TOURISM

AND
RECREATIONAL PLANNING
SHARMISTHA BARUA
01308142020
SECOND SEMESTER
 20 YEARS PERSPECTIVE
TOURISM PLAN FOR THE
STATE OF BIHAR
BIHAR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLAN

Bihar has a wide range of tourism potential, which has not been utilized to its fullest because
The formulated following objectives after going further study the tourism plan of the critical geographical location of the state, insecure environment and inaccessibility.
bihar in any depth, daunted by the poor tourist facilities but the state has plenty of cultural and
• To trigger higher growth of economy, also balancing for sustained socio-cultural natural resources.
and physical environment.
It is realized that a little can be done for the impacts of strategic location and insecure
• To introduce new tourism products i.e. adventure tourism, heritage tourism, environment but the existing tourist sites and the travel circuits need to be strengthened, new
sports tourism, education tourism ,health tourism etc tourist sites and travel circuits to be identified and made more accessible to enhance the
state’s tourism potential.
• To Identify infrastructure and other developmental needs for tourism  growth of economy
•  sustained socio-cultural and physical environment
• Projection i.e. identification of projects, their financing & management strategies
 to identify infrastructure and other developmental needs for tourism
• To formulate integration of various department to promote tourism
Strategies to Identify and Develop the Tourist Attraction
 Maintain and highlight the State’s unique and special attributes
 Establish a strong sense of place and local identity
 Identify diverse base of special interest attractions in designated Notified Areas
 Create tourism magnets through integrated tourism based activities
 Minimise the adverse impact of tourism on the State’s natural resources and cultural values
 Help in establishing quality visitor experiences which meet expectations and will encourage
positive word of mouth promotion by those who have enjoyed visit to Bihar

• The main component of the master plan is site improvement scheme as a matter of fact the several tourist sites in the different parts of state are in shambles which need
immediate attention.
• Another component of the master plan is the inclusion of new tourist sites. there are hundreds of lesser known potentials tourist sites scatter over the states this sites are
included in the master plan like several pilgrimage, historical,bird sanctuaries, lakes and jain and buddhist sites.
• Bihar has immense potential for various tourism activities, first and foremost being religious tourism. the history of bihar indicates a rich heritage inherited from various dynasties
& great personalities.
• The archaeological & historical value of this heritage still remains to be explored & recognized in the international scenario although there is an influx of foreign tourists in the
present situation.
• The wildlife, birds & sanctuaries hold vast potential for nature-based eco-tourism. the river ganga, all along its stretch offers potential for water based sports & riverfront
activities. but, the tourism potential of the state for generating much needed income & employment remains underutilized.
• Though the state has high tourism potential, owning to lack of infrastructure facilities such as, transport, communication facilities, accommodation and other tourism supported
facilities, most part of it remains unexplored by the tourist.
• Bihar is endowed with the potential to develop as a major tourist destination of india for domestic & foreign tourists. being sluggish in terms of development, the state is facing
challenges, which directly and indirectly curb the growth of tourism. the existing infrastructure, safety & security & local awareness are the major hindrance for the development
of the tourism in the state.
ELEMENTS OF A TOURISM PLAN, TOURISM PLANNING PROCESS
Tourism planning at the destination level is a step-by-step process of resource and market analysis,
action and review.

EXISTING AREAS OF TOURISTS INTEREST

Major tourist circuits and importance of tourist places in Bihar and major art and crafts of Bihar.
Bihar is famous for religious tourism & cultural heritage sites. Historical importance of Bihar
has been established again with the discovery of ‘biggest ever Buddhist stupa’ at Kesariya by
the Archeological Survey of India (ASI). The most important religious & heritage sites are
Bodhgya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Vaishali, Valmikinagar, Maner sharif, Motihari etc.
Places of tourist attraction in the state can be broadly classified as;
• Places of Religious Importance and Archeological/Historical Sites,
• Wildlife Sanctuaries and National Parks,
• Adventure tourism,
• Arts and Craft, Fairs & Festivals & Dances.

