Tourism

Unit 1: Introduction
Tourism – Definition and Meaning- In India we see the origin of the concept of Tourism in
Sanskrit Literature. It has given us three terms derived from the root word “Atana” which means
going out and accordingly we have the terms:

•Tirthatana –It means going out and visiting places of religious merit.

• Paryatana- It means going out for pleasure and knowledge.

• Deshatana- It means going out of the country primarily for economic gains.

In simple terms Tourism is the act of travel for the purposes of leisure, pleasure or business, and
the provision of services for this act. There are two important components that make up tourism:

1. The practice of travelling for pleasure.

2. The business of providing tours and services for persons travelling.

Here we are discussing the features of the above two components. The following are required, to
make travel possible:

1. Discretionary income, i.e. money to spend on non-essentials

2. Time in which to do so.

3. Infrastructure in the form of accommodation facilities and means of transport.

Five main characteristics of tourism

1. Tourism arises from a movement of people to, and their stay in, various destinations.

2. There are two elements in all tourism: the journey to the destination and the stay including
activities at the destination.

3. The journey and the stay take place outside the usual place of residence and work, so that
tourism gives rise to activities, which are distinct from those of the resident and the working
population of the places, through which the tourist travels and in which they stay.

4. The movement to destinations is of temporary, short-term character, with the intention of

returning to the usual environment within a few days, weeks or months.

5. Destinations are visited for purposes other than taking up permanent residence or
employment remunerated from within the places visited.
Differences between Travel and Tourism- Though the words Travel and Tourism are
synonymized and used interchangeably but Tourism is a wider concept and encompasses a lot
more than travel alone. Travel implies journeys undertaken from one place to another for any
purpose including journeys to work and as a part of employment, as a part of leisure and to take
up residence; whereas Tourism includes the journey to a destination and also the stay at a
destination outside one’s usual place of residence and the activities undertaken for leisure and
recreation. All tourism includes some travel, but not all travel is tourism .A person may often
travel for a wide variety of purposes of which tourism is only one.
Howeverif properly handled a part of the travel for non tourism purposes can be motivated into
travel for tourism as an additional purpose .For example
a person on a journey as a part of employment to a place with one or more tourist attractions –
like a spot of scenic beauty or historical significance, a pilgrimage, a lake, etc. can be
induced to spare some time and money for a short visit and or stay for tourism purposes alone .In
this sense every traveller is a ‘potential’ tourist and is up to the managers of the industry to tap
this’ potential’ and convert the traveller into an ‘actual’ tourist.

Concept of Tourism - Tourism is an ever-expanding service industry with vast growth potential
and has therefore become one of the crucial concerns of the not only nations but also of the
international community as a whole. In fact, it has come up as a decisive link in gearing up the
pace of the socio-economic development world over.

It is believed that the word tour in the context of tourism became established in the English
language by the eighteen century. On the other hand, according to oxford dictionary, the word
tourism first came to light in the English in the nineteen century (1811) from a Greek word
'tomus' meaning a round shaped tool.' Tourism as a phenomenon means the movement of people
(both within and across the national borders).Tourism means different things to different people
because it is an abstraction of a wide range of consumption activities which demand products
and services from a wide range of industries in the economy.

In 1905, E. Freuler defined tourism in the modem sense of the world "as a phenomena of modem
times based on the increased need for recuperation and change of air, the awakened, and
cultivated appreciation of scenic beauty, the pleasure in. and the enjoyment of nature and in
particularly brought about by the increasing mingling of various nations and classes of human
society, as a result of the development of commerce, industry and trade, and the perfection of the
means of transport.

Professor Huziker and Krapf of the. Berne university in 1942 defined tourism as 'the sum total of
phenomena and relationship arising from travel and stay of nonresidents, in so far as they do not
lead to permanent residence and are not connected with any earning activities'.'' Another broad
definition was formulated by
On 4"" march 1993, the international organization, the World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO)
gave modern definition of tourism as 'tourism is defined as the activities of persons traveling to
and staying in place outside their usual environment for 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. The use of this broad concept makes it possible to identify tourism
between countries as well as tourism within a country. Tourism refers to all activities of visitors,
including both tourists (overnight visitors) and same day visitors.

In general way tourism can be defined as the temporary movement of the people to destinations
away from their usual place or normal habitat, the activities entered upon during their stay in
those destination and the facilities developed to provide their requirements / needs. The study of
tourism involves the motivation and experience of the tourists on the one hand, the expectations
of an adjustment made by the local residents of the concerned area, and the role played by the
several interceding agencies of moving, housing, feeding, and entertaining people as they go
from a place of their habitat to another for business and or pleasure. The industry primarily
incorporates five groups of activities, i.e., transportation, accommodation, catering/retail,
recreation, and travel related services.

