SECTORAL SPECIALISATION: TOURISM MANAGEMENT

SUBMITTED BY:
Deepika Devarajan
 INDEX

Particulars Page no.

Tourism concepts and types……………………………………… 4

Planning in Tourism……………………………………………… 7

Infrastructure Help and Career Opportunities………………… 13

INDIA the country, INDIA the brand…………………………… 17

The INCREDIBLE INDIA campaign…………………………… 22

A Critique………………………………………………………… 37

Atithi Devoh Bhava……………………………………………… 39

Kerala Tourism- An Analysis…………………………………… 45

2
TOURISM - WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT?
Tourism is inherently a Regional Enterprise. Successful tourism destinations thrive
where there is regional delivery of a balanced mix of quality attractions,
accommodations, food and beverage services, retail, and other tourism spending
opportunities. Successful tourism destinations build on cooperative networks of local
residents, civic leaders and business people. Travel and tourism represents a broad range
of related industries such as:
• hotels
• restaurants
• retailing
• transportation
• travel agencies
• tour companies
• tourist attractions
• leisure, recreation and sport
• cultural industries
It is interesting to note that in 1997 travel and tourism provided 10.5% of the total world
employment, with up to 25% of all employment, in some areas, such as the Caribbean. It
was estimated that, in 2007, more than 100 million people world-wide had been
employed in this sector. Because of this, tourism is now seen to be of importance to most
countries of the world.
During this time, the nature of tourism has developed in scope and direction, away from
traditional activities, such as the sunshine sand and sea holidays to a wide range of new
activities such as cultural tourism, adventure tourism, sports and leisure activities and
eco-tourism.
TYPES OF TOURISM

1. Adventure Travel 2. Romance Tours

3. Cultural Tourism 4. Medical Tourism

5. Sports Tourism 6. Heritage Tourism

7. Wildlife Tourism 8. Sacred Travel

3
ADVENTURE TRAVEL:

Adventure travel is a type of tourism involving exploration or travel to remote, exotic

and possibly hostile areas, where the traveler should "expect the unexpected". Adventure
tourism is rapidly growing in popularity as tourists seek different kinds of vacations.
Adventure tourism gains much of its excitement by allowing its participants to step
outside of their comfort zone. This may be from experiencing culture shock, or through
the performance of acts that require significant effort and involve some degree of risk
(real or perceived) and/or physical danger. This may include activities such as
mountaineering, trekking, bungee jumping, mountain biking, rafting, zip-lining and rock
climbing. Some obscure forms of adventure travel include disaster and ghetto tourism.
Other rising forms of adventure travel include social and jungle tourism.

ROMANCE TOURS:

Romance tours are tours usually arranged by a mail-order bride agency or other cyber
matchmaking service that men take in search of a bride. Upon arrival at their destination,
the men and potential brides are thrown a large "meet and greet" social to get to know
one another and meet as many people as possible. Honeymoon Packages also form part
of this form of tourism. Special discounts and attractive offers are given to give the
couple total privacy at affordable costs. The traditional romance tour, seen by some as
superficial, is being somewhat replaced by the Internet as technology evolves.
CULTURAL TOURISM:
Cultural tourism' (or culture tourism) is the subset of tourism concerned with a
country or region's culture, especially its arts. It generally focuses on traditional
communities who have diverse customs, unique form of art and distinct social practices,
which basically distinguishes it from other types/forms of culture. Cultural tourism
includes tourism in urban areas, particularly historic or large cities and their cultural
facilities such as museums and theatres. It can also include tourism in rural areas
showcasing the traditions of indigenous cultural communities (i.e. festivals, rituals), and
their values and lifestyle. It is generally agreed that cultural tourists spend substantially
more than standard tourists do.
MEDICAL TOURISM:
Medical tourism (also called medical travel, health tourism or global healthcare) is a
term initially coined by travel agencies and the mass media to describe the rapidly-
growing practice of traveling across international borders to obtain health care. Such
services typically include elective procedures as well as complex specialized surgeries
such as joint replacement (knee/hip), cardiac surgery, dental surgery, and cosmetic
surgeries. However, virtually every type of health care, including psychiatry, alternative
4
treatments, convalescent care and even burial services are available. A large draw to
medical travel is convenience and speed. Countries that operate public health-care
systems are often so taxed that it can take considerable time to get non-urgent medical
care. Factors that have led to the increasing popularity of medical travel include the high
cost of health care, long wait times for certain procedures, the ease and affordability of
international travel, and improvements in both technology and standards of care in many
countries. India is known in particular for heart surgery, hip resurfacing and other areas
of advanced medicine. The south Indian city of Chennai has been declared India's Health
Capital, as it nets in 45% of health tourists from abroad and 30-40% of domestic health
tourists.
SPORTS TOURISM:
There are many different definitions of sports tourism, from those involving travel for
the purpose of participating in competitive sports, to those involving more leisure or
adventure sporting activities. Thus, the extent of sports tourism may vary quite a bit.
Sports tourism involves people traveling to participate or to observe sports. These
activities may include people competing in an international event, such as the Olympics,
or simply sitting amongst the audience watching the World Cup match.
HERITAGE TOURISM:
Heritage tourism is a branch of tourism oriented towards the cultural heritage of the
location where tourism is occurring. Heritage tourism is the fastest growing segment of
the tourism industry because there is a trend toward an increase specialization among
tourists. This trend is evident in the rise in the volume of tourists who seek adventure,
culture, history, archaeology and interaction with local people. Heritage tourism has a
number of objectives that must be met within the context of sustainable development
such as; the conservation of cultural resources, accurate interpretation of resources,
authentic visitor’s experience, and the stimulation of the earned revenues of cultural
resources.
WILDLIFE TOURISM:
Wildlife tourism can be an eco and animal friendly tourism in both captive and wild
environments. It has experienced a dramatic and rapid growth in recent year’s world
wide. Wildlife tourism, in its simplest sense, is watching wild animals in their natural
habitat. Wildlife tourism is also a multi-million dollar industry offering customized tour
packages and safaris.

SACRED TRAVEL:
5
Sacred travel, or metaphysical tourism, is a growing niche of the travel market. It
attracts New Age believers, primarily middle-aged women, and involves tours and travel
to "spiritual hotspots" on the Earth. Destinations are often ancient sites where there is a
mystery concerning their origin or purpose, such as Machu Picchu in Peru, The Pyramids
of Egypt, or Stonehenge in England. These travelers see the journey as more than just
tourism and take the trips in order to heal themselves and the world. Part of this may
involve rituals involving, (supposedly), leaving their bodies, possession by spirits
(channeling), and recovery of past life memories.

PLANNING IN TOURISM
Successful tourism economies synchronize with market demand and operate in a context
of supporting community, regional and national infrastructures and services. Delivery of
tourism opportunities must be seamless and, most important; there must be a genuine
focus on creating desirable and authentic visitor experiences.
Successful destinations don't just happen; tourists happen. Successful tourist destinations
are planned and managed by a regional tourism authority. Their most important job is to
create, with public participation, the vision that drives a region's short- and long-term
tourism destination strategy.
All too often though, tourism destination planning becomes bogged down prematurely in
the details of business planning for individual attractions, accommodations, or other
tourism "products" long before an overall regional tourism strategy is conceived and
adopted.
Sometimes tourism planning is assumed to mean, and then becomes the enthusiastic
promotion of a region or a single community. The strategy is to simply increase numbers.
Yes, promotion may increase tourist numbers, but unless the increase is integrated into a
comprehensive tourism development plan, it rarely generates sustainable tourism growth
and community benefit. In fact, the result maybe just the opposite: a marred,
oversaturated, degraded destination.

6
 TOURISM PLANNING CREATES VALUE!
➢ Planning returns optimal benefit to host communities for the investment of
their resources in tourism development.
➢ Planning integrates tourism into the social and cultural fabric of community
life.
➢ Planning creates community understanding and enthusiasm for tourism.
➢ Planning attracts the right visitors and creates high quality experiences for
them that reflect well on the community and its residents.
➢ Planning gives direction for development of tourism businesses.
➢ Planning generates fiscal and economic benefit through increased tax
revenue, job creation, employment and income.
➢ Planning encourages sustainable resource use.
➢ Planning enhances preservation of the natural and cultural heritage.
➢ Planning retains scenic values and sense of place.

GUIDING PRINCIPLES IN PLANNING

7
• Tourism as an Industry may provide rich dividends in the short run, but the key is
to sustain it as an ongoing business in the area. For an indigenous culture that has
stayed largely separated from the surrounding majority, tourism can present both
advantages and problems. On the positive side are the unique cultural practices
and arts that attract the curiosity of tourists and provide opportunities for tourism
and economic development. On the negative side is the issue of how to control
tourism so that those same cultural amenities are not destroyed and the people do
not feel violated. Other destinations include historical sites, modern urban
districts, theme parks and country clubs, coastal or island ecosystems, and inland
natural areas.