• Buddhist Circuit
• Tirthankar Circuit
• Ramayan Circuit
• Jain Circuit
• Islamic/Safi Circuit
• Gandhi Circuit
• Nature & Wildlife Circuit
• Sikh Circuit
• Shiv Shakti Circuit
TREND AND FORECAST OF TOURIST FLOW DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN TOURIST ARRIVALS • There is a significantly positive increase in
Domestic and Foreign tourist arrivals in the
Domestic Foreign Total Number Of Domestic Tourists Foreign Tourists
Year Tourists Tourists Tourists state from year 2001 to 2018.

33621613
32414063
2001 6061168 85673 6146841
• Contribution of domestic tourists in total

28516127
28029118
2002 6860207 112873 6973080 tourist arrival is 96.94 % which is way beyond
the foreign tourist arrivals i.e. 3.08 %.

22544377
21588306
21447099
2003 6044710 60820 6105530

• 72 % of total tourist arrivals in Bihar take

18397490
2004 8097456 38118 8135574

16042725
place in its ten regions. These regions are

15784679
Patna, Gaya, Bodhgaya, Bihar, Rajgir,

11889611
2005 6880685 63321 6944006

10670268
Nalanda, Raxaul, Munger, Vaishali,

10352887
2006 10670268 94446 10764714 Muzaffarpur and Bhagalpur.

8097456

6880685
6860207
6061168

6044710
2007 10352887 177362 10530249
• From Jan 2015 to Dec 2018, Gaya,

1082705
1096933

1087971
1010531
Bodhgaya and Rajgir accounts highest

972487

923737
829508
765835
540686
423042
345572
2008 11889611 345572 12235183

177362
112873

94446
85673

60820

63321
38118
number of foreign arrivals where as Patna,
2009 15784679 423042 16207721
Gaya and Rajgir accounts highest number of
2010 16042725 540686 16583411
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Domestic tourist arrivals.

2011 18397490 972487 19369977 PROJECTIONS IN MASTER PLAN

2012 21447099 1096933 22544032 By the year 2021, the domestic Tourist is
expected to reach at 1.94 crore and
2013 21588306 765835 22354141 Foreign Tourist at 2.60 lakh.respectively.
2014 22544377 829508 23373885
After implementation of the Tourism
2015 28029118 923737 28952855 Development Plan, the Domestic Tourist is
expected to grow annually at 7.0 percent
2016 28516127 1010531 29526658
with effect from 2003 reaching 2.31 core by
2017 32414063 1082705 33496768
2021 & for Foreign Tourists, it is expected
that growth at 7.0 will take place from 2005
2018 33621613 1087971 34709584 and 9.0 percent annually from 2010
reaching 3.83 Lakh by 2021.
Source:
AN EMPIRICAL EVALUATION OF TOURIST ARRIVAL IN THE STATE OF BIHAR, INDIA

20 YEARS PERSPECTIVE TOURISM PLAN FOR THE STATE OF BIHAR

ASSESSMENT OF TOURISM SUPPORTED INFRASTRUCTURE

 Survey of existing and already planned accommodation by number, type and quality level should be carried out as well as survey of other
tourist facilities in Bihar. Any specific infrastructure constraints, such as poor quality of hotels due to the old buildings, is identified and
improvements recommended.
 Analysis of transport access to Bihar, as well as of the internal transportation system of facilities and services, should be carried out (e.g.
poor quality of transport infrastructure and recommendations for improvement); condition of roads are very poor & there are no approach
roads to connect with different tourist places.
 Infrastructure of water supply, electric power, sewage disposal and telecommunications is evaluated.
 Tourist Information Centre need to be opened up to attract the tourists for Buddhist Circuits.

