Contribution of Tourism in Indian Economy:
The World Tourism Organisation defines tourists as people who “travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercises of an activity remunerated from within the place visited”. Tourism can be understood as a travel for recreational or leisure purposes. “Travel is more than seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living” (Miriam Beard, American historian, archivist and educationalist).
Tourism has emerged as the largest global industry …show more content…
These attractions are varied, and in less developed areas, they might include traditional religious practices, handicrafts or cultural performances” as defined by World Tourism Organisation. The range of cultural tourism activities includes archaeological sites, museums, castles, palaces, historical buildings, famous buildings, ruins, art, sculpture, crafts, galleries, festivals, events, music and dance, folk arts, theatre, primitive cultures, subcultures, ethnic communities, churches, cathedrals and other things that represent people and their cultures (Richards,1996; Goodrich,1997; Miller,1997; Jamieson, 1994). The scale can vary from one building to a cluster of buildings, a streetscape, a product within a community, an entire city or a town, a region or arguably to entire country. The study conducted by National Institute for Tourism Research and Development on the Developments and trends in the world, stated a fact that “the cultural tourism gains popularity faster than other tourism segments and faster than the tourism growth rate in the world”. Cultural tourism is today a pillar because it serves as a strategy for growth for many countries and the local people used this to boost their local culture (Richard, 1996). Cultural tourism is an entertainment and educational experience that combines the arts with natural and social heritage and …show more content…
It can be a tool for poverty reduction. National development strategies must therefore be developed with recognition that tourism plays an essential role in improving the conditions of poorer segments of society (John W. Ashe 2005). Tourism development leads to generation of employment opportunities either directly or indirectly such as employment in hotels, travel agencies, transport companies, restaurants, tour guides, commercial establishments or business, training institutions, emporiums, exhibitions etc. Apart from economic development and employment generation, the impact of tourism implied to environmental, social and cultural aspects of life. Due to numerous benefits arising from economic development, it has received a significant