• It is important that the destination planner takes into account the diverse
definition of culture as the term is subjective. Satisfying tourists' interests such as
landscapes, seascapes, art, nature, traditions, ways of life and other products
associated to them -which may be categorized cultural in the broadest sense of
the word, is a prime consideration as it marks the initial phase of the development
of a cultural destination.

• The quality of service and destination, which doesn't solely depend on the
cultural heritage but more importantly to the cultural environment, can further be
developed by setting controls and policies which shall govern the community and
its stakeholders. It is therefore safe to say that the planner should be on the ball
with the varying meaning of culture itself as this fuels the formulation of
development policies that shall entail efficient planning and monitored growth
(e.g. strict policy on the protection and preservation of the community).

• While satisfying tourists' interests and demands may be a top priority, it is also
imperative to ruminate the subsystems of the destination's (residents).
Development pressures should be anticipated and set to their minimum level so
as to conserve the area's resources and prevent a saturation of the destination as to
not abuse the product and the residents correspondingly. The plan should
incorporate the locals to its gain by training and employing them and in the
process encourage them to participate to the travel business. Keep in mind that
the plan should make travellers not only aware about the destination but also
concern on how to help it sustain its character while broadening their travelling
experience.

8
 Sources of Data
The core of a planner’s job is to design an appropriate planning process and facilitate
community decision. Ample information which is a crucial requirement is contributed
through various technical researches and analyzes. Here are some of the helpful tools
commonly used by planners to aid them:
1. Key Informant Interviews
2. Libraries, Internet, and Survey Research
3. Census and Statistical Analysis
4. Spatial Analysis with Geographical Information System (GIS) and Global
Positioning System (GPS) technologies.

A Key Informant Interview basically refers to the process of finding out local customs
and traditions by interacting with people who have a good knowledge of the area. Other
literature compiled earlier on the place also gives an insight into the territory. An
example of such kind of data is given below:

Quick Facts about India

Country Full Population Currency

Name 1,000,000,000 Name: Indian
Republic of Rupee
India Code: INR
Symbol: Rs

Electrical Languages Spoken Time Zones

Plugs Official: Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Bengali, Kashmiri, GMT/UTC
Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Punjabi +5.5

230-240V 50Hz

Country Weights & Measures

Dialing Code Metric
+91

Process Followed in case of Medical tourism

9
 The typical process is as follows:
• The person seeking medical treatment abroad contacts a medical tourism
provider.
• The provider usually requires the patient to provide a medical report, including
the nature of ailment, local doctor’s opinion, medical history, and diagnosis, and
may request additional information.
• Certified medical doctors or consultants then advise on the medical treatment.
• The approximate expenditure, choice of hospitals and tourist destinations, and
duration of stay, etc., is discussed.
• After signing consent bonds and agreements, the patient is given
recommendation letters for a medical visa, to be procured from the concerned
embassy.
• The patient travels to the destination country, where the medical tourism
provider assigns a case executive, who takes care of the patient's
accommodation, treatment and any other form of care.
• Once the treatment is done, the patient can remain in the tourist destination or
return home.

Key Institutions
Participating structures are primarily led by the government’s local authorities and the
official tourism board or council, with the involvement of various NGOs, community
and indigenous representatives, development organizations, and the academia.

CASE STUDY
CULTURAL AND ECOTOURISM IN THE MOUNTAINOUS REGIONS OF
CENTRAL ASIA AND IN THE HIMALAYAS

10
Tourism is coming to the previously isolated but spectacular mountainous regions of
Central Asia, the Hindu Kush and the Himalayas. Closed for so many years to visitors
from abroad, it now attracts a growing number of foreign tourists by its unique culture
and splendid natural beauty. However, while this influx of tourists is bringing economic
opportunities and employment to local populations, helping to promote these little-
known regions of the world, it has also brought challenges along with it: to ensure that it
is well-managed and that its benefits are shared by all.
As a response to this concern, the Norwegian Government, as well as the UNESCO,
organized an interdisciplinary project called the Development of Cultural and Eco-
tourism in the Mountainous Regions of Central Asia and the Himalayas project. It aims
to establish links and promote cooperation between local communities, national and
international NGOs, and tour agencies in order to heighten the role of the local
community and involve them fully in the employment opportunities and income-
generating activities that tourism can bring. Project activities include training local tour
guides, producing high-quality craft items and promoting home-stays and bed-and-
breakfast type accommodation.
As of now, the project is drawing on the expertise of international NGOs and tourism
professionals in the seven participating countries, making a practical and positive
contribution to alleviating poverty by helping local communities to draw the maximum
benefit from their region’s tourism potential, while protecting the environmental and
cultural heritage of the region concerned.
The University of TRAVELHOST, Dallas, Texas has an extensive travel library
continually gathering travel related research and tourism economic impact studies
nationwide

INFRASTRUCTURE HELP AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

It has a number of sectors or smaller 'industries' as it were, that work in collaboration.

Each sector is an important branch of the main industry and has its own special
characteristics.
Apart from the various agencies and other infrastructure the most important are the
people needed to carry out the designed plan.

11
COMMERCIAL SERVICES - Government & Travel Agencies
• Government : Customs Department where special officers are in charge of
checking all luggage for illegal goods or items that are liable for duty.
• Guides - young graduates who have an interest in history and languages find this
profession quite intriguing, since it gives them opportunities to meet new people,
enhance their research skills, get good salaries etc. Knowledge of other
languages is generally preferred.
The Indian Institutes of Travel and Tourism Management (IITM) offer short-term
courses in this field. - The Immigration Department where a tourist is first given service.
Special training courses have started in some universities for learning about immigration
procedures, since both the industry and the Government feel that there should be a
separate cadre for this purpose.
• Travel Agencies : Planning vacations or business trips to new places can be quite
tiring and strenuous without the help of a travel agent. They have answers to all
possible questions concerning the shortest route to the destination, travel mode,
the important documents that will be required (visa, passport, vaccination
certificates etc.), suitable places to stay, current exchange rates, tourist spots to
visit, climate and they will plan the trip keeping in mind the clients' preferences,
budgets and special needs.

• A great deal of work is done on the computer where the latest information on
flight schedules, departure/arrival timings, hotel ratings etc. can be obtained.
Agencies may involve themselves in special discount packages, slide/movie
presentations on various places and other promotional work to attract customers.

• The four departments of a travel agency are - Accounts (handles the billing for
individuals and groups) - - Tours (deal in in-expensive packaged tours, with the
accomodation, food, transport etc. all taken care of) - Travel (provide detailed
information on routes, costs) - Cargo (covers the booking and recovery of all
cargo from the destination points connected by either Air, rail or road).
• The Department of Tourism in the Government does major amounts of work for
the international market, in formulating policies, developing centres to attract
tourists, providing adequate transport, advertising the different spots and
publicising the various experiences, providing accurate information on all
possible tourist areas.
HOTELS
Attracting a tourist to a place is only half the job done. One must provide
accommodation to them. For the duration of the stay at a particular destination, the
tourist expects all the basic amenities. In order to magnify the tourist’s experience the
12
entire ambience of the place becomes a vital aspect. The hotel sector is one which
requires a large amount of manpower, with a wide variety of skills from housekeeping to
computers.
People with specialized training for food and beverage, recreation, marketing,
accounting, security, fire-fighting, public relations and so on are much needed. There are
many institutes that offer hotel management and candidates from institutes like the one at
Pusa, Delhi have good future prospects.
Many hotels also offer overseas training opportunities, which allow young people to gain
promotions rapidly. Employment in foreign countries for Indians is also very
encouraging. In India alone, about 1, 80,000 vacancies are expected to be filled within
the next decade.
• Housekeeping: Involves ensuring the rooms are clean, there is fresh linen on the
beds and other basic sanitation.
• Food & Beverage: This function would involve providing meals at appropriate
times or as requested. This also includes planning the menu so that the tourist
gets to sample a wide array of local cuisine.
• Reception desk: Any queries are generally directed to people at the reception
desk, therefore this function is of utmost importance.
In India, we have several well known hotels- The Taj Group of Hotels, The Oberoi’s, The
Marriot hotels are the elitist Hotels for the discerning tourist. Also holiday packages
include affiliations that resorts have with a travel agency thus the tourist does not have to
bother about those aspects of the trip.
TRANSPORT
As we know, transport can mean anything which takes us from one place to another - by
air, road, railway, sea etc. The two main areas we will discuss are air and road transport.
Travel by air - Post Second World War saw a tremendous change in travel, with the
increased access to air travel. People got more opportunities to see other places and
tourism advanced at a high pace.
Working in an airline, whether on the ground staff or in flight is an exciting option for
many people these days. Foreign airlines like Aeroflot, British Airways, Royal Jordanian
have all been granted new land rights and additional flights. Many of the top airlines like
Cathay Pacific, ones based in Hong Kong, Emirates offer attractive packages and
numerous benefits to their passengers. The jobs in airlines are challenging ones but
worth the struggle.
Travel by road - Coaches, tourist cars employ numerous people every year. This arena
has the added advantage that there is scope for self-employment. Presently, drivers with
good conversational skills, who are educated, bi- or multi-lingual are much in demand.
Bank loans are available for those wishing to invest in vehicles for this purpose.
CAREER STRUCTURE