OPTIONS AND IDENTIFICATION OF TOURISM PROJECTS

• Apart from the different tourist circuits .The consultants have also identified some other tourism places for promotion of more tourism
activities like, arts & crafts, urban haat,fair &festivals, waterfront development, health tourism and shopping tourism.

The Perspective Tourism Plan of Bihar is proposed to be financed from

INVESTMENT PLAN AND FUNDS REQUIREMENT
different sources are
• The required sizable capital investment for development of basic infrastructure, tourism
infrastructure, tourism product development, human resource development and marketing and
promotion development.
• The plan schemes for the development of tourism infrastructure and improvement of tourism
products mainly consist of Central Financial Assistance to State Govt.for developing tourist
facilities and product development Institutional Assistance and Package of incentives for
promoting private investment in the tourism sector.

It would seen from the above that the Private Sector Share is maximum
at 50.7 per cent followed by the State Government at 43.8 per cent and
balance 5.5 per cent for the Central Government.
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESMENT
Bihar is enriched with heritage sites of various religions including temples, stupas, masjids,
tombs and ruins of various dynasties and cities. These heritage sites needs to be conserved Tourism must be directly correlated to the resources that are available & this
against any development activities to retain its originality and heritage value. aspect needs to be closely looked into very carefully.
Areas within 100m radius of the historic temples, churches & other such buildings should be Development of tourism itself has some positive & negative effects.
declared as conservation zone.
So, before suggesting any project the social & environmental impact
Bio – Diversity conservation assessment is very essential.
The state covers an area of 173,877 sq. km with a
These impacts an be especially critical in countries like India & region like
population of 86.37 million. After bifurcation of State,
Bihar that still have strong historical & cultural traditional society. All the
Bihar has very limited forest resources. In another
identified tourist spots & it’s impact has assessed & proper mitigation measure
word it remains only with the form of Sanctuaries
also suggested.
and parks. The State has one national park, 10
Sanctuaries and one Biological Park. Proper
management of these protected areas is crucial for
the success of conservation programs. OPINION SURVEY OF TOURIST GANGA RIVER FRONT DEVELOPMENT
focus group interviews were For the residents of the city, the riverfront has become a recreational area and
Strategies for the restoration of bio – diversity conducted at different locations a cultural hub with cafes, studying rooms and Dolphin information centres. It
• Need to conserve various habitat types, in within the State of Bihar, including also helps in spreading awareness about keeping the environment clean,
various geographical locations to ensure Patna,Bodh Gaya & Bhagalpur especially preventing the disposal of untreated sewage into the river.
that maximum number of bio-diversity are
covered and protected in the process. All types of respondents agreed
that some of the constraints to
• Important wetland in a region, can be tourism were the lack of basic
conserved in order to maintain infrastructure such as roads, water
sustainability of biodiversity of the region. supply and sanitation facilities for
travelers at tourist spots,
• Awareness camp can also be organized accessibility problems and lack of
with village-people to make them tourism related information and
understand the importance of conservation bad publicity. Security was also a
of flora and fauna. big issue with all the tourists.
 ECONOMIC BENEFITS DEVELOPMENT CONTROL AND PLANNING
Tourism is highly labor intensive as compared to any other industry. The Economic & • Areas of archaeological value and historic buildings or sites are to be adequately
Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) study report on `Economic Impact of protected from Damages because of lack of adequate maintenance.
Tourism in India' revealed that 1.2 international tourist visits provide employment to one
person. Similarly, 17 domestic tourists generate employment for one person. • Construction work should commence having secured the consent of the appropriate
authority for the provision of infrastructure services, i.e electricity, telephone, road
The Department of Tourism (Planning and Measurement Methods) has adopted 1.358 as access, water, etc.
Employment Multiplier. By using the adopted Employment Multiplier (1.358) indirect
employment after implementation of Tourism Development Plan would be 22.82 Lakhs • Control of advertisements is also essential to protect environment from visual pollution
and direct employment to 16.81 Lakhs persons in 2021. in all areas, urban and rural.
• Hotels and other establishment should have adequate sewage system, garbage
storage facilities.

