day, indicated by adhan (call to prayer) from
the local mosques .3–4% of Muslim children study in madrasas (Islamic schools).
According to the 2011 census, India is home to 172 million Muslims, the world's third-
largest Muslim population after those in Indonesia (210 million) and Pakistan (195
million). Muslims are a majority in states Jammu and Kashmir and Lakshadweep, and live
in high concentrations in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, and Kerala. The Jama
Masjid in Delhi is one of the world's largest mosques.
3) Christianity
Christianity compose (2.3%) of the India . St. Thomas is credited with introduction of
Christianity in India Christians comprise a majority in Nagaland, Mizoram, and
Meghalaya and have significant populations in Kerala and Goa
4) Sikhism
Sikhism compose (1.7%) of the India .Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469–1539) was the founder of
Sikhism. Sikhism recognizes all humans as equal before Waheguru. Harmandir Sahib,
commonly known as the Golden Temple, in Amritsar
5) Buddhism
Buddhism compose (0.7%) of the India Around 8.5 million Buddhists live in India. They
believe in no God Founder: Siddhartha Gautama in equality (no caste system)
6) Jainism
Jainism compose (0.4%) of the India.Jainism has two major ancient sub- traditions,
Digambaras and Svetambaras