13
Since this industry has so many areas, the requirements for each field will naturally be
different. In general, most candidates enter the field through a travel agency or a tour-
operating company.
For the government positions, advertisements are usually given in the newspapers
regarding the vacancies. Candidates for these positions are only selected after passing a
written exam, interview and medical examination. Most private sector companies are
flexible in their choosing - focusing more on interest, aptitude and personality rather than
academic achievement. Experience is definitely an advantage, but on-the-job training is
also given to new entrants. The higher the post one seeks, the better should be the
qualifications.
This industry is highly competitive and finally, those with better education in the field of
travel and tourism are more likely to move ahead faster. The basic needs are a school-
leaving certificate (10+2) for those seeking a position, upto the tourist guide level while
candidates aspiring for managerial positions, need a graduate degree, in any of the fields
dealing with history, art, languages, geography etc.
The hierarchy that exists in the Travel & Tourism industry is as follows:
➢ Counter Clerk/Counter Assistant - deals with designing itineraries, handling
ticketing, reservations, suggesting suitable routes etc.
➢ Senior Assistant - supervises the counter clerks' work.
➢ Junior Executive - In charge of counter work as well as certain marketing and
sales projects of the agency services
➢ District Sales Manager - Regulates the marketing and sales of all the agencies in
a particular zone or region
➢ Deputy General Manager - Assistant to the GM of the department or agency
➢ General Manager - manage the agency or departments in a particular company
➢ Vice President - Executive head of agency or organisation; designs policies in
consultation with the managers, devises plans and projects to expand the
agencies' services; has a responsibility towards the other employees and is
answerable to a Board of Directors.

ELIGIBILITY AND TRAINING

It is relatively easy to enter courses designed for Travel & Tourism. The main areas such
as travel agencies, transport, jobs at hotels, airline work all have good institutions that
give training for about minimum 1-2 years with an adequate amount of practical training.
The institutions run on the guidelines provided by the Indian Institute of Travel and
Tourism Management and accurate information can be obtained by contacting the
institutions directly. Some of the admission criteria is given in the Information on
Institutions section.

14
 Eligibility: Students can enter the undergraduate courses with a Higher Secondary
Certificate while the post-graduate courses, require graduation in any field.
The Indian Institute of Travel and Tourism Management is a reputed National centre for
the education, training and research in the 'travel and tourism' management field. It is an
autonomous organisation on the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. It gives
substantial amounts of help to graduates, directly and also via the Universities to enter
the careers dealing in tour operation, leisure management, transportation,
accommodation and interpretation services. It aims at reaching complete professionalism
of all human resources involved in tourism, through the academic courses.
The Institute works in collaboration with the International Institute of Tourism Studies at
the George Washington University and receives lot of academic support. Programmes are
being developed with many international universities (Univ. of Calgary in Canada, New
School of Social Research, New York and many more) for the purpose of faculty-
exchange programmes, sharing of facilities and knowledge which will benefit students
and faculty equally.
Eligibility & Requirements to enter these courses - - graduate degree; - age should not be
more than 28 years SC/ST/OBC/ Ex serviceman + 5 years; - an entrance exam needs to
be given at the specific places - Bhubaneshwar, Calcutta, Chennai, Delhi, Gwalior and
Mumbai, which consists mainly of General Knowledge questions and secondly, an
interview. Number of seats available at each centre is quite limited - only 50 - which
makes entry very competitive.
Payscales can vary greatly depending on the company, the city etc. since the travel and
tourism industry is so far-spread and competitive. Reputation of the company or firm or
airline makes a difference as well.

INDIA, a union of 28 States and 7 centrally administered Union Territories, is a

Democratic Republic, Sovereign and secular nation governed by Parliamentary System.
The Constitution of India extends a single and uniform citizenship throughout its
national territories with adult voting rights on its every citizen. With Delhi as its national
Capital, the Union Executive Head is represented by the President, acting on the
guidance of the Prime Minister and his council of Ministers at the Centre. Governor /
Administrator head the Executive at each of the States / Union Territories respectively
and act as the representatives of the President.

The territory of India is spread over 32,87,263 sq km extending from the snow-covered
Himalayan mountains through the tropical rain forests of the South to the Indian Ocean,
Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. India is the 7th largest country in the World, self-
sufficient in agricultural production, 10th industrialized country and the 6th nation
having entered into the outer space to explore the nature for the benefits to the mankind.
Traditionally, being one of the oldest civilizations in the World, India possesses rich and
diverse cultural heritage. Each of its States and Union Territories has respective unique
demography, history and culture, festivals, foods, dresses and languages among others.
15
Overall, the nation uniquely depicts the un-matching unity in diversity, patriotism to the
nation, service to the mankind, spiritual integrity and meaningful assimilation of various
cultures and heritage for the good of one and all.

Modern India holds strong human values with fine blending of socio-economic growth.
Post independence since 1947, the multifaceted growth in all walks of life, its policies
and programmes and constructive approach to the national and international issues has
made India an influential Nation in the World.

Given below are some facts about INDIA as on May ‘08

1. India is one of only three countries that makes supercomputers (the US and
Japan are the other two).
2. India is one of six countries that launches satellites.
3. The Bombay stock exchange lists more than 6,600 companies. Only the NYSE
has more.
4. Eight Indian companies are listed on the NYSE; three on the NASDAQ.
5. By volume of pills produced, the Indian pharmaceutical industry is the world’s
second largest after China.
6. India has the second largest community of software developers, after the U.S.
7. India has the second largest network of paved highways, after the U.S.
8. India is the world’s largest producer of milk, and among the top five producers
of sugar, cotton, tea, coffee, spices, rubber, silk, and fish.
9. 100 of the Fortune 500 companies have R&D facilities in India.
10. Two million people of Indian origin live in the U.S.
11. Indian-born Americans are among the most affluent and best educated of the
recent immigrant groups in the U.S.
12. Thirty percent of the R&D researchers in American pharmaceutical companies
are Indian Americans.
13. Nearly 49% of the high-tech startups in Silicon Valley and Washington, D.C.
are owned by Indians or Indian-Americans.
14. India sends more students to U.S. colleges than any country in the world. In
2004-2005, over 80,000 Indian students entered the U.S. China sent only 65,000
students during the same time.
15. In a case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court, an Indian-American woman
scientist, Dr. Ananda Chakrabarty, won the argument that persons may be granted
patents for useful manufacture of living organisms. She defeated the U.S. Patent
Office, that argued that living things may not be patented, thus establishing the
legal foundation for the biotech industry, (Diamond vs. Chakrabarty, 1980). Dr.
Chakrabarty invented a microbe that eats oil spills.
16
Many people are coming to India for the purpose of work. This transition has taken place
due to a variety of reasons. These reasons are as follows:
• India continues to be the best place to start a business, says a global services
location index by AT Kearney.
• India’s foreign exchange reserves stand at US$ 200 billion.
• India has displaced US as the second-most favoured destination for foreign
direct investment (FDI) in the world after China according to an AT Kearney’s
FDI Confidence Index
• Poised at a phenomenal growth of 500 per cent, the Indian insurance industry is
expected to reach US$ 60 billion in the next four years.
• India adds about five million telephone subscribers every month. The total
number of subscribers is expected to reach 250 million by the end of 2007.
• India has one of the largest road networks in the world, aggregating 3.34
million kilometers. It comprises 66,590 km of National Highways, 1,28,000 km
of State Highways, 4,70,000 km of Major District Roads and about 26,50,000
km of other District and Rural Roads.
• Indian ports handled cargo of around 570 million tonnes in 2005-06.
• In 2005-06, the passenger traffic rose by 25-30 per cent and is expected to
grow by 25 per cent year-on-year over the next five years. While international
and domestic air traffic grew by 35 per cent, cargo witnessed a 12 per cent
growth.
• India is the Sixth largest crude consumer in the world.
• India is the Ninth largest crude importer in the world.
• India has the sixth largest refining capacity - 2.56 million barrels per day
representing 2.99 per cent of world capacity.
• Estimated to be a US$ 350 billion industry, the Indian retail sector is growing
at a growth rate of 47%.

