A number of initiatives have been recently undertaken to improve the tourism sector in India. These include the introduction of tourist police at key tourist sites in Delhi and the decision to set up an inter-ministerial group to facilitate better co-ordination between the tourism and civil aviation ministries. That India is an important tourist destination is evident from the increasing numbers of tourists making their way to India, with the country recording an increase of over 60 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals in 2003 and this growth being maintained in the year 2004 so far. In the first six months of 2004, the number of foreign tourist arrivals in the country increased by 24.3 per cent to 15.6 lakh. <br /> <br /> According to the Madrid-based World Tourism Organisation, which held the 73rd Session of its Executive Council in Hyderabad recently at the invitation of the Government of India, India is expected to record one of the highest growth rates in tourism across the globe this year. In a survey conducted across 134 countries, Lonely Planet Travel Guide billed India as one of the top five tourist destinations. India was among the top 10 countries in Conde Nast Traveller's British edition's annual Readers' Travel Awards 2003. <br /> <br /> However, in comparison to tourist arrival figures for competing destinations such as Hong Kong and Singapore, the figure for the number of tourist arrivals in India is not impressive. In the six months till June 2004, Hong Kong had more than 10 million tourist arrivals, 68.3 per cent more than that for the same period in 2003 and a 33.4 per cent growth over the corresponding figure for 2002. Singapore drew 3.87 million visitors over the same period. <br /> <br /> The challenge then is to translate the attractiveness of India as a tourist destination into increased actual tourist arrivals in the country. Along with improvement in airport infrastructure, an integrated public transport system connecting airports and train stations and major bus terminals with important hotels, business and commercial areas, and sites of interest to tourists is essential. <br /> <br /> Apart from increasing the number of immigration counters, separate immigration counters could be set up for citizens of countries with whom India has special historical or regional links or trading arrangements, as for example the SAARC and BIMST-EC countries. <br /> <br /> The safety of tourists, even a few feet outside the airports, remains a matter of concern. The newly introduced tourist police must be sensitised to the needs of tourists, speak at least one foreign language, preferably English, ensure that tourists are not harassed by hawkers, beggars, etc., and generally interact with tourists in a polite manner. Whether the existing police force will be able to perform this task remains to be seen. Mere provision of fancy cars and uniforms for the tourist police will not make the police more tourist friendly. The official website of the Department of Tourism should be supplemented by a dedicated hotline for tourists to enable them to get information and answers to their queries without delay. Cleanliness and hygiene is another area that needs urgent attention. To start with, clean public toilets and rest areas in sufficient numbers must be provided in key tourist destinations and on principal tourist routes. <br /> <br /> The recent proposal by the government to provide transit visas at airports to allow tourists to visit key destinations is to be welcomed. Special tours at very nominal rates to local tourist sites could be devised for transit passengers. Many travellers would welcome the opportunity to see a new place, even very briefly from inside a bus, than wait interminably at the typically dull airports. <br /> <br /> International airports at key tourist destinations, such as at Cochin, could be developed as transit hubs for traffic between South-East Asia and West Asia and further on to Europe. <br /> <br /> According to a PHDCCI study, effective management and policy initiatives could turn adventure tourism from a Rs 300 crore industry presently into a $20 billion industry by 2011. Supporting services, such as search and rescue facilities, well-managed camping sites, and better road connectivity are needed. Some states, such as Uttaranchal and Himachal Pradesh, and the Ladakh area of Jammu and Kashmir have begun to market themselves as adventure tourism destinations, but more active promotion of adventure tourism is required there and in other regions too. <br /> <br /> There is no reason why India cannot emulate the example of Nepal, which has been able to successfully promote itself as a major destination for adventure tourism. Tie-ups between hotels, airlines, and travel agents associations to offer package deals to incoming tourists should be considered. Recently, the Nepal Tourism Board tied up with Jet Airways to promote the Himalayan kingdom in India. The Indian Department of tourism should consider tying up with foreign airlines to offer package deals to tourists. <br /> <br /> Finally, tourists should be treated as welcome guests and not merely as money machines. <br /> <br /> (Courtesy: The Financial Express, September 27, 2004) <br /> <br /> <em>* Views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Observer Research Foundation.</em>
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