• Rivers should also be protected from similar dangers of pollution.

MARKETING STRATEGY AND PROMOTION PROGRAMME • Dumping of waste into the river & Water bodies should be prohibited. Industrial
activities should be under constant control so that smoke, chemical effluents or other
The marketing strategy should also include the need to portray a favorable but
pollutants are eliminated. The tendency to diversify industry
realistic image of the State. Image building is especially important because of the
publicities that have taken place about the natural calamities as well as ethnic
development.
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISM
Develop the perception of Bihar in the major source market areas of India and abroad
In the implementation approach, the respective roles of the State Govt., the private
as a destination offering quality attraction, facilities and experiences.Design and
sectors and special bodies (such as Department of Tourism, Town & Country Planning
execute marketing activities which build on Bihar- distinctive features and
Department, Pollution Control Board, Bihar; Bihar Tourism Development Corporation
advantages.Expand penetration in the Asian markets, particularly Japan, South
(BTDC) ,Travel and Tourism Association of Bihar, have to be decided at the first
Korea, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and European markets, viz. U.K., Germany, U.S.A.,
instance. With the respective roles decided, a close cooperation and coordination
Australia etc. Publicize tourism through newspaper holiday supplements and editorial
between the State Govt. bodies and private sector on implementation must be
coverage, audiovisual material - slide, film and video shows for use in travel seminars,
maintained.
world TVs, etc.
 INTERLINK BETWEEN
TOURISM,ECONOMY AND
URBAN PLANNING
 Kerala – God’s Own Country
KERALA TOURISM Area : 38.863 sq.km.
 Kerala is one of the prominent tourist destinations of India with backwaters, hill Water Bodies : 954.3
stations, beaches, Ayurvedic tourism and tropical greenery. sq.km.
Forest Area : 9400 sq.km.
 National Geographic's Traveller magazine listed Kerala in the 'Ten Paradises of the Districts : 14 nos
World' and '50 must visit places of a lifetime'. Tourism is one of the few sectors where Taluks : 75 nos
Kerala has clear competitive advantages as Kerala is considered as nature magic CD Blocks : 152
ranging from the Western Ghats covered with dense forests to the backwaters to the Villages : 1664
Arabian Sea. Panchayats : 941
Corporations : 6 nos
 Its ancient rich culture including traditional dance forms and the strong presence of Municipalities : 87 nos
alternative systems of medicine add to its allure. Cultivated Area : 20.89
 Kerala is the first state in India to declare tourism as an industry. The tourism policy lakha ha
documents of the central and state governments claim that Kerala tourism model is Climate : Tropical
one of the most liberalised tourism models with the private sector leading tourism Wetlands : 0.39 lakh ha
development. Summer : February - May
Monsoon : June -
 Tourism constitutes 10 per cent of Kerala's GDP, as per official statistics, and September
reportedly contributes around 23.5 per cent to the total employment in the Winter : October - January
state. Highest Peak : Anamudi
Longest River : Periyar
 Kerala – God’s Own Country
KERALA TOURIST ARRIVALS No.of Domestic No.of
 Number of tourist arrival is one of the leading indicators of the demand for tourism in a particular destination. Tourist % of Foreign % of
Visits Increase Tourist Visits Increase
2008 7591250 14.28 598929 16.11
 Chart presents the data on the foreign and domestic tourist arrivals in Kerala from 2008 to 2019. It shows that Foreign
2009 7913537 4.25 557258 -6.96
Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) are increasing in absolute terms. It was increased from 598929 in 2008 to 1189771 in 2019. 2010 8595075 8.61 659265 18.31
2011 9381455 9.15 732985 11.18
 The domestic tourist arrivals have increased from 7591250 in 2010 to 18384233 in 2019. In 2018, the number of 2012 10076854 7.41 793696 8.28
tourists visiting Kerala was 16701068 (domestic tourists - 15604661 and foreign tourists - 1096407). 2013 10857811 7.75 858143 8.12
2014 11695411 7.71 923366 7.6
 In 2019, the total number of tourists was pegged at 19574004, comprising 18384233 domestic tourists and 1189771 2015 12465571 6.59 977479 5.86
visitors from abroad. 2016 13172535 5.67 1038419 6.23
2017 14673520 11.39 1091870 5.15
DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN 2018 15604661 6.35 1096407 0.42
TOURIST ARRIVAL IN KERALA 2019 18384233 17.81 1189771 8.52
No.of Domestic Tourist No.of
Visits Foreign
TOTAL NUMBER OF TOURISTS