17
• The travel and tourism sector in India is generated a total demand of US$
55,544.5 million of economic activity in 2006, accounting for nearly 5.3 per cent
of GDP and 5.4 per cent of total employment.
• International Iron and Steel Institute (IISI) has ranked India as the seventh
largest steel producer in the world with an overall production of about 40
million tonnes in 2006.
• India exports US$ 6 billion worth of garments.
• India is the largest consumer of gold jewellery in the world and accounts for
about 20 per cent of world consumption.
• India is the largest diamond cutting and polishing centre in the world.
• India is the second largest producer of rice and wheat in the world; one of the
largest producers of sugar, sugarcane, peanuts, jute, tea and an assortment of
spices.
• The Indian pharmaceutical industry, consistently growing at 9.5 per cent in the
last 5 years, could zip at 13.6 per cent between 2007 and 2010 and reach a
market size of US$ 9.48 billion by 2010 from its present level of about US$ 6.2
billion.
• Healthcare delivery is one of the largest service-sector industries in India. The
country will spend US$ 45.76 billion on healthcare in the next five years.

INDIA THE BRAND

18
The Lonely Planet describes INDIA as follows:

“Lonely Planet Destinations: India

Whirl your mind, dazzle your eyes and fall in love with India's extremes.
India will sideswipe you with its size, glamour and diversity - but if you enjoy delving
into convoluted cosmologies and thrive on sensual overload, then it is one of the most
intricate and rewarding dramas unfolding on earth and you'll quickly develop an abiding
passion for it.
Nothing in this country is ever quite predictable; the only thing to expect is the
unexpected, which comes in many forms and will always want to sit next to you. India is
a litmus test for many travellers - some are only too happy to leave, while others stay for
a lifetime.”
Explore the magnificent uniqueness of this great country, its people, places and things.
Becoming a Brand has not come easy. There are several factors that have contributed to
this. These factors are as follows:
1. Literacy rate has nearly doubled to 80% in last 20 years.
2. The middle class population has gone up 5 times since 1980
3. Per capita income has more than doubled in last 25 years
4. India is the 4th largest Economy now and in 8 -10 years will be the 3rd largest
5. The entrepreneurs are at the center of successful Indian economic model.

19
 6. More than 100 Indian companies have $1 billion Market cap or more
7. India has young population and knowledge economy
8. Workforce will double in 20 years
9. By 2010, India will be largest English speaking nation in the world.
10. India is the largest democratic country in the world.
There is an interesting phrase by Prof. David Crystal of Cambridge,
“When 300 million Indians speak a word in a certain way that will be the way to
speak it”.
India has always held an appeal for a foreign tourist who is enamored with the land of
snake charmers. But domestic travelers have always had a conservative approach
towards holidaying. This was primarily due to the hazards faced by a tourist in some
parts of the country. In order to avoid such hassles, the tourist prefers visiting clichéd
locations.
Across the Globe the Taj Mahal is very well known. However, India’s rich cultural and
geographic diversity provides the basis of a wide range of other tourist attractions and
experiences, which include among others - leisure, culture, adventure, spirituality, eco-
tourism and wellness & health.
Brand India has come about because of a well advertised campaign known as the
INCREDIBLE INDIA campaign. This campaign is an initiative by the Ministry of
tourism to attract tourists and to develop a well orchestrated plan to give travelers an
experience of a lifetime.

THE INCREDIBLE INDIA CAMPAIGN

20
‘Incredible India’, a multi-pronged promotional campaign launched by the Department
of Tourism, aims to position the country as an up market destination for discerning
travellers. It focuses on the diversity of India as a holiday destination ‘with something for
everyone’, from beaches to mountains, world heritage sites to cultural fairs and safaris to
holistic holidays.
The new priorities and initiatives have been actuated with a sound backing of a National
Tourism Policy. The earlier setbacks in global tourism have strengthened the Department
of Tourism’s resolve to promote India’s tourism through aggressive marketing strategies.
With ‘Incredible India’, it is now proactive in approach-responsive and alert to
international and national travel trends.
The campaign under the banner of ‘Incredible India’ includes a wide ranging
advertisement campaign in all prime print publications besides a global television
campaign encompassing prominent English, French, German and Italian channels and an
innovative online campaign on the world’s most popular websites. It will also take care
of promotional activities through the overseas offices. This convergence of media for
promotion has brought great visibility and built up awareness for the India tourism
brand. As part of the efforts to consolidate India’s presence in key markets of Germany,
France and Spain, the Deutsche, French and Spanish versions of the official website of
India tourism – www.incredibleindia.org has also been launched.
The ‘marketing mantra’ for the Department of Tourism is to position India as a global
brand to take advantage of the burgeoning global travel and trade and the vast untapped
potential of India as a destination. The bounties of nature and great treasures of art and
culture besides adventure tourism in hilly-terrains, interiors and wildlife sanctuaries are
being offered. It has also planned to promote spiritual tourism and its unique techniques
of yoga, siddha, ayurveda and unani system of dealing with mental and physical
rejuvenation by placing before the world, through tourist spots.

21
Tourism is a multi-sectoral activity where all components of the tourism system have to
work in sync to deliver the product, which primarily comprises of the ultimate visitor
experiences. Obviously, obtaining synergies through a combined and co-ordinated effort
is the key to deliver in the face of increasing competition.
In this context, the International Travel & Tourism Mart (ITTM) organized by the
Department of Tourism in September 2003 in Delhi is seen as a major effort to bring
together, under one roof, all the sectors. It included national and regional tourism
organizations, travel-trade, accommodation, carrier sector and all the allied services to
showcase their portfolio to the buyers and media, both from India and abroad, as well as
to the domestic consumers. Attracting over 300 international buyers and media from 38
countries and over 225 exhibitors, the ITTM is now positioned as the foremost tourism
industry event in the country.
The Department of Tourism has taken a conscious decision to participate effectively at
the major travel industry marts and fairs, internationally involving both State
Governments as well as the private sector. The main objective is to raise brand awareness
of India as a destination and its tourism products, to develop new contacts, generate sales
leads and to launch new products and services. While participation in most of such
events is organized through the network of 13 India tourism offices aborad, the major
ones are coordinated by the Department centrally to encourage larger industry
involvement and participation.
Intra-regional tourism has always been the backbone of tourist arrivals around the world
due to cultural affinity, affordability and ease of travel to nearby destinations. In fact,
22
travel from Asia has always been important for India as the Asians have shown resilience
to global upheavals and kept the Indian tourism industry going even in adverse times.
The Department’s recognition of this important market was evident at the Pacific Asia
Travel Association (PATA) Travel Mart held in Singapore in November 2003. As against
fragmented Indian participation by various industry members in the past, this year’s
participation at this major event for Asia and Pacific marked the Department’s resolve, as
an umbrella organization, to put a unified and an impressive show by putting up an
‘India Pavillion’.
The World Travel Market (WTM) held in London is a premier global event for the
international travel industry which bridges together more than 5,000 of the world’s
leading travel and tourism companies from over 190 countries. The Indian participation
at this prestigious event was significant with more than 100 Indian travel and tourism
companies participating in the event. The ‘India Pavilion’ built on 770 sq. metres
presented bold and striking images of diverse Indian Tourism attractions and, at the same
time, presented an excellent ambience for conducting business.

Besides the Minister of State for Tourism addressing the key international players at the
WTM, the main highlight of the India’s participation was Jammu and Kashmir Chief
Minister’s presentation at this International forum allaying fears and safety concerns of
the tourists intending to visit the State.
More critically, the integrated marketing communication campaign with effective
organization and participation in tourism events, both at home and in the tourism
generating markets, has enabled India re-position itself as a "destination of choice". The
focus is on its authentic Indian experience and differentiates itself as a spiritually
enhancing, culturally enriching, physically invigorating and mentally rejuvenating travel
experience.

23
The Department of Tourism’s initiatives to provide visitors to ‘Incredible India’ with a
world-class experience are bound to continue a gradual increase in India’s market share
of global tourism. No wonder the Conde Nast Traveller, a leading International Travel
publication has rated India as one of the top ten favourite tourism destinations.

Here are a few “Incredible India” campaign microsites that will give insight on various
destinations that a tourist can plan on visiting while travelling to India.

