Can Tourism be a game changer for India?    

It was the 7th century A.D. when Xuanzang came as a traveler from China. His 10-year stay at Nalanda University and his account of the administration of various kings like Harshavardhana are priceless today. This exchange of information and people is as old as Indian civilization itself, from ‘medical tourism’ during Sushruta & Charaka to ‘educational’. When Arabs learned about zero from India, tourism has affected in more than one way, not only India but the world.

India is a land where guests are revered as gods (Atithi Devo Bhava) and the world is treated as one family (vasudhaiva kutumbakam). Globalization as a concept might be new, but it has always been a part of Indian ethos.

But today amidst the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, India finds itself at loggerheads with various difficulties. Mired with problems of unemployment (9.1% in May 2020: CMIE) and projection of a contracting economy (-5% in FY 2020-21: World Bank), India is struggling to ‘breathe’.

This essay attempts to analyze how tourism can act as a ‘game changer’ for India today and what can be its ramifications.

The tourism industry in India accounts for 9.2% of India’s GDP and employs more than 42 million people. Its size can be gauged from the fact that more than 7 lakh crore are spent by tourists alone, thus contributing a lion’s share in money circulation. This mammoth size of the industry is largely because of India’s own ‘natural advantages’.

INCREDIBLE INDIA

India is naturally geographically diverse. From insurmountable Himalayas in the north, excruciatingly hot deserts in the west to oceans on its three sides, India is truly incredible. This gives an opportunity to develop different kinds of tourism.

At the same time, being one of the oldest civilizations, India is a land of cultures. Today, as the world engulfs into depression and stress, yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda are coming to the rescue. It is time that India learns to use its culture for spiritual tourism. Being the country with one of the highest (37) UNESCO World Heritage sites and Taj Mahal as one of the 7 wonders of the world, the potential is huge.

Today in contemporary times, India has emerged as a land of opportunities. India is becoming a hub for medical tourism. Be it cheap generic drugs or surgical operations, millions today are flocking to Indian hospitals from around the world. Medical tourism is truly becoming a game changer for India.

Spiritual tourism is also promoted being a land of the birth of Buddhism and one of the largest followers of Hinduism & Islam (2nd). It is thus no surprise that Tamil Nadu tops the chart among all states being a center of Dravida architecture to Mahabalipuram architecture & ‘Panchrathas’.

Tourism as an industry not only helps increase employment directly but also has various latent interlinkages. It is helping in the globalization of Indian society. Tribal handicrafts are getting hefty prices in international markets. Women are getting empowered as they open their ‘home dhabas’ or ‘rent’ property. In fact, this is even attracting foreign students for various artworks, thus helping Indian institutes get global recognition. Tourism is truly emerging as a ‘game changer’ for India.

But still, India is not a ‘tourism hub’ in the global world. Despite having huge potential, footfall in comparison to other nations is low.

BARRIERS TO PROGRESS

The tourism industry in India suffers from a lack of infrastructure. From exorbitant rents/hotel prices to a lack of even basic facilities like toilets are common even at heritage sites. Further, instances of eve-teasing, racial practices, and attacks on tourists only harm the Indian image and deter people from visiting. Various instances of conning have already gone viral. These are some of the problems that restrict India from becoming the next ‘Switzerland’ or ‘Bhutan’. So, how do we change this scenario.

The first step needs to generate confidence in law & order. Taking swift actions against anyone involved in an attack or con will cleanse the image and generate confidence. India even amidst COVID-19 treated its tourists (Italian) at the first resort with the best medical facilities (at Delhi) in line with Atithi Devo Bhava.

The government has also taken various initiatives to make tourism a ‘game changer’ for the Indian economy. Schemes like PRASAD and Adopt a Heritage are run to increase citizen participation. Various circuits like Ramayana circuit, Buddhist circuits are developed to promote spiritual tourism. Campaigns like ‘Hindustan ka Dil Dekho’ (MP) and Incredible Kerala (by Amitabh Kant) have helped change the image, not only at the national but global level. Visa on Arrival is today extended to more than 100 countries.

The need today is to develop better infrastructure for tourists. As India remolds itself into an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, this will also help the local industry generate employment, especially amidst the COVID-19 crisis. Moreover, the impact of COVID-19 on tourism has been huge and can be reduced by using the concept of ‘travel bubbles’ in line with what Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have done.

Tourism should be treated as a ‘means’ to propagate our culture, ideas, and knowledge and not only as an ‘end’ to improve the economy. How you treat your ‘Atithi’ is only but a manifestation of your values and how you treat yourself said Gandhi.

If India has ‘to pedal a bicycle of development’, the tourism industry can be the first point of reference to start with. It can be a game changer in the rise of the ‘Asian Elephant’.