18384233
Tourist Visits
Kerala can further move up in

19574004
15604661
14673520
international tourism with

16701068
13172535

15765390
strategic planning and regular
12465571
11695411

14210954
10857811

13443050
monitoring of the activities
10076854

12618777
11715954
9381455

10870550
done. Improving the
8595075

10114440
7913537
7591250

9254340
communication strategies and

8470795
8190179
providing more exposure to the
destinations and other tourist
1189771
1096407
1091870
1038419

attractions will improve this

977479
923366
858143
793696
732985
659265
598929

557258

scenario. Setting up round the

clock information centres in the
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 main travel centres in the west
will be an ideal solution.
The following graph gives the data on foreign and Domestic Tourist arrival for years. From 2008 onwards, it can be seen that there is a steady increase
in Tourist arrival. But domestic tourist arrival is more than foreign tourist arrival. The growth rate in domestic tourist inflow during 2019 is the
highest registered in the last two decades.
 Kerala – God’s Own Country
TOURIST ARRIVALS - DISTRICTWISE FOREIGN 4500000
DOMESTIC TOURIST ARRIVAL 2018-2019

FOREIGN TOURIST ARRIVAL 2018-2019

600000 4000000
500000
3500000
400000
300000 3000000
200000
100000 2500000
0
2000000

1500000

1000000
2019 2018
500000
Foreign Tourist Arrival
0
• Ernakulam district registered the maximum arrival.
• Pathanamthitta district registered the least number in footfall.
• Kasaragod district registered the maximum increase in percentage of tourist arrival
(76.35%) over the previous year.
TOURIST ARRIVALS - DISTRICTWISE FOREIGN 2019
2% 2% 1% 1% 1%
In 2019, Ernakulam is the leading district 1% 0%
2019 2018
on the basis of foreign tourist arrivals to 26%
Kerala with a contribution of 44%. The
leading district of Ernakulam and second 1%
standing district Thiruvananthapuram 44% 10% 0% Domestic Tourist Arrival
contributes 69.98% of the total arrival to • Ernakulam district registered the maximum footfall.
Kerala. Other leading districts are
6%
5% • Pathanamthitta district registered the least number in domestic footfall also.
Alappuzha, Idukki and Kottayam. Tourist • Idukki district registered the maximum increase in percentage of tourist arrival
arrivals to these five districts contribute
Thiruvanthapuram Kollam Pathanamthitta Alappuzha
(44.76 %) over the previous year
Kotayam Idukki Ernakulam Thrissur
90.96% of the total arrival to Kerala. Palakkad Mallapuram Kozhikode Wayanad
kannur kasaragod
 Kerala – God’s Own Country
DISTRICT WISE TOTAL EARNINGS FROM TOURISM –
TOURIST ARRIVALS - DISTRICTWISE FOREIGN 2019 (In Rs. Crores) DIRECT AND INDIRECT
14000 12816.5
DISTRICT WISE FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNINGS FROM TOURISM 2018 &2019 12000
(RS. IN CRORES)
10000 8700.12
4508.32
2018 2019 8000
3902.37

