Rural Tourism — A Sustainable Approach to Rural Development
As part of my recent research, I studied the role of tourism in bringing about social transformation. I came across numerous aspects of this industry. One of the most interesting among them was “Rural Tourism”.
Tourism is one of the largest and most profitable industries in the world. It has significant impact on the society, including job creation, economic growth, and infrastructural development. Having generated almost US$ 8 trillion in revenue and approximately 300 million jobs (2014), the tourism industry ranked 1st among the service sector industries. The global figures for the number of international tourist arrivals in 2016 was 1.24 billion. Of these, 14.5 million international arrivals were recorded in India. The tourism industry in India is a highly profitable industry with the country’s foreign exchange earnings alone amounting to US$ 27.7 billion. The number of domestic tourist visits stood at close to 1.6 billion.
In recent years, the government has formulated several policies to promote this sector, having realised its potential impact on the economy. A National Tourism Policy was conceived in 2002 with this goal in mind. At present, numerous forms of tourism, categorised under “niche tourism” have evolved. One of these is the concept of Rural Tourism. In its 12th Five-Year Plan, the government of India accorded it a priority sector status. So, what exactly is rural tourism? What is its relevance in the Indian context? What will be its implications on the social and economic spheres of development?
What is Rural Tourism?
For the tourist living a westernised lifestyle, the pastoral life of rural areas is an unfamiliar concept. The rustic charm, therefore, becomes a tourist attraction. Rural Tourism refers to the tourism that takes tourists to experience “the actual culture” of a rural setting. India’s Ministry of Tourism defines it as any form of tourism that showcases the rural life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations, thereby benefiting the local community economically and socially as well as enabling interaction between the tourists and the locals for a more enriching tourism experience.
Its characteristics include portrayal of the native arts and heritage in their natural habitat (rural areas), experiencing the local culture through direct involvement with the residents of the villages. Rural tourism can include one or many of the multiple facets including farm tourism, cultural tourism, adventure tourism, nature tourism, and eco-tourism. Unlike conventional tourism, it does not involve monuments or distinct cultural buildings imparting knowledge about the region.
Thus, rural tourism, through its myriad offerings of the traditional arts and culture, offers the tourists a break from their hectic, fast-paced life enslaved by modern technologies and urban ways of living. It is a “vacation” offering a one-of-a-kind learning experience to the travellers.
Scope of Rural Tourism in India
The soul of India resides in its villages. Even in the 21st century world of technological advancements, India is a country whose economy is governed primarily by rural occupation. Two-thirds of its population lives in rural areas.
The country is home to more than 600,000 villages spanning different regions, each having its own set of customs and heritage. The tourism sector can benefit immensely by highlighting the rich cultural legacy of such areas.
India’s demographic diversity is supplemented by its geographic diversity. From the frigid, snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas in the North to the sandy coasts of the southern peninsula, from the verdant hills of the North-East to the scalding desert in the west, the country is home to a large variety of landscapes.
Even in the absence of a proper policy on promoting the rich heritage of Indian towns and villages, curious travellers have thronged to such places to learn about the local customs and experience the native lifestyles. Rajasthan and Gujarat have been the frontrunners in this domain. The traditional arts & crafts of India combined with the simple, tranquil life in its rural areas lure tourists from around the globe. Vacationers are attracted to places where they can break free from their daily routine and experience a new way of life which reinvigorates them to cope with their mundane lives. India, with its diverse population, geography, and traditions is one of the best places for such seekers of change.
Benefits & Drawbacks of Rural Tourism — Indian Perspective
The benefits and drawbacks of rural tourism can be classified with respect to the stakeholders as follows.
Benefits:
For Residents:
- Swift & Holistic Infrastructural Development — A tourist destination needs to be attractive to the potential visitors; they must have the basic amenities in the form of rest houses, electricity & water supply, sanitation, and sewerage facilities. The accessibility of these areas will also need improvement. Developing rural areas as tourist destinations will result in the holistic development of their infrastructure. The allure of economic benefits will drive the authorities to develop these areas at a faster pace.
