Rural Tourism

Rural Tourism

• Since most of India's population lives in villages and has a lot to offer tourists, the government must promote rural tourism.
• Agritourism, art and culture, ecotourism, wildlife, tribal tourism, and homestays are six specialty experiences for visitors who want to travel to rural India that Rural Tourism and Rural Homestays (CNA - RT and RH) under the Ministry of Tourism has highlighted in order to promote rural tourism.

About rural tourism:

• Any type of tourism that promotes rural life, art, culture, and heritage while also generating economic and social benefits for the surrounding area is considered rural tourism.
• The cultural diversity of rural areas is enhanced by several local traditions, such as plays, art forms, dances, etc., making these areas appealing to tourists.
• South Indian towns with their lush green woods, sacred groves, etc. provide a great location to promote tourism.
• In India, rural tourism is a type of travel that focuses on learning about and experiencing rural culture and lifestyle.
• To get a better understanding of the local culture and way of life, entails visiting rural areas and taking part in various activities like farming, handicrafts, and village walks.

Why should we concentrate on rural tourism?

• Enormous Potential: There is a great deal of opportunity to draw both domestic and foreign tourists. Despite having a rich architectural history and a diversified culture, India barely accounts for 1.2% of global tourism (2019). Although the UK has 2.7%, China has 4.5%, the USA has 5.4%, and Spain has 5.7%. Corresponding to this, there has been an increase in the popularity of short-break vacations in cities, and the close proximity of rural areas makes them excellent tourist attractions.
• Stopping Over-tourism: Shimla and Goa are only two examples of places that suffer from having too much tourism. Over-tourism is defined as a large number of visitors to a small number of tourist attractions. Overtourism has negative effects on the environment, the amount of garbage produced, inflation, resident migration, and more.
• Increasing India's Soft Power: If rural tourism is successfully marketed, visitors from wealthy nations will be enticed to India. Especially the millennial generation, which is captivated by traditions, culture, and art.
• Arts revival: Rural tourism can bring back many of the traditional crafts and arts that have been slowly fading out in rural areas.
• Possibilities for Employment: The tourism sector creates both direct and indirect jobs. When fully developed, it has the ability to give many young people who would otherwise be moving to cities jobs. Rural tourism has the ability to provide significant amounts of diverse, highly skilled to semi-skilled, productive employment.

What are India's Rural Tourism Challenges?

• Lack of knowledge about rural tourism among visitors and local populations may limit its development.
• Many individuals are ignorant of the tourist potential of rural places and the advantages that tourism may have for nearby towns.
• High unemployment rates and low-income levels are common problems in rural areas.
• For local communities to invest in tourism infrastructure and offer top-notch services to guests, this could be challenging.
• If not properly managed, rural tourism has the potential to have a harmful influence on the environment and local communities.
• The local ecology and culture may be harmed by overcrowding, pollution, and the deterioration of natural ecosystems, which may eventually discourage tourists.

Government step:

• The Ministry of Tourism has designated rural tourism as one of the Niche Tourism sectors for growth in the country.
• In order to develop and market regional goods through tourism, the Ministry has created a Draft National Strategy and Roadmap for Rural Tourism.
• It centers on the following fundamental tenets:

Model policies and best practices for rural tourism are:

• (a), digital platforms and technologies
• (b), developing clusters for rural tourism
• (c), marketing assistance
• (d), strengthening stakeholder capacity
• (e), and governance and institutional framework are

Way Forward

• Only if a multi-action, multi-stakeholder participatory planning model is adopted and put into practise then tourism in rural areas continue to thrive. This would assure adherence to the idea of Atithi Devo Bhava—Guest is our God—and assist rural areas realise their full potential.