6000 4646.08 3984.4

4000
2508.912461.812116.14 1693.7 1679 1436.52 994.72 977.89 612.41 382.45
2739.97
2680.06

2000
0
1003.37
763.58

649.25

502.24
358.39

346.03

221.84

194.37
146.99
140.77

135.46

111.89

106.21
92.79
90.59

72.63

62.75

59.15
46.07
32.95

18.53
15.72

17.63
15.61
EARNINGS FROM TOURISM 2015-2019 (Rs. in Crores)
TOTAL REVENUE
FOREIGN GENERATED FROM
EXCHANGE % of EARNINGS FROM TOURISM (DIRECT % of
Foreign exchange earnings from tourism have shown a steady growth over the years. In 2019, Kerala YEAR EARNINGS Increase DOMESTIC TOURISTS &INDIRECT) Increase
has earned Rs.10271.06 crores as foreign exchange earnings from tourism against Rs.8764.46crores in 2015 6949.88 8.61 13836.78 26689.63 7.25
the year 2018 showing a growth of 17.19 %. 2016 7749.51 11.51 15358.64 29658.56 11.12
2017 8392.11 8.29 17608.22 33383.68 12.56
FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNINGS FROM TOURISM FOR LAST 12 YEARS 2018 8764.46 4.44 19474.62 36258.01 8.61
(Rs. In Crores) 2019 10271.06 17.19 24785.62 45010.69 24.14
12000 EARNINGS FROM TOURISM FROM 2015-2019
10000 50000
8000 40000
6000 30000
4000 20000
2000 10000
0 0
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNINGS
TOTAL REVENUE GENERATED FROM TOURISM (DIRECT &INDIRECT)
 Kerala – God’s Own Country
EMPLOYMENT FROM TOURISM IN KERALA
The internal survey of the tourism department in 2012 revealed that the tourism sector The tourism industry in Kerala flourished, mainly due to the efforts of private
generated 12 lakh employment. Including the ancillary services, the total number is 14 lakh. investors, both small and large, who invested in the unique attractions of Kerala
tourism, including houseboats and home stays.
As per the official figures of the Department of Tourism, the tourism sector contributed 23.5
per cent to the total employment in the state from 2009 to 2012, much higher than the
The hospitality industry contributes to the bulk of direct employment includes almost all
contribution of tourism to employment at the national level.
employment in the hospitality sector – restaurants, food outlets, bars, clubs etc. Those
employed in other tourism services like tour operators, travel industry and guides, houseboat
Tourism Sector’s Contribution to Kerala’s Total Employment staff, tourism media and government staff will add to the direct employment
between 2009 and 2012 (%)

SHARE IN EMPLOYMENT (IN PERCENT) CONCLUSION

DIRECT  Tourism in Kerala provides a number of economic benefits, some of which are
COUNTRY/STATE IMPACT INDIRECT +INDUCED IMPACT TOTAL IMPACT
Generation of employment opportunities, earns foreign exchange without exporting
INDIA 4.4 5.8 10.2 anything tangible, leads to balanced regional development, helps to improve per
capita income and standard of living, facilitates development of basic infrastructural
KERALA 9.9 13.6 23.5 facilities
Source: Government of Kerala (2016) Economic Review, State Planning Board
 promotes a hub by economic activities, promotes related industries, promote
universal brotherhood, international understanding and world peace, facilitates
In the case of employment, the study found that the sector generated over 14 million direct
preservation of many vanishing arts,
jobs in the state. This means that the direct contribution of tourism sector to total number of
jobs in Kerala was 9.9 per cent in 2009−12. The total number of jobs created directly and
indirectly by the sector turned out to be 23.52 per cent of the total employment in Kerala.
 promotes pilgrimage to holy places, promotes urbanization in the host regions,
revives local architectural traditions, regional peculiarities, the ancestral heritage and
The indirect and induced employment generating segments are fast food and beverage the cultural environment, preserves ancient monuments and historical sites, wildlife
counters/shops, commercial establishments/shops travel insurance, amusement parks, local tourism will be a check against poaching and plundering of forest wealth, helps
transportation, travel and hospitality studies, currency exchange, media and other exchange of cultural values
entertainment products and services
 Kerala – God’s Own Country
INTERLINK B/W TOURISM,ECONOMY AND URBAN PLANNING
new proposal for
tourism development
like hotels, resort or
Tourism planning needed to identify the problems and issues of the
any entertainment hub
tourism in the city and forming policies and proposals to promote local business
tourism industry in the city. create jobs
directly supply services