Importance of Tourism- Tourism and hospitality, which are inextricably linked to each other,
are among the major revenue-earning enterprises in the world. They happen to be among the top
employers too. There has been an up market trend in tourism over the last few decades as travel
has become quite common. People travel for business, vacation, pleasure, adventure or even
medical treatments.

With several business-related activities associated with tourism, the industry has a tremendous
potential of generating employment as well as earning foreign exchange. There are many
countries in the world, such as Mauritius, Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji, and the Caribbean, whose
economies are primarily driven by tourism. Tourism can contribute to the economic growth of a
country in the followings ways:

Employment Generation-It creates a large number of jobs among direct services providers (such
as hotel, restaurants, travel agencies, tour operators, guide and tour escorts, etc.) and among
indirect services providers (such as suppliers to the hotels and restaurants, supplementary
accommodation, etc.)

Infrastructure Development-Tourism spurs infrastructure development. In order to become an

important commercial or pleasure destination, any location would require all the necessary
infrastructure, like good connectivity via rail, road, and air transport, adequate accommodation,
restaurants, a well-developed telecommunication network, and, medical facilities, among others.

Foreign Exchange-The people who travel to other countries spend a large amount of money on
accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, shopping etc. Thus, an inbound tourist is an
important source of foreign exchange for any country.
Impacts of Tourism- Establishing or developing a tourism industry involves expenditure as well
as gains, costs, and benefits. If these impacts are taken into consideration from the outset of
planning, strengths and opportunities can be maximized while weaknesses and threats can be
minimized.

Each destination will be different in terms of tourism characteristics. The cost and benefits of
tourism will vary in each destination and can change over time, depending on tourism and other
activities in a destination’s local and regional context.

Economic Impacts-Tourism activities impact the economy of the country as well as the local
economy of the destination.

Economics Benefits

 Tourism generates local employment, directly in the tourism sector and in support and
resource management sectors.
 Tourism stimulates profitable domestic industries, hotels and other lodging facilities,
restaurants and food services, transportation systems, handicrafts, and guide services.
 Tourism generates foreign exchange for the country and injects capital and new money
into the local economy.
 Tourism helps to diversify the local economy.
 Improved tourism infrastructure.
 Increase tax revenues from tourism.

Economic Costs

 Higher demand created by tourism activity may increase the price of land, housing and a
range of commodities necessary for daily life.
 Demands on health services provision and police service increase during the tourist
seasons at the expense of the local tax base.

Social Impacts- Tourism also affects the society of the destination in good as well as bad ways. It
benefits and costs the local communities.

Social Benefits

 The quality of a community can be enhanced by economic diversification through

tourism.
 Recreational and cultural facilities created for tourism can be used by local communities
as well as domestic/international visitors.
 Public spaced may be developed and enhanced through tourism activity.
 Tourism Enhances local community’s esteem and provides an opportunity for greater
understanding and communication among people of diverse background.
Social Costs

 Rapid tourism growth can result in the inability of local amenities and institutions to meet
service demands.
 Without proper planning and management, litter, vandalism, and crime often accompany
tourism development.
 Tourism can bring overcrowding and traffic congestion.
 Visitors bring with them material wealth and apparent freedom. The youths of the host
community are particularly susceptible to the economic expectations these tourists bring
and can result in complete disruption of traditional community ways of life.
 The community structure may change, e.g. community bonds, demographics, and
institutions.
 The authenticity of the social and cultural environment can be changed to meet tourism
demands.

Cultural Impacts- Tourism activities also affect the culture of the host country. There are many
positive and negative cultural impact of tourism.

Cultural Benefits

 Tourism can enhance local cultural awareness.

 Tourism can generate revenue to help pay for the preservation of archaeological sites,
historic buildings, and districts.
 Despite criticism about the alteration of cultures to unacceptable levels, the sharing of
cultural knowledge and experience can be beneficial for hosts and guests of tourism
destinations and can result in the revival of local traditions and crafts.

Cultural Costs

 Youth in the community begin to emulate the speech and attire of tourists.
 Historic sites can be damaged through tourism development and pressures.
 There can be long-term damage to cultural traditions and the erosion of cultural values,
resulting in cultural change beyond a level acceptable to the host destination.

Environmental Impact- Tourism impacts on the environment in positive as well as negative way.
These impacts are following below.

