Emerging Trends in Tourism

Krishna Dev A.J

Roll No: 13
MBA (Travel and Tourism)
School of Management Studies
CUSAT, Kochi 22


Submitted To: Dr. James Manalel
Date : 04-03-2012



1.0 INTRODUCTION

We have discussed in the previous units in detail, that tourism industry is one of
the major segments of the Indian economy. It is a major contributor to foreign
exchange earnings provides employment to millions directly and indirectly and
acts as a vehicle for infrastructure development. Recognizing the importance of
the tourism industry, the Government of India has taken many policy measures
such as Tourism Policy 1982, Tourism Plan of Action 1992 and Tourism Policy
1997. Through these policies, the government called for effective coordination of
public and private participation to achieve synergy in the development of tourism.
These plans identified new forms of tourism products for taking advantage of the
emerging markets. Business tourism, health tourism, rural tourism, pilgrim
tourism, adventure tourism, and sustainable tourism are some of the new
products devised for changing demand. Let us study these emerging dimensions
in the tourism sector.

2.0 EMERGING DIMENSIONS

Tourism will expand greatly in future mainly due to the revolution that is taking
place on both the demand and supply side. The changing population structure,
improvement in living standard, more disposable income, fewer working hours
and long leisure time, better educated people, ageing population and more
curious youth in developing the countries, all will fuel the tourism industry growth.
The arrival of a large number of customers, better educated and more
sophisticated, will compel the tourist industry to launch new products and brands
and re-invents traditional markets. The established traditional destination founded
on sun-sea-sand products will have to re-engineer their products. They must
diversify and improve the criteria for destinations and qualities of their traditional
offers. Alongside beach tourism, the tourism sector will register a steady
development of new products based on natural rural business, leisure and art and
culture. Thus the study of new markets and emerging markets and necessity of
diversified products are the basis of our strategy, which can enhance and sustain,
existing and capture new markets. Let us discuss some of the new tourism
products.

2.1 Health Tourism

India is promoting the high-tech healing provided by its private health care sector
as a tourist attraction. This budding trade in medical tourism, selling foreigners
the idea of travelling to India for world-class medical treatment at lowest cost, has
really got attention in the overseas market. The Indian system of medicine, which
incorporates ayurveda, yoga, sidha, unani, naturopathy and other traditional
healing treatments, is very unique and exotic. This medical expertise coupled with
allopathic and other modern methods become our new focus segment to project
India as a Global Healing Destination.

Many state governments like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Uttranchal, and Karnataka
have been showcasing their medical tourism segment in certain focused market
like the Gulf and African regions. Indian private sector hospitals have undertaken
massive investment in the area of health. These super-specialty hospitals employ
efficient and expert doctors and other paramedical staffs with modern facilities.
The experienced doctors, dedicated service minded experts have made available
their services for giving alternative system of medicines and treatments. Health
camps, lecture training classes are also arranged for general awareness.
Yogasana has become popular and widespread and many public and private and
other organisations conduct Yoga classes. Ayurveda, naturopathy and nature
treatments are popular around the world.

Total Health: A New Mantra

Ayurveda


India has a rich heritage in the areas of traditional and natural medicines. The
earliest mention of Indian medical practices can be found in the Vedas and
Samhitas of Charaka, Bhela and Shusruta. A systematic and scientific approach
was adopted by the sages of the time leading to the development of a system
that is relevant even today. India is the land of Ayurveda. It believes in removing
the cause of illness and not just curing the disease itself. It is based on herbals
and herbal components without having side effects.
Ayurveda considers that the base of life lies in the five primary elements;ether
(space), air, fire, water and earth. And the individual is made up of a unique
proportion of the five elements in unique combinations to form three doshas
(vata, pita and kapha). When any of these doshas become accute, a person falls
ill. Ayurveda recommends a special life style and nutritional guidelines
supplemented with herbal medicines. If toxins are abundant, then a cleaning
process known as Panchkarma is recommended to eliminate those unwanted
toxins and revitalize both mind and body. Ayurveda offers treatments for ailments
such as arthritis, paralysis, obesity, sinusitis, migraine, premature aging and
general health care. Kerala is a world tourist destination and part of the reasons
lies with the well- known stress-releasing therapies of famed Ayurvedic research
centers.The climate along with the blessing of nature has turned Kerala into the
ideal place for ayurvedic, curative and rejuvenating treatments.