MICE Crafts of India Pilgrimage

Wildlife Buddha Medical Tourism

Adventure 150 years of India ’s Freedom The Himalayas

Movement

Indian Heritage Walk with the Buddha WildLife

24
 Central India Come to Paradise Fair and festivals of India

Dividing INDIA into four zones, the description for each zone is as under:

North India Travel

The North India, strategically, most important part of India has shaped the course of
India's historical and cultural evolution over the last 3500 years. The three main religions
- Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism; the origin of sacred river Ganga, Yamuna and
sources of many other important rivers are in northern India. The mighty Himalayas
from Himachal Pradesh to Arunachal Pradesh safeguarding the country are also part of
the northern India. Delhi, the capital of India has seen the battle between many emperors
and has been ruled by them from time to time. Some of the outstanding monuments like
Qutab Minar, Jama Mosque, Humayun's Tomb were built by Mughal Emperors during
their regime. Rajasthan, one of the most colourful and vibrant state of India is proudly
associated with northern India. Most famous for its Forts and Palaces; Rajasthan's Thar
Desert and Cattle Fairs are no less interesting. Uttar Pradesh, the most populated state in
the country has beautiful monuments like Taj Mahal; wildlife sanctuaries and is
associated with river Ganges as her source of origin from Gaumukh in the Himalayas.

South India Travel

South India is a linguistic-cultural region of India that comprises the four Indian states of
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of
Pondicherry, whose inhabitants are collectively referred to as South Indians. This region
includes the entire Indian Peninsula, south of the Vindhya Range. The Narmada and
Mahanadi rivers form the northern boundaries of the region, while the Arabian Sea,
Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal surround the peninsula in the west, south and east
respectively. The southernmost point of the region (and of mainland India), is
Kanyakumari. The geography of South India is diverse, encompassing two mountain
ranges - the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats and a plateau heartland. The Tungabhadra,
Kaveri, Krishna and Godavari rivers are important non-perennial sources of water.

25
East India Travel

East India is a region of India consisting of the states of West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand,
and Orissa. It is geographically between North India and North-East India, and shares
many cultural and linguistic characteristics with Bangladesh, which formed part of this
region before Partition. The Indo-Aryan languages spoken in this region descend from
the Magadhi Prakrits spoken in the ancient kingdom of Magadha. Of these, Magadhi and
Oriya, which remain virtually unchanged for over a thousand years, are considered the
most direct descendants.

West India Travel

After the vibrant atmosphere of Bombay, allow the palm-fringed beaches of Goa to
warm your spirit in the sun and relax your mind. Or meditate in cool and ancient
Buddhist caves tunnelled out of solid rock on the craggy hillsides - a dramatic contrast
from the colourful fairs and festivals in unspoiled Gujarat. The choice is once again
tremendous in this land that offers everything.
The tourism sector witnessed substantial growth in the first half of 2007, with foreign
tourist arrivals rising by 12.7 per cent and foreign exchange earnings (in dollar terms)
reaching $9.16 billion in October, a growth of 17.72 per cent over the corresponding
period in the previous year.
Foreign tourist arrivals during the year till October 2007 reached 3.89 million. The
ministry of tourism attributes the growth to the positive image created by India through
the successful advertising and branding campaign run by the ministry has led to the
image of the country as a tourist destination as ''Incredible India''. Further, India was
unanimously elected chairman of the executive council of the UNWTO (United Nations
World Tourism Organisation) for the next one year.

26
The tourism ministry sanctioned 225 projects and utilised Rs460 crore in the current
financial year to upgrade infrastructure facilities at important tourist destinations. It is
now focusing on destinations / circuits of national importance, identified as mega
destinations / circuits and projects for Nalanda-Bodhgaya- Rajgir, Varanasi-Sarnath,
Agra, Charminar (Hyderabad), Delhi, and Kurukshetra have already been sanctioned.

Let’s take a look at some of the attractions that INDIA offers as depicted in the
campaign.

Beaches in India
For untold centuries, the powerful triad of the sun, the sea and the sand have pooled their
resources to present spectacular effects and memorable experiences to a cross section of
people from all over of the globe. India has almost a 6,000 km long coastline, which is
home to some of the finest beaches in the world. More and more holidaymakers are
beginning to realize the numerous activities that the Indian beaches can offer together
with their beautiful surrounding, and making them their preferred destination.

27
BACKWATERS
Welcome to the Kerala Backwaters. The delightful south; almost untouched by invasions
throughout its history, the Indian heritage is more intact here than in other regions of the
country. This is a land of temples, a land of the devout where new wonders await - the
profusion of orange flowers, the shade of the banyan tree, and the soft beat of distant
drums as yet another festival starts... A Myriad of Temples.

Religious Places India

The most important places of pilgrimage in Buddhism are located the Gangetic plains of
Northern India and Southern Nepal, in the area between New Delhi and Rajgir. This is
the area where Gautama Buddha lived and taught, and the main sites connected to his life
are now important places of pilgrimage for both Buddhists and Hindus. However, many
countries that are or were predominantly Buddhist have shrines and places which can be
visited as a pilgrimage.

28
 Hill Stations in India

The great Himalayas, Shivalik, Nilgiri, Aravali, Satpura,

Vindhyachal, Garhwal etc constitute the mountain ranges and Hill
States in
on these
Indian Hill
in north India are Himachal
completely by tourist places,
Within these two Hill States of
Shimla, Manali, Dharamshala,
Spiti (in Himachal Pradesh)
Ranikhet (in Uttaranchal)
India. The Indian states located
ranges are therefore called the
States. The Indian Hill States
Pradesh and Uttaranchal dotted
hill stations and pilgrimages.
India are tourist places like -
Dalhausie, Khajjiar, Lahaul
and Mussoorie, Nainital,
frequently visited by travelers.

The great Himalayas, Shivalik, Nilgiri, Aravali, Satpura, Vindhyachal, Garhwal etc
constitute the mountain ranges and Hill States in India. The Indian states located on these
ranges are therefore called the Indian Hill States. The Indian Hill States in north India are
Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal dotted completely by tourist places, hill stations and
pilgrimages. Within these two Hill States of India are tourist places like - Shimla,
Manali, Dharamshala, Dalhausie, Khajjiar, Lahaul Spiti (in Himachal Pradesh) and
Mussoorie, Nainital, Ranikhet (in Uttaranchal) frequently visited by travelers.

29
Rajasthan Forts and Palaces
Rajasthan is a land of forts and palaces. Built on high hilltops, in the middle of enormous
deserts, and on islands in lakes, the forts and palaces of Rajasthan, India, showcase the
architectural heritage of Rajasthan. Many of these Rajasthan forts and palaces look
rugged and rough from their exteriors; the interiors take you to an altogether different
world. Surprises are the second name of these architectural marvels, which are the
Rajasthan forts and palaces spread throughout Rajasthan India. Make sure while you are
on a journey to the eternal land of Rajasthan to stay in any of these Rajasthan forts and
palaces, as many of these places are again regaining their past glory. Popularly known as
the Heritage Hotels, these places are a blend of the royal past and modern world, which
you can see on tours to Rajasthan India.

Increasing tourist inflows have also resulted in growing demand for hotel
accommodation. Out of the total estimated requirement of 240,000 hotel rooms, the
current availability is just 90,000 rooms leaving a requirement of 150,000 additional
rooms to be provided. While meeting this demand is one of the major challenges facing
30
the industry, it also offers opportunity to investors and entrepreneurs in the hospitality
industry.
Media campaign and ''country marketing''
The international Incredible India campaign, run through leading print and electronic
media showcasing India's rich and diverse heritage and tourist attractions was supported
by companion campaigns in the global and domestic markets, which include:
• International media campaign (2006-07 – phase II) was launched in January 2007
in major print and in-flight TV channels targeting European audience. The
campaign was launched to coincide with World Economic Forum at Davos and
the International Tourism Bourse 2007 (ITB-2007), where India participated as
partner country.
• Focused print and TV campaign in the UK market from July to September 2007
to provide publicity for the 'India Now' events, an India-centric celebration
organised by the mayor of London between July and September.
• Four major print and TV campaigns in the international markets, Asia Pacific
Region, Europe and the Americas region and a global online campaign from
October 2007.
• A print media campaign was launched to coincide with the Singhe Khabab –
Sindhu Darshan Festival organised at Ladakh during June 2007.
• Domestic media campaigns, Sare Jahan Se Achcha to celebrate 60 years of
India's Independence and fourth Phase of atithi devo bhavah through major TV
channels, print publications, FM radios and cinema halls to cover the entire
country.
• Branding India as an ideal destination for niche segments of wellness and
medical tourism, adventure and youth tourism, business tourism as the partner
country at the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) 2007, held in Berlin from the
in March 2007.
• Incredible India@60, a mega event organised in New York in September 2007, to
celebrate 60 years of India's independence and to coincide with the UN General
Assembly Session.
• Ensuring a visible and effective presence for the country at the World Travel
Market (WTM) 2007 held in London in November 2007 with participation of 20

31
 state governments and union territories and 70 travel trade representatives as co-
exhibitors in an India pavilion.
The effectiveness of ''country marketing'' through these and other global tourism events
ensured that:
• India was named the winner of three top awards at the World Travel Awards 2007
- (a) the world's leading destination marketing campaign (b) Asia's leading
destination and (c) Asia's leading tourism and convention destination.
• The prestigious Conde Nast traveller readers' travel awards for 2007 named India
as the favorite country of the year
• The ministry of tourism won the PATA grand award for marketing for 2007
• TTG Asia Travel Group chose India as the destination of the year in the 18th
TTG Travel Awards 2007.
• Presspace (French National Syndicate for Print Advertising) selected the Taj
creative of the Incredible India international media campaign 2006-07 as the best
foreign advertising creative in French newspapers.
• Incredible India TV Commercial received Das Goldene Stadttor-2007 award
during ITB-2007 at Berlin, Germany
The tourism ministry has announced several initiatives to provide incentives for
development of hotels in luxury as well as budget category: It introduced the 'Incredible
India bed and breakfast scheme', which was launched all over the country to provide
budget home stay facilities to tourists and augmenting incomes of urban middle class
having surplus housing accommodation.