- Interaction with the outside world — Presently, rural areas are considered remote areas with minimal connectivity and interaction — the residents interact with visitors from neighbouring regions. With the onset of rural tourism, people from diverse geographical and educational backgrounds will visit these underdeveloped areas, interact with the locals, enhancing their knowledge and skills.
- Skill Development & Job Creation — As the concept gains popularity, large number of tourists will throng rural areas, the local arts and crafts will be appreciated to a larger extent. Also, the residents will have to be trained in skills relevant to the hospitality and tourism industry; new job profiles will emerge such as guides, event planners, accommodation managers, caterers, etc.
- Improved Rural Economy — As these areas will witness arrival of tourists, the economic condition of rural areas will improve. With the emergence of new hotels / B&Bs, increased sale of local arts and crafts, and requirement of means of transport, the income of the resident population will undergo immense growth.
- Enhanced Quality of Life — The combined effect of the individual benefits will result in a much better quality of life for residents.
For Tourists:
- Experience a different lifestyle — Tourists, who spend most of their lives in urban areas, will get the opportunity to break free from the frantic atmosphere of cities, and experience the tranquil atmosphere of villages.
- Get closer to Nature — In due course of time, urban areas have drifted away from nature; rural areas, on the other hand, develop in symbiosis with nature.
The Challenge:
- Adapting to the pastoral way of living — How convenient would it be for the visitors to adapt to the pastoral life in villages? The balance between retaining the village infrastructure and developing facilities for the convenience of the tourists needs to be considered.
- Pressure on Natural Resources — As more tourists visit these areas, there will be greater consumption of food and water, thereby increasing
- Waste Management — The amount of waste generated will increase with an increase in the visiting population. Waste generation and its consequences, such as plastic pollution, need to be kept in check.
- Adaptability of native population — The resident population, which is not averse with the urban culture, especially of people from foreign lands, might face difficulty in accepting their new visitors. The authorities will have to intervene through regulations to not disturb the culture of the native population.
- Environmental Quality — As waste generation and pressure on natural resources increases, the environmental quality would tend to deteriorate. Maintaining harmony with the environment will be a major challenge; failure to do so might prove fatal to the endemic flora and fauna.
Initiatives of Government of India and Private Organisations
The Government of India first mooted the idea of Rural Tourism in its National Tourism Policy (2002). Since then, there have been numerous developments in promoting this concept. One of these is a collaboration with the UNDP under the Endogenous Tourism Project. The Project seeks to promote local culture and craft based eco-tourism for sustainable livelihoods and integrated rural development. It aims to develop strong community-private partnerships while focussing on capacity building, employment, gender equality, and upliftment of the marginalised groups among others. So far 51 locations have been identified and commissioned as Rural Tourism sites by the Ministry of Tourism, 36 of which have been developed.
A few months back, an MoU was signed between the World Bank and AirBnb to towards examining ways in which emerging destinations use new technology and platforms such as Airbnb to create economic opportunities for communities that have not traditionally benefited from tourism and hospitality. The two organizations will also share information on the current scale of alternative accommodation options and home sharing across several countries, beginning with pilot projects in Sri Lanka and India. The ultimate aim is to better define the development impacts of these accommodation options while paying particular attention to the ways in which they can be leveraged to unlock economic opportunities in marginalized regions and communities. Airbnb and the World Bank Group will then apply lessons learned before rolling out the initiative to other countries around the world.
Rural tourism is, thus, an emerging concept, attracting the attention of government, organisations as well as individuals. Schemes like these are not only an attractive investment but also a sustainable move towards development of rural areas. A viable alternative to the prevalent practices detrimental to the environment, rural tourism could be one of the most advantageous among the numerous forms of tourism, benefitting the society, the residents, the visitors and the environment!
The present government aims to improve the living standards of ‘farmers’. It cannot prevent the growth of urban sprawl, nor can it exercise control over the agricultural produce in case of detrimental weather. Rural Tourism can come to the rescue of the rural economy. The potential of rural tourism, thus, needs to be explored and utilised to the fullest extent. Authorities must take advantage of the concept, which is a source of revenue while also being a harbinger of economic progress and social development.
