Eco or Green Tourism is a New Mantra

Go Green is new Mantra. All over the world, people are becoming increasingly consciousness about the environment and the need to do something to preserve it. As a result now we see eco-friendly cars, fuels and even games! India hosted the world’s first green Common Wealth Games.

Today, the tourism industry, with an annual growth rate of 10-15%, is turning out to be the world’s biggest and the hottest industry. India’s share in this pie is also increasing as it fast emerges as a global tourist destination with a rich cultural heritage and scenic locations.

Like in other areas, in tourism too the idea of Green or Eco Tourism is becoming popular. Green tourism refers to responsible travel to areas that preserve nature and improve the well being of the local people. Negative impact on the environmental is minimal and efforts are made to encourage wildlife in their natural habitats. Ethical issues that have to be dealt with in green tourism are usually social injustice, human rights, animal rights and of course the environment. Infact issues relating to land and other natural resources are one of the major conflicting ethical issues.

Since tourism is an industry that involves huge amount of money and rapid growth, often, the well-being of the local people of such tourist places gets compromised. For example, in India, women in Rajasthanhave to walk for miles to fetch water, but the tourist spots in desert lands also have water in abundance. Farmers in Indonesia have been punished and murdered for protesting against development of tourist destination while in Mexico, farmers have been forced to give up their land for the development of golf courses. Green tourism does not only mean being responsible while traveling, but also requires one to act responsibly while choosing a place of visit. Green tourism all though protects environment but in many cases ends up harming the local population.

Just like a coin, green tourism also has two sides. On the one hand it protects the environment and is an eco-friendly way to travel but on the other hand it sometimes hurts things more important than environment and just like everything else in the world, it is important to strike a balance between the positive and negative effects of green tourism.

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Rural Tourism: will it help to build the Country's Brand Image

To sell anything it is important to build a brand image. Perhaps, this is the strategy now India is adapting too. In order to promote Indian tourism, rural tourism is been promoted these days. Interestingly, India is the country with the largest holidays therefore giving many reasons for the people to roam around in and out India. Read on to know whether rural tourism will really help building country’s brand image?

What is Rural Tourism?

First of all, let’s first clear the concept of rural tourism for you. In government terms or in broad terms, rural tourism is any type of tourism that showcases the rural life, culture, art and heritage of the rural places of India. Thereby, helping the local community both socially and economically by an increase in tourism. Rural tourism is usually experience oriented and at locations that are sparsely populated and full of natural environments and local events. Just like ecotourism focuses on environment, rural tourism focuses on the rural life of a country.

Rustic Charm – Attracting Foreign Tourists

India, often known as the land of snake charmers is best characterized for its rustic charm. So, why won’t the same rustic charm help in attracting foreign tourists? It is a fact known that rural India is simple incredible and full of a variety of arts, dances, cuisines and cultures. Government is not just trying to make a brand image of the country through rural tourism but it is also trying to promote local art and craft based culture of India so that the rural people can earn sustainable livelihoods.

Foreigners being attracted by rural states

Another thing that help is promoting rural tourism of India is the abundance of festivals and fairs in rural India. Foreign tourists are attracted with the fests of India like the Jatra Festival, Vasanta Utsav, Poush Mela, Pushkar Mela, Jhoolan and other such fests and melas. Needless to say, that a foreign tourist who explores the rural India is hardly left untouched by the excitement of this world that is full of lively adventure and serene experience. People of rural India are known for their pure hearts and hospitable nature that indeed helps building the country’s brand image.

Main Objectives of Rural Tourism in India

Now, have a look at the main objectives of rural tourism in India:

• The first and foremost objective of promoting rural tourism is to showcase sustainable tourism. It is also a way of letting foreigners understand the ordinary and everyday life of the rural India and thereby raising its standard.
• Another object is to generate a good amount of revenue and a good source of income for the local people, especially craftsmen and artisans to encourage their art.
• Rural tourism in India also aims to promote the historical monuments, their environment, dwellings, town layout and lanes. In other words, rural tourism will help conserving the country’s rural heritage.

To conclude, we can say that rural tourism will definitely help building the country’s brand image to a great extent and it is already helping it.

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