32
The finance ministry has backed up the tourism ministry by announcing a 5-year tax
holiday under Section 80-ID (1) of the Income Tax Act for new budget hotels coming up
between April 2007 to March 2010 in the national capital region.
Tourism being a multi-sectoral activity, with tremendous potential for income and
employment generation, the ministry of tourism has undertaken initiatives to remove the
existing bottlenecks through inter-ministerial consultations. These efforts are aimed at
bringing about the enabling regulatory and policy framework that can ensure that tourists
get a world class experience.
Due to the efforts of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India have led to India
winning the following international acclaims:
1. Conde Nast Traveller, the worlds’ leading travel and tourism journal has ranked
India amongst the top 4 preferred holiday destinations of the world
2. India amongst the top 5 favorite destinations – Lonely Planet in a survey of 167
countries
3. ABTA (Association of British Travel Agency) has ranked India as No. 1
amongst top 50 places for 2006.
4. The Incredible India campaign has been the winner of PATA Gold Award for
best Print Ad Campaign and PATA Gold Award for Best Destination Marketing
Campaign

33
 5. The Incredible India Campaign has been ranked as the ‘Highest Recall
Advertisement worldwide by Travel and Leisure.
6. World Travel Awards received for
1. Asia’s Leading Destination
2. World’s leading Travel Destination Television Commercial
3. Worlds’ Leading Responsible Tourism Project, for Endogenous Tourism
Project
4. Asia’s leading tourism and convention bureau
The ‘Incredible India' campaign was built around the brand proposition of "India as a
path to ananda"(wellness, bliss and contentment - in Sanskrit).

When the advertising campaign was launched in 2002, and in the years since, India has
hardly been the peaceful haven that the tourism campaign promised, yet it worked
wonders.

34
 T

The campaign used captivating visuals of India, showcasing its exciting diversity in
terms of geography, heritage, culture and cuisine. The ‘Incredible India' campaign went
beyond marketing India as the land of the Taj Mahal to showing a country that offers
tourists sights ranging from spectacular sunsets to ski slopes and adventure sports to a
stress-free lifestyle.

The ‘Incredible India' campaign certainly clicked with foreign tourists - over the past two
years, tourist arrivals in India grew at a steady 13% annually. In 2005, India was ranked
fifth on the Conde Nast Travelers Readers Travel Awards 2005 list - up from the 11th slot
three years earlier.

The increase in arrivals resulted in India's foreign exchange earnings from tourism
touching US $5.7 billion in 2005 - a 20.2% rise over 2004.
35
Till a few years ago, it was the ‘shoestring budget' tourists who mainly visited India. This
has changed - foreign tourists in India spent an average of $1,470 per person in 2005,
nearly double the global average of $844.

While tourism in the strife-torn parts such as Jammu and Kashmir continued to be hit,
the tourism potential of the north-eastern states remained untapped owing to the decades-
long insurgency there.

Goa, a favorite with foreign tourists, especially those from Israel, was reportedly on al-
Qaeda's hit list during Christmas 2006, which prompted the Israeli Government to issue a
travel advisory to its citizens travelling to Goa. Interestingly, Israeli tourists, who also
constituted the largest group visiting Kashmir, have often said that they are used to worse
violence in their own country and are not scared by the situation in India.

Tourism, India's third largest foreign-exchange earner, is also among the sectors that
provides the most employment. The tourism sector in India directly and indirectly
employs about 42 million people, which is 8.78% of the total employment in the country.
Before 2002, the Indian government regularly formulated policies and prepared
pamphlets and brochures for the promotion of tourism; however, it did not support
tourism in a concerted fashion. As a result, the country attracted very few tourists.

A country like France, six times smaller than India, attracted around 20 times the number
of tourists that India managed to draw. That this was the case in spite of France not being
able to offer the sheer variety in terms of geography, cuisine, culture, and experiences
that India could, was perhaps an indication of the extent to which previous governmental
efforts to promote tourism had been unsuccessful. However, in 2002, the tourism
ministry made a conscious effort to bring in more professionalism in its attempts to

36
promote tourism. It formulated an integrated communication strategy with the aim of
promoting India as a destination of choice for the discerning traveler.
The tourism ministry engaged the services of Ogilvy & Mather (India) (O&M) to create
a new campaign to increase tourist inflows into the country. The 'Incredible India'
campaign, as it was called, was launched in 2002 with a series of television commercials
and print advertisements...

37
Bouquets...

Travel industry analysts and tour operators were appreciative of the high standards of the
'Incredible India' campaign. "The promo campaign is making a powerful visual impact
38
and creating a perception of India being a magical place to visit," said Anne Morgaon
Scully, President, McCabeBremer Travel, Virginia, USA. Average travelers too appeared
to find the campaign interesting and informative, going by the favorable comments on
blogs on travel websites.

And Brickbats
Although the 'Incredible India' campaign was generally well received, industry observers
differed in their opinions on the positioning of India in the campaign. For example,
G.S.Murari, Director, Fidelis Advertising and Marketing Pvt. Ltd., said he was
uncomfortable with the tagline 'Incredible India'.

He was of the opinion that since India was not a uni-dimensional country like Singapore
or the Maldives, using a word like 'incredible' to describe India as a whole was not
appropriate. He argued that a single word could never describe a multi-faceted country
like India. Others felt that it would have been better to build the necessary tourism
infrastructure before launching the marketing campaign, especially as, according to
them, much of this infrastructure was on the verge of falling apart. Still others were of
the view that India was not on the itinerary of millions of tourists not so much because
the country was unable to market itself, but more because of poor connectivity,
exorbitant taxes, visa problems, unsanitary conditions, and shortage of affordable, good
quality accommodation. Some of them even argued that the future of the Indian tourism
industry depended more on solving the infrastructure problems rather than on an
extravagant communication campaign.

39
 ATITHI DEVO BHAVAH

What is Atithi Devo Bhavah?

A pioneer initiative by Ministry of Tourism, Government of India that will help tap into
the full potential of tourism in India. Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has
introduced “Atithi Devo Bhavah Program”- A nation wide campaign that aims at
sensitizing key stakeholders towards tourists, through a process of training and
orientation. The endeavour is to boost tourism in India, which in turn would act as a
catalyst for India’s economic growth. To launch a national level initiative that works at
many levels to address all the above issues.

Atithi Devo Bhavah aims at creating awareness about the effects of tourism and
sensitizing people about preservation of our rich heritage & culture, cleanliness and
warm hospitality. It also re-instills a sense of responsibility towards tourists and re-
enforces the confidence of foreign tourist towards India as a preferred holiday
destination.

The entire concept is designed to complement the ‘Incredible India’ Campaign.

Why Atithi Devo Bhavah?

Last year we had 3.3 million visitors, but when you consider that
Singapore gets 7 million a year. Thailand 9.6 million a year. Malaysia
11.5 million.
There is no reason why we can’t aim to increase our numbers by

40
100%. And that too would be just a beginning. However to do this we need to change our
attitude towards those who visit us. Often tourists are mistreated, cheated and rudely
dealt with.

Its simple logic, if someone in a house is rude to you, as a guest, you don’t encourage
your friends and relations to go there.
This is perhaps the reason why in spite of an incredible wealth of Tourist spots, Cultural
Attractions, Natural Wonders and Destinations for the soul, India still isn’t amongst the
top 15 tourist destinations of the world. The time has definitely come to get together to
change this.

To change our attitude.

We’ve lost touch with the hospitality we were famous for. Now it’s a time that we make
an effort to make it a part of us again.
Inspiration behind Atithi Devo Bhavah?

Respect has always been an integral part of the Indian soul. From time immemorial we
have always respected - Our teachers, our elders, our parents And our guests

Perhaps this is why a great Indian Emperor once observed

'In Hindustan our manner is very respectful and our hearts are always open'

In many ways, at that time India was the ultimate destination for the enlightened
travelers. Now, thousands of years later, we can bring that golden age back again.

