Ethnic Tourism Essence of India
Abstract
Ethnic Tourism: Essence of India
Tourism is travel for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes or the provision of services to support this leisure travel. The World tourism Organization 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 exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited".
India, like many other countries has had a long tradition of religious and spiritual tourism. Our ancestors traveled to the different corners of the sub-continent, sometimes on foot, to visit places of pilgrimage. While the main objective of the pilgrim was to attain communion with the nature, the route always had an element of adventure and of the unexpected. The journey also brought the traveler face to face with the marvels provided by Mother Nature whether in the form of The Himalayas, the deep jungles or the deep blue of the Indian Ocean. This used to be an ideal tourist package - low in cost but high on experience and adventure-in effect, it gives shape to the tourist’s dream. Today there are many types of tourism in vogue. Some of the prominent tourist products are spiritual tourism, ecological tourism, religious tourism, health tourism, festival tourism and cultural tourism, ethnic tourism, farm tourism village tourism, rain tourism, tribal tourism, rural tourism, dark tourism and the list goes on.
In a country like India opportunities to explore tourism are tremendous. In this paper a brief outline is drawn on Ethnic Tourism and its dimensions in India .what effects ethnic tourism has on Indian economy, environment and community. Different colors of ethnic tourism in India are reflected through various destinations already explored and yet to be explored.
India is a land where people come from all over the world to experience the cultural and regional diversity. So let’s feel the experience and see
Ethnic Tourism: Essence of India
Tourism is travel for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes or the provision of services to support this leisure travel. The World tourism Organization 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 exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited".
India, like many other countries has had a long tradition of religious and spiritual tourism. Our ancestors traveled to the different corners of the sub-continent, sometimes on foot, to visit places of pilgrimage. While the main objective of the pilgrim was to attain communion with the nature, the route always had an element of adventure and of the unexpected. The journey also brought the traveler face to face with the marvels provided by Mother Nature whether in the form of The Himalayas, the deep jungles or the deep blue of the Indian Ocean. This used to be an ideal tourist package - low in cost but high on experience and adventure-in effect, it gives shape to the tourist’s dream. Today there are many types of tourism in vogue. Some of the prominent tourist products are spiritual tourism, ecological tourism, religious tourism, health tourism, festival tourism and cultural tourism, ethnic tourism, farm tourism village tourism, rain tourism, tribal tourism, rural tourism, dark tourism and the list goes on.
In a country like India opportunities to explore tourism are tremendous. In this paper a brief outline is drawn on Ethnic Tourism and its dimensions in India .what effects ethnic tourism has on Indian economy, environment and community. Different colors of ethnic tourism in India are reflected through various destinations already explored and yet to be explored.
India is a land where people come from all over the world to experience the cultural and regional diversity. So let’s feel the experience and see
References: Ministry of tourism