Yoga

If Ayurveda is the science of body, yoga is the science of the mind. Practiced
together they can go a long way in making an individual fit. The word yoga means
to join together. The ultimate aim of yoga is to unite the human soul with the
universal spirit. Yoga was developed 5000 years ago and the base of yoga is
described in theYoga Sutra of Patanjali. This describes eight stages of yoga.
These are Yam (universal moral commands), Niyam (self purification), Asana
(posture), Pranayama (breathing control), Prathyahara (withdrawal of mind from
external objects), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi
(state of superconsciousness). To get the benefits of yoga, one has to practice
Asana, Pranayama and Yoganidra. With the regular practice of asanas one can
control cholesterol level, reduce weight, normalize blood pressure and improve
cardiac performance. Pranayama helps to release tensions, develop relaxed
state of mind and Yoganidra is a form of meditation that relaxes both
physiological and psychological systems. Today, yoga has become popular in
India and abroad and in a number of places including urban and rural areas yoga
is taught and practiced.

Spas

Most of the other parts of the world have their own therapies and treatment that
are no doubt effective in restoring wellness and beauty. New kinds of health tours
that are gaining popularity in India are spa tours. Spas offer the unique
advantages of taking the best from the west and the east combining them with
the indigenous system and offering best of the two worlds. In hydropathy,
Swedish massages work with the Javanese Mandy, lulur, aromatherapy,
reflexology and traditional ayurveda procedures to help keep the tourist healthy
and enhance beauty. Combining these therapies with meditation, yoga and
pranayama make the spa experience in India a new destination for medical
tourism. The spas are very useful for controlling blood pressure, insomnia, cure
tension, depression, paralysis and number of other deadly diseases.

Allopathy

India has made rapid strides in advanced health care systems, which provides
world-class allopathic treatment. This has become possible because of the
emergence of the private sector in a big way in this field. More and more foreign
tourists are realizing that India is an ideal place for stopover treatment. Indian
Multi-specialty hospitals are providing worldclass treatment at an amazingly
economical cost as compared to the west.Quality services and low price factor
primarily go in favour of India. The cardio care, bone marrow transplantation,
dialysis, kidney transplant, neuronsurgery, joint replacement surgery, urology,
osteoporosis and numerous diseases are treated at Indian hospitals with full
professional expertise. Apollo hospital group, Escorts in Delhi, Jason Hospital,
Global Hospital, and Max Health Care are catering to medical care for
international patients in the areas of diagnostic, disease management, preventive
health care and incisive surgeries. The tourism department has devised websites
in order to provide information. Many Ayurveda health resorts that are owned and
rum by traditional Ayurveda Institutes have come up. Ayurgram is a novel
concept that not only offers heritage accommodation but also offers a whole
range of Ayurvedic treatments and rejuvenating packages. Similarly hotels have
also included these types of packages in their holidays. Some of the tour
operators have worked out all-inclusive medical treatment package that include
treatment, accommodation, food, airport transfers, post operation recuperative
holidays, along with a host of other facilities.

2.2 MICE Tourism

The meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry is
extensively and rapidly growing and is largely associated with travel for business
purpose. MICE related events include meetings, conferences, conventions,
exhibitions and incentive travels. Each of these different subsections of MICE has
quite different characteristics although the industry is often referred to as MICE.
Increasingly convention bureaus serve the needs of meetings, incentives and
exhibitions organizers and service providers supply each of the sectors.

With the Indian economy opening up and government restrictions loosening,
Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata are assuming
importance as major centres of business activity in the country. The days of red-
tape always associated with Indian business activity is a thing of the past and
corporate India has moved towards more western standards of professionalism.
Since the liberalization of the Indian economy, MICE tourism is becoming a
growing segment in India. More and more business people have been coming to
India for business purpose and adding business with pleasure in their India tour.

Incentive Tourism

Incentive travel has emerged as a popular means of rewarding the employees
achievements and contributions, by several business houses especially
multinational companies, Insurance Companies, Banks, Pharmaceuticals Firms,
etc. Employees are given free tickets or holidays packages to select destinations
all paid by company. These are given as added perks to keep up the interest of
the executives who are the high performers of the company. Incentive tours
market has become fast growing sector within the tourism industry.