This inspired us to go back to those years, when Indian hospitality set the standard for
the world

And we found the keystone of what we want to do

41
Or guest is blessed.
Our visitor is God.

That is how we arrive at our mission called

'Atithi Devo Bhavah'
The seven point Atithi Devo Bhavah Program

Atithi Devo Bhavah is a 7 point program of hospitality and training

Samvedan Sheelta or Sensitisation-

Here we will sensitise the various sections of the tourism industry about how each of
them to contribute for the growth of the tourism industry and how they will benefit from
it.

Prashikshan or Training and Induction -

This involves explaining to them the needs and expectation of the tourist, how they
should respond and behave in order to satisfy them needs and meet those expectations.

Prerna or Motivation -
This is motivation to participate in this program through various measures e.g. awards
for the best worker in the segment. Because when you are enthused you can do wonders.

Pramani Karan or Certification -

Certification to ensure standards shall be done at an appropriate stage in the training
program

Pratipushti or Feedback -
Feedback shall be obtained from tourists about the Service they have received and the
experience they had, in order to improve the training program on a continuous basis
42
Samanya Bodh or General Awareness -
The mass media communication campaign will be undertaken to create general
awareness among the public about the necessity and the benefits of the Atithi Devo
Bhavah programme.

Swamitwa or Ownership-
The Atithi Devo Bhavah programme is a movement we will urge all segments of the
Indian society to adopt, and look upon as their own.

The Charter of Atithi Devo Bhavah Training Program

Hygiene & Cleanliness:

Hygiene & Cleanliness shall cover the areas of product for e.g. vehicles like taxies, hotel
rooms, restaurants, shops, etc., personal hygiene & cleanliness of the person providing
the service and cleanliness of the monuments / places of tourist interest.

Conduct and Behavior:

The person concerned for e.g. the taxi driver / hotel employee shall behave in courteous
and polite manner towards tourists.

Integrity and Honesty:

The person providing service to the foreign tourists should display honesty and integrity.

Safety and Security:

The safety and security of the tourists shall be ensured.

COMPONENTS OF THE ATHITHI DEVO BHAVAH PROGRAM

43
Training

In this we are going to train key stakeholders (of the tourism industry) in terms of
changing their attitude and behaviour towards foreign tourists. The programme shall
cover 4 areas:

Hygiene - This include personal hygiene of the person and also that of the product /
service.

Conduct and behaviour - Politeness and basic courtesies in interacting with the foreign
tourists.

Integrity - This implies that the person does not cheat the tourists and charges him a fair
price for the service.

Safety and security - Person look after safety and security of the foreign tourists.

Key stakeholders being covered in the training include taxi drivers, baggage handlers at
airport, tourist guides, hotel staff, employees of tour operators, immigration and customs
officials etc..

Since these segments have diverse backgrounds, education and levels of sophistication,
the training is divided into 2 categories:

Level 1 : Covers taxi drives, tourist guides and baggage handlers and porters.

Level 2 : The tour operators, shop owners / staff, hotel staff, immigration and customs
officials.

This training program is initiated at the following places - Delhi, Mumbai,

44
Hyderabad, Jaipur, Agra, Aurangabad, and Goa. From the next financial year this
programme was rolled out to other important cities in India.

These people are given certificates which shall be valid for about 6 months after which
they have to come and get themselves re-trained. Till 31st March 2005, about 26,000
people were trained. From April 2005 to March 2006 these 26,000 people were retrained
and another substantially large number of people were trained. Once a threshold level in
terms of number of people trained was achieved (likely by October 2005), Atithi Devo
Bhavah as a symbol of quality was introduced. Foreign tourists will be told to look out
for the Atithi Devo Bhavah badge / sticker which will mean that the service is of certain
minimum quality.
PR Road Shows
Besides training they are also undertaking PR Road shows with the tourism trade in
order to get their active participation and ownership of the Atithi Devo Bhavah
programme. The contact programmes had been first conducted in 7 cities mentioned
earlier. After April 2005 contact programmes were conducted in other cities in
conjugation with the roll out of the training programme.
Mass Media Communication
Mass media communication in newspapers, TV, cinema and outdoors to create general
awareness about the Atithi Devo Bhavah programme and to communicate to key
stakeholders as to how it is in their own interest that foreign tourists be treated well and
should go back happily from our country would be conducted.
Role of the India Tourism Offices
The India Tourism offices of Delhi, Jaipur, Agra, Mumbai, Aurangabad, Goa and
Hydrabad have a crucial role to play in the campaign. They act as nodal agencies to
facilitate and coordinate the essential part of the program i.e. Training. The nodal offices
as we term it will have the following roles:
a) Provide their cooperation and support to make the training programs run in an
effective manner
b) Registering the stakeholders who are contacting them for the purpose of training and
45
deciphering the information to us, so that they can be contacted and made a part of the
training program
c) Re-registration of the stakeholders who underwent a training program after six
months, the stakeholders will approach them for the purpose of re-training and re-
certification

KERALA TOURISM- A CASE STUDY

KERALA AT A GLANCE
With the Arabian Sea in the west, the Western Ghats towering 500-2700 ms in the east
and networked by 44 rivers, Kerala enjoys unique geographical features that have made
it one of the most sought after tourist destinations in Asia. An equable climate. A long
shoreline with serene beaches. Tranquil streches of emerald backwaters. Lush hill
stations and exotic wildlife. Waterfalls. Sprawling plantations and paddy fields.
Ayurvedic health holidays. Enchanting art forms. Magical festivals. Historic and cultural
monuments. An exotic cuisine... All of which offer you a unique experience. And what's

46
more, every one of these charming destinations is only a two hour drive from the other. A
singular advantage no other destination offers.
Kerala, India's most advanced society : A hundred percent literate people. World-class
health care systems. India's lowest infant mortality and highest life expectancy rates. The
highest physical quality of life in India. Peaceful and pristine, Kerala is also India's
cleanest state.
For administrative purpose, the state of Kerala is divided into fourteen districts. Most of
these districts offer all the tourism products typical of the State.
Location Southwestern tip of India.
Area 38, 863 sq km.
Population 3,18,38,619
Capital Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum
Language Malayalam; English is widely spoken.
Religion Hinduism, Christianity, Islam
Time GMT +5:30
Currency Indian Rupee
Climate Tropical
Summer February - May (24 - 330C)
Monsoon June - September (22 - 280C)
Winter October - January (22 - 320C)
Names of Districts
OLD NEW
Trivandrum Thiruvananthapuram
Quilon Kollam
Alleppey Alappuzha
Pathanamthitta
Kottayam
Idukki
Ernakulam
Trichur Thrissur
Palghat Palakkad
Malappuram
Wayanad
Calicut Kozhikode
Cannanore Kannur
Kasaragod

47
 Major cities Thiruvananthapuram,Kochi (Ernakulam
district)and Kozhikode
Taluks 61
Revenue Villages 1452
City Corporations 5
Grama Panchayat 991
Block Panchayat 152
District Panchayat 14
Population
Population 318.39 lakhs as per the latest 2001 Census
(31.839 Millions)
Density of Population 819 per sq kms
Kerala's Share in the National Population 3.1 per cent
District Average 22.74 lakhs (2.274 millions)
Sex Ratio 1058 women for 1000 men
LITERACY
Literacy Rate 90.92 per cent.
Male Literacy Rate 94.20 per cent
Female Literacy Rate 87.86 per cent
PHYSICAL QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX
Kerala has had a commendable record in terms of the Physical Quality of Life Index.
Indicators of PQLI like infant mortality (11%), female literacy (87.86%), and life
expectancy at birth for males (68.23) and females (73.62), are well above all India levels.
The major reason for this achievement is Kerala's focus on the service sector. About 37%
of the total annual expenditure of the State is earmarked for health and education.
Another reason for this is the existence of a larger network of hospital infrastructure
under the Directorate of Health Services with 933 primary health centres and 5094 sub-
centres.
TRANSPORT:
Air: There are three international airports in the state. They are at Thiruvananthapuram,
Kozhikode and Nedumbassery (Kochi) and operate international flights and domestic
flights.
Road and Rail : The state is well connected by rail and road.
Seaports: Major : Kochi
Minor : Beypore (Kozhikode), Alappuzha, Kollam.

48
Alappuzha
Alleppey 'Venice of the East', figures prominently on the tourist trail as one of the major
centers for backwater boat trips, served by ferries to Quilon and Kottayam in particular.
One of the best-known ports along the coast of Malabar, it is often referred to as the
‘Venice of the East’. Alappuzha has the peculiar geographical feature of having the water
in level with the land.