Environmental Benefits

 Parks and nature preserves may be created and ecological preservation supported as a
necessity for nature-based tourism.
 Improved waste management can be achieved.
 Increased awareness and concern for the environment can result from nature-based
tourism activities and development.
Environmental Costs

 A negative change in the physical integrity of the area.

 Rapid development, over-development, and overcrowding can forever change the
physical environment and ecosystems of an area.
 Degradation of parks and preserves.

Trends in Tourism Industry- The most important economic feature of activities related to the
tourism sector is that they contribute to the high-priority goals of developing countries- the
generation of income, employment and foreign-exchange earnings. In this respect, the tourism
sector can play an important role as a driving force of economic development. The tourism sector
is probably the only service sector that provides concrete and quantified trading opportunities for
all nations, regardless of their level of development. For many developing countries tourism is
one of the fundamental pillars of development process because it is one of the dominant
activities in the economy, while for others, particularly by islands and some small economies, it
is the only source of foreign currency and employment, and therefore constitutes the platform for
their economic development. Moreover, tourism is essential in balancing the commercial deficit
and overcoming external pressure during different stages of economic development of a country.

The impact this industry can have in the different stages of economic development depends on
the specific characteristics of each country. Given the complexity of tourism consumption, its
economic impact is felt widely in other production sectors, contributing in each case towards
achieving the aims of accelerated development.

Generally Tourism and travel related services includes services provided by hotels and
restaurants (including catering), travel agencies and tour operator services, tourist guide services
and other related services. And one of the most crucial aspects of tourism is the cross-border
movement of consumers. This permits even unskilled workers in remote areas to become
services exporters, for instance, by selling craft items, performing in cultural shows or working
in hotels and lodges.

Tourism in India- problems & prospects- From 17000 tourists in 1951 to over 10 million by
2017 the Indian travel and tourism industry is prospering enormously. It contributed 9.4 % to
India’s total GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in 2017 and provided 41.622 million jobs to the
people. Yet, we are relatively far behind several other small countries like Singapore and Hong
Kong. This article will help you to know more about the challenges alongside the wide prospects
of the Indian tourism industry.

Prospects- India are gifted with massive diversity in culture, geography, and art which pull in a
colossal measure of voyagers to the nation. Different new forms of tourism that are being
introduced in recent years are also helping to build up the country’s tourism industry. Medical
tourism, eco-tourism, adventure tourism, and cruise tourism have also gained a lot of popularity
and attention among foreigners now and have the potential for high growth in the near future.
The Himalayas are the greatest assets of India in adventure tourism.

Tourism industry for India is a beautifully prospering and promising field. Taking sufficient
measures to confront the difficulties presented and further enhancing the prospects can guarantee
unlimited chances and development of the nation.

Problems-

1. Lack of proper infrastructure- An entrenched framework of infrastructure which includes

proper transportation facilities, health facilities, stable, and uninterrupted connectivity and other
human resources are mandatory for stable tourism. India positioned 112nd in the ICT readiness
component and 104th rank in the health and hygiene components of the WEF’s Travel and
Tourism Competitiveness Index, 2017. This basically mirrors the poor quality infrastructure our
nation has. One of the significant reasons for this is the improper allocation of financial resources
for the tourism sector. If we look at the 2017-18 budgets we can see that only 1840 crore was
allocated for a prospering and promising sector like tourism.

2. Human resources- Highly skilled and potential men hold an inevitable part of the tourism
sector. To maintain the growth of our Indian travel and tourism industry a large amount of
skilled man force is required at different levels. In the past years, there was an exploding
increase in manpower for other sectors like banking, engineering, and medicine. This gradually
prompted abatement in the human resources available for the tourism sector. Thus at present,
there is a huge demand for the workforce in both the hospitality and tourism sectors.

3. Insufficient promotion and marketing- Great promotion and enough marketing push are
excessively indispensable for a nation’s travel industry improvement. Be that as it may, in India,
the financial backing allotted to help and advance the travel industry is moderately less
contrasted with other tourist destinations. At present India needs a colossal move from the
conventional marketing techniques that are still being followed to a much modern approach.

4. Taxation- High taxes on the entire industry including the airline facilities, hotels, and tour
operators are highly expensive. This is the one main reason why India loses to other less
expensive countries when it comes to tourism. For instance, consider the price of air tickets. It
varies in all the 29 states.

5. Security issues- Security is one of the major challenges faced by Indian tourism. The
increasing rate of sexual abuse of women, theft, credit card fraud, identity theft, food poisoning,
terrorism, and public violence is affecting Indian tourism to a high extent.

Tourism in Rajasthan- problems & prospects- There are enough prospects for growth and
development