other companies are

Tourism proposal for Tourism arrival attracted to the area
social and economic decreases
development of the city workers spend
more jobs are
their income in
Economy decreases indirectly created
local area
increase in tax
revenue
Demand
Tourism arrival increases
increases for Loss of job No
social and improvement tax spent on improving
infrastructure and decreases of existing infrastructure image
Economy Increases and more new local infrastructure and tourist services
more taxes are collected projects of employment
hospitality
industry, for
physical area becomes a more popular
Employment generation
infrastructure and tourist destination, increasing
directly/indirectly
transportation profitability and revenue for re
facilities like investment
roads for better
connectivity of
tourist
destination.
 STRATEGIES TO REVIVE
TOURISM SECTOR AFTER
PANDEMIC
The world has and continues to suffer sizeable losses and setbacks due to COVID-19. Not least among those setbacks is the shock to the Travel &
Tourism sector. As 90% of the global population adjusted to life under travel restrictions and others stayed home in fear of the virus itself, the sector
came to a near-total standstill. Communities, large and small, depending on tourism are shouldering the burden of zero revenues, and millions have
been furloughed or laid off within a few short months. Over the past few months, the sector has sought to enhance traveller safety, provide for their
workforce, and support local communities. In effect, industry leaders are seizing the crisis as an opportunity to further enable the inclusive and
sustainable growth of the sector. It will be essential to have a global coordinated approach, enhance the current seamless travel experience,
embrace the integration of new technologies and enact global protocols for health and hygiene to ultimately rebuild the confidence of travellers.

As travellers plan their next trip, they will first look to destinations close to home. COVID-19 is transforming traveller inclinations and behaviours
toward the familiar, predictable, trusted, and even low risk. Domestic and regional vacations, extensive research and planning, and the outdoors will
reign in the short-term, with tourism businesses and destinations already adapting accordingly. Domestic travel preferred

COVID-19 is proving to be a catalyst in the Travel & Tourism sector’s quest for innovation and the integration of new technologies. Amid stay-at-
home orders, digital adoption and consumption are on the rise, with consumers now expecting contactless technologies, among others, as a basic
prerequisite for a safe and seamless travel experience.

Engage Local Communities - Collaboration with local communities is key to ensuring sustainability in the broadest sense and for the long term.
Community participation in crisis preparedness, management, and recovery can also enhance the resilience to future shocks. Together, businesses
and governments should seek to engage with local communities to tackle these complex issues and promote sustainable living. Given that a “one
size fits all” solution does not exist; it is critical to engage local communities in the planning process to jointly define how to achieve their goals as a
destination. Moreover, businesses can further engage the communities in which they work by prioritising local employment initiatives.

Manage Traveller Flows- Governments have a key role to play in ensuring travel continuity and tourist access in the wake of the crisis. Particularly
for tourism-dependent or emerging tourism areas, transparency about protocols and border restrictions is needed. And as travellers begin to and
eventually return to tourist hotspots, crowd moderation will become essential, especially until a vaccine is found. Indeed, governments may even
initiate capacity limits on some sites to minimise impact, while also enforcing physical distancing. To avoid popular and potentially crowded locations,
businesses and destinations will develop more remote offerings and promote non-traditional destinations.
Contactless Convenience
Travellers will want to decrease their contact with high-touchpoints across their journey, from viewing menus on
their devices and using mobile check-in to accessing aspects of their hotel rooms through their phones. Integrated
digital solutions that enable safe and seamless travel will be fast-tracked to reduce physical touch points across
the traveller journey. The sector will build on and aggregate existing solutions from biometric verifications and e-
gates at airports to contactless payments to enhance the traveller journey and address new concerns around
capturing health data and contact tracing.

Promote Eco-Destinations
The outbreak has increased environmental awareness among consumers. As travellers seek to make a positive
difference when travelling, sustainable tourism will become more prevalent. Destinations that protect nature, or
offer an insider view into wildlife, will attract a steady following. As such, businesses should develop their portfolio
of natural destinations and highlight their ecological benefits or minimal impact guarantees to inspire traveller
inflows. Moreover, conservation activities may become a necessary complement to tourism business in at-risk
areas to offset any harmful impact.

Leverage Technology for Good Technology can facilitate the delivery of effective and more sustainable tourism
solutions. Digital solutions can, for instance, be used to monitor and collect data on nature, wildlife, and
environmental conservation work; and digital platforms, especially social media, can be used to promote
awareness and build support for various sustainability initiatives worldwide. Moreover, the few destinations which
are at risk of overcrowding can further integrate technologies for tracking and better distributing large volumes of
travellers

The Rise of Virtual Tourism

Businesses and destinations alike will continue to adapt to the changing times, even offering virtual experiences
as they work to re-inspire wanderlust in travellers and restart the sector. National parks such as Yellowstone142
and over 2,000 museums and archives from around the world, in collaboration with Google Cultural Institute143,
have already gone online through virtual reality. In a similar vein, many hotel chains, restaurants and even airlines
have begun to share classic recipes online to connect with travellers by reminding them of favourite treats, like
United Airline’s delicious stroopwafels144.
• When tourism resumes, domestic travel will be the focus, putting destinations under the dangers of mass tourism, in which the number of incoming
tourists exceeds a destination’s capacity to hold them. To resume domestic travel, with discounted packages and promotions aimed at building
demand. Other countries are also focusing on a few prime locations for attracting tourists. Rebuilding the tourism sector and providing tourists with
rewarding experiences must be done by exploring alternatives to mass tourism, such as sustainable rural tourism, nature tourism, and theme-based
circuit tourism.

• Infrastructure for waste management needs to be improved and all public places must have provisions for the safe disposal of bio-medical waste.
Increasing access to clean water and sanitation services, along with the promotion of good hygiene practices like hand washing, would also help to
stop the spread of communicable diseases.

• Incentives must also be made to internet service providers to improve connectivity in tourist destinations. Taken together, these strategies can help
ensure that policy decisions are informed by careful and scientific formulations. Protecting the key assets of a region—the very reason for tourist
arrivals—is a fundamental pillar of any recovery, ensuring we don’t solve one problem by creating another. When planned and implemented
strategically, tourism as a sector can match up to its potential of being a driver of social, economic, and environmental welfare.

• The outlook for the tourism sector remains highly uncertain. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to hit hard, with international tourism
expected to decrease by around 80% in 2020.

• Domestic tourism is helping to soften the blow, at least partially, and governments have taken impressive immediate action to restore and re-
activate the sector, while protecting jobs and businesses. Many countries are also now developing measures to build a more resilient tourism
economy post COVID-19. These include preparing plans to support the sustainable recovery of tourism, promoting the digital transition and move
to a greener tourism system, and rethinking tourism for the future.

 Restoring traveller confidence

 Supporting tourism businesses to adapt and survive
 Promoting domestic tourism and supporting safe return of international tourism
 Providing clear information to travellers and businesses, and limiting uncertainty
(to the extent possible)
 Evolving response measures to maintain capacity in the sector and address
gaps in supports
 Strengthening co-operation within and between countries
 Building more resilient, sustainable tourism