Kochi

Kochi (Cochin) - Queen of the Arabian Sea: Kochi is group of islands on Lake
Vembanad, which opens out into the Arabian Sea. Some of the islands are Bolgatty,
Vyppin, Gundu and Vallarpadam. Half the fun of visiting Kochi is moving around on the
local ferries. A conducted cruise through the winding waterways will take you to several
quaint spots. The main tourist attraction of Kochi is visiting these islands on the local
ferries.

Trivandrum
The extensive backwaters of Trivandrum provide the picturesque view of a paradise. The
intricate lagoons, lakes, canals and rivers are lined up along the dense tropical vegetation
of Trivandrum. It is a breathtaking bout to experience a solitary and calm glide through
this network of waterways. The backwaters form a specially attractive and economically
49
valuable feature of Kerala. The biggest backwater is the Vembabad lake, some 200 sq
kilometers in area, which opens out into the Arabian Sea at Cochin port.

ATTRACTIONS IN KERALA:

admanabhaswamy temple: The most

impressive landmark in the town, the temple's presiding deity is Vishnu reclining on
serpent Anantha. It has a seven-story tower, umpteen number of pillars, intricate carvings
and mural paintings.

Museum complex: Art and natural history museums, art gallery and zoological and
botanical gardens are located in a plot in the heart of the city. The museum contains
paintings and other collections of the royal family.

Kanakakkunnu Palace: Today it is a venue for cultural and other public functions.

Science & Technology museum: Located near Mascot hotel, it is a valuable site for
students and researchers.

Sanghumugham beach: A favorite haunt

of sunset watchers. A gigantic 35 m sculpture of a mermaid, called Matsya Kanyaka, is a
major attraction here. There is facility for recreational activities. The place is near the
airport and the Veli tourist village.

Veli tourist village: An ideal picnic spot where the lake joins the sea. Boating facility is
available in the lake. A popular retreat, it has a children's park and other attractions.

Neyyar dam: It is a popular picnic spot and has a watchtower, crocodile farm, lion safari
park and a deer park, Aruvikkara dam, a picturesque picnic spot on the banks of
Karamana river.

50
 Munnar

Munnar - breathtakingly beautiful - a haven of peace and tranquility - the idyllic tourist
destination in God's own country. Set at an altitude of 6000 ft in Idukki district, Munnar
was the favored summer resort of the erstwhile British rulers in the colonial days.
Unending expanse of tea plantations - pristine valleys and mountains- exotic species of
flora and fauna in its wild sanctuaries and forests - aroma of spice scented cool air - yes!
Munnar has all these and more. It's the place you would love to visit - it's the place you
would wish never to leave- so welcome - log on to munnar.com for all information on
Munnar anytime, every time.

KERALA, THE LAND OF AYURVEDA

Ayurveda, harmony of body, mind and

soul

Ayurveda evolved around 600 BC in India. This new system of medicine stressed on the
prevention of body ailments in addition to curing them. Followed by the Dravidians and
Aryans alike, Ayurveda has been practised ever since. Today, it's a unique, indispensable
branch of medicine - a complete naturalistic system that depends on the diagnosis of
your body's humours - vata, pitta and kapha - to achieve the right balance.

Ayurveda believes in the treatment of not just the affected part, but the individual as a
51
whole. Making it the natural way to refresh yourself, eliminate all toxic imbalances from
the body and thus regain resistance and good health.

Kerala's equable climate, natural abundance of forests (with a wealth of herbs and
medicinal plants), and the cool monsoon season (June - November) are best suited for
Ayurveda's curative and restorative packages.
In fact, today, Kerala is the only State in India which practises this system of medicine
with absolute dedication.

Monsoon, the ideal time for rejuvenation

Traditional texts reveal that the monsoon is the best season for rejuvenation programmes.
The atmosphere remains dust-free and cool, opening the pores of the body to the
maximum, making it most receptive to herbal oils and therapy.

The various packages and the places where one can find them are mentioned in the
website. The links are as under:

Ayurveda Health Centres (Classified by Kerala Tourism)

Rejuvenation Therapy (Rasayana Chikitsa)
Therapeutic Programmes
Ayurveda Centres

Cruising through Kerala on a houseboat!

Have you ever gone houseboat cruising on the backwaters of Kerala? If you haven’t,
make sure you do. This one’s really an absolutely wonderful, unforgettable experience!

52
The houseboats of today - huge, slow moving, exotic barge used for leisure trips - are the
reworked kettuvalloms of olden times. The original kettuvalloms were used to carry
tonnes of rice and spices - a standard kettuvallom can hold up to 30 tonnes - from
Kuttanad to the Kochi port.
The kettuvallam or ‘boat with knots’- was so called because the entire boat was held
together with coir knots only - not even a single nail is used during the construction. The
boat is made of planks of jack-wood joined together with coir. This is then coated with a
caustic black resin made from boiled cashew kernels. With careful maintenance, a
kettuvallom can last for generations.
A portion of the kettuvallom was covered with bamboo and coir to serve as a restroom
and kitchen for the crew. Meals would be cooked on board and supplemented with fresh
fish from the backwaters. Today, the tradition is still continued and the food from the
local cuisine is served by the Kuttanad localites, on board.
When the modern trucks replaced this system of transport, some one found a new way
that would keep these boats, almost all of which were more than 100 years old, in the
market. By constructing special rooms to accommodate travelers, these boats cruised
forward from near- extinction to enjoy their present great popularity.

Now these are a familiar sight on the backwaters and in Alleppey alone, there are as
many as 120 houseboats.

53
While converting kettuvallams into houseboats, care is taken to use only natural
products. Bamboo mats, sticks and wood of the aracanut tree are used for roofing, coir
mats and wooden planks for the flooring and wood of coconut trees and coir for beds.
For lighting though, solar panels are used.
Today, the houseboats have all the creature comforts of a good hotel including furnished
bedrooms, modern toilets, cozy living rooms, a kitchen and even a balcony for angling.
Parts of the curved roof of wood or plaited palm open out to provide shade and allow
uninterrupted views. While most boats are poled by local oarsmen, some are powered by
a 40 HP engine. Boat-trains - formed by joining two or more houseboats together - are
also used by large groups of sight-seers.
What is truly magical about a houseboat ride is the breathtaking view of the untouched
and otherwise inaccessible rural Kerala that it offers - while you float!

THE STATISTICS
Tourist statistics – 2007
• Foreign Tourist arrival to Kerala during the year 2007 is 5,15,808. It shows an
increase of 20.37 % over the previous year.
• Domestic Tourist arrival to Kerala during the year 2007 is 66,42,941. It shows an
increase of 5.92 % over the previous year.
• Foreign exchange earnings for the year 2007 is 2640.94 Crores which recorded a
growth of 32.82 % over the previous year.
• Total Revenue (including direct & indirect ) from Tourism during 2007 is
Rs.11433 Crores, showing an increase of 25.28 % over the last year’s figure.
• Considering the district wise Foreign Tourist arrival, Pathanamthitta district
shows the highest variation of 58.09 % over 2006.
• Considering the district wise Domestic Tourist arrival, Kollam district shows the
highest variation of 18.31 % over 2006.

54
MONTH-WISE FIGURES

Sl. No
MONTH FOREIGN DOMESTIC

1 JAN 72,814 588620

2 FEB 66,131 501,204
3 MAR 56151 485,722
4 APR 34487 557,785
5 MAY 21098 639,712
6 JUN 18262 502,224
7 JUL 25199 478,781
8 AUG 35563 525,309
9 SEP 24708 529,847
10 OCT 33534 555,721
11 NOV 55647 618,908
12 DEC 72214 659,108
TOTAL 515,808 6642,941
EARNINGS FROM TOURISM
Foreign Percentage Total revenue Percentage of
Year Exchange of Increase generated Increase
Earnings from Tourism
(Rs. In Crores) (Direct &
Indirect)
Rs. In Crores

2001
535.00 1.85 4500.00 9.58
2002 705.67 31.90 4931.00 20.42
2003 983.37 39.35 5938.00 12.83
2004 1266.77 28.82 6829.00 15.01
2005 1552.31 22.54 7738.00 13.31
2006 1988.40 28.09 9126.00 17.94

55
2007 2640.94 32.82 11433.00 25.28
PICTORIAL REPRESENTATION

DISTRICT WISE STATISTICS OF TOURIST ARRIVAL

56
FOR THE YEAR 2007

57
Explore Kerala- God’s own Country

58
 REFERENCES

• www.indiatourismstat.com

• www.keralatourism.org

• www.neoncarrot.co.uk

• www.flickr.com

• www.incredibleindiatourism.com

• www.hinduonnet.com

• www.trak.in

• www.hindubusinessline.com

59
• www.images.google.com

60