2.3 Adventure Tourism

Youth tourism has been identified as one of the largest segments of global and
domestic tourism. The young travelers are primarily experience seekers,
collecting, enquiring unique experiences. Adventure and risk have a special role
to play in the behavior and attitudes of young travelers. The growing number of
young travelers is being fuelled by a number of factors such as increased
participation in higher education, falling level of youth unemployment, increased
travel budget through parental contribution, search for an even more exciting and
unique experience and cheaper long distance travel. India: a heaven for
adventure tourism India has been an attraction for travelers from all over the
world. Though in the field of international tourism, the segment of adventure
tourism in India is getting only a fraction of such traffic. The trend has been
showing an increased movement year after year with the development of facilities
and greater awareness about adventure tourism options. Indian tourism offers
both international and domestic adventurers a wide choice of adventures. Water
sports, elephant safari, skiing, yachting, hail-skiing, gliding, sailing, tribal tours,
orchid tours, scaling the high peaks of Himalayas, trekking to the valley of
flowers, riding the waves in rapids, and camel safari in the deserts are breath
taking opportunities for nature enthusias. Ladakh, the Garwal hills, the Himachal
hills, Darjeeling, Goa, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar, Jaisalmer and
wildlife sanctuaries and reserves are some of the places that offer adventure
tourism.

Mountaineering Expedition

This is the first and foremost activity in the Himalayas. In India, the expeditions
are controlled and regulated by Indian Mountaineering Federation, which is the
nodal body. River rafting The Himalayan rivers offer River rafting that run through
the beautiful terrains, sandy white beaches, boulder studded rapids, river
confluences, deep gorges, and some revered temples and towns.


Water Sports

To boost water sports, water skiing and sailing both in seas and lakes, and river
facilities has been provided. Chilka Lake in Orissa, Kollam in Kerala, Bhopal Lake
in Madhya Pradesh, Dal Lake in Kashmir are some of the places where facilities
have been provided for water sports.

2.4 Nature Tourism

In search of new tourism products, travellers and suppliers are today seeking to
reshape the meaning of nature as a tourism attraction. Modern nature based
tourism focuses on experiencing flora and fauna in natural settings.

The nature based tourism related to nature, its attractiveness so that the visitors
experience it in its natural settings. Eco-tourism takes into account unspoiled
natural and socio-cultural attraction. Today the term nature tourism is often used
synonymously with eco-tourism. Today nature tourism is the fastest growing
segment of the tourism sector. It comprises around 40- 60% of all international
tourism.

Diversity of India is to be seen not only in its people, culture, religions, language
and life style, the diversity starts in the land itself. The snowbourd peaks of the
Himalayas, tropical rain forests, and hot deserts and breathtaking beautiful
coasts. Each diverse geographical region generates a different picture and
exploring them provides a unique experience. Now all these are packaged for
tourists to provide eco-friendly holidays in India.

Wild life

The diversity of wild life in India is as rich as that of its flora and fauna. The great
wealth of Indian wild-life can be imagined with the sight of majestic elephants, the
dance of peacocks, the camel strides, the roar of tigers, at unparalleled acts of
beauty. Watching birds and animals in their natural habitat is an experience in
itself. The vastness of wild life and wilderness is India unparallel in the world. All
these account for the immense opportunities for wild life tourism in India.

Fishing and angling

Among the amazing array of nature tours offered in India are those that offer
angling and fishing. The waters of Indian sub-continent are mind blowing grounds
for the nature sports. The adventures settings range form the majestic Himalayan
valleys, snow fed streams and high altitude lakes and wide coastal stretches of
the Arabia Seas and Bay of Bengal.



Hill Stations

At heights that range from 600 m to 3500m above sea level, most of the hill
resorts of India are tourist destination in India. The hill stations add to the nature
tour of India with majestic mountains and ravishing rivers. Mountain ranges of
Shimla, Kullu Manali, Dalhousie, Palampur in Himachal Pradesh,
Nainital-Almora-Kausani in Kumaon hills of Uttar Pradesh, Pachmarhi in
MadhyaPradesh, Darjeeling are important for their snow-dusted peaks, lakes
parks and hot springs. The waterfalls, sulphur bath and all provide such an
experience, which will linger in ones mind.

2.5 Rural Tourism

Rural tourism has been identified as one of the priority areas for development of
Indian tourism. Rural tourism experience should be attractive to the tourists and
sustainable for the host community. The Ninth Plan identified basic objectives of
rural tourism as: -

Improve the quality of life of rural people
Provide good experience to the tourist
Maintain the quality of environment.

Indian villages have the potential for tourism development. With attractive and
unique traditional way of life, rich culture, nature, crafts, folk-lore and livelihood of
Indian villages are a promising destination for the tourist. It also provides tourism
facilities in terms of accessibility, accommodation, sanitation and security. Rural
tourism can be used as a means to:-

Improve the well being of the rural poor
Empower the rural people
Empower the women
Enhance the rural infrastructure
Participate in decision-making and implementing tourism policies
Interaction with the outside world
Improve the social condition of lower sections of the society.
Protection of culture, heritage, and nature.

2.6 Sustainable Tourism

The concept of sustainability means that mankind must live within the capacity of
the environment that supports. Sustainable development has been defined briefly
as that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs. The definition brings out certain
important aspects of sustainable tourism: -


Conservation and enhancement of resources for the future generation
Protection of biological diversity
Equity within and between generations
Integration of environmental, social and economic considerations


2.6 Bollywood Tourism

Bollywood has well and truly woven its magic abroad, causing many foreigners to
fall in love with its unique blend of dance and drama escapism. In fact, many
foreigners get their first taste of India from Bollywood movies. It's no surprise
then, that they want to see where India's Bollywood movies are produced,
experience a shoot, and get a taste of the action.

There are a couple of tour operators in Mumbai that offer dedicated Bollywood
studio tours, including a drive past Bollywood stars' homes. Also not to be
overlooked is the world's largest movie production complex -- Ramoj Film City in
Hyderabad. It's a very popular tourist destination, great for families.

The most famous place where films are shot in India is Bollywood, in Mumbai
(former Bombay). Mumbai is located in Maharashtra, which is India"s third largest
state in terms of area and second largest in terms of population. The Indian
Tourism Ministry and the Maharashtra government are looking to create private
or public partnerships to promote Bollywood Tourism.

Some tour operators enable tourists to watch movie-making in real studios.
Operators charge around US $100 or 3900 rupees per head for a days guided
studio tour. Tourists can observe the production of a movie scene in a film studio
or a television soap shoot on location. Visitors can also watch actors and
technicians create scenes or they can watch and learn in-situ dubbing, sound-
editing and other special movie effects. Most of the studios are not open to the
public although some, for example the Filmistan studio, allow visitors in.

There is also a plan to launch a complex which will house Bollywood cafes,
museums, a theme park with special rides, replicas of famous film sets, movie
memorabilia, simulator experiences, 3D virtual gaming booths, and a walk of
fame, among other attractions. According to Shailendra Singh of Percept
Holdings, the company responsible for the plan, Bollywood is 75 years old and
its time we showed our pride of this rich heritage. Watch out, Bollywood tourism
will be big business.


2.7 Golf Tourism

The concept of sustainable development is all about conservation and
stewardship of resources for the future. The support for ecologically sustainable
development emerging strongly in the tourism sector, as it is the logical way of
balancing environmental concerns with growth and development of the industry.
Environmental problems facing the world today are of such magnitude that urgent
actions have to be taken at the highest levels to counter this fatal degradation.

India, popular among tourists for its rich culture, exotic appeal and variety, has
added another feather to its cap by emerging as a popular destination for golf
tourism. With golf catching the fancy of millions across the world, it was but
natural for India to join the bandwagon. And indeed, it has done very well for itself
in this sector over the country; golf has taken its place among the most talked
about sports in India. Besides, its potential for growth also speaks very
promisingly about the future of this sport in India. Sports power takes a look at the
golf tourism in country

Scope of Gold Tourism in India

While sports tourism is at a nascent stage, golf tourism is still struggling at its
infancy. However, Cox and Kings HeadRelationships and Supplier
Management Karan Anand feels there is a huge scope. There is a huge market
for golf tourism in India. The Indian Golf Union has 75,000 registered golfers in
India and the total number of golfers is in the range of 700,000. This market itself
is huge and can sustain new golf courses that are coming up in various states:-
Anand.

According to Cutting Edge Travels Mayank Khandwala, The sports tourism
industry is growing at 10-15% per year and golf tourism is a major part of this
industry. So there is a huge potential for this segment to grow as a full-fledged
industry of its own.



















2.8 Conclusion

Tourism development like other industries brings negative impacts on economy,
society and the environment. The tourism industry generates foreign exchange,
employment and contributes to the balance of payment. But these positive effects
are often accompanied by disastrous implication such as inflation, leakages and
dependency. The social impacts of tourism are demonstration effect,
acculturation, prostitution and crime, displacement of community and
commercialization of culture. Tourism development in many places has led to the
deterioration of environmental quality. The loss of habitat, extinction of species,
pollution, etc. will ultimately result in decline of the destination and even threatens
the very existence of the community. In search for new tourism products, the
suppliers are seeking to reshape the nature as a tourism attraction. Eco tourism,
a broader concept, is environmental friendly concept involves protection and
conservation of environment. This is based on the sustainable tourism
development. The sustainable tourism development ensures the use of resources
for present and future generations.


3.0 REFERENCES

1) www.wikipedia.org
2) www.google .com
3) www.tourism-review.com
4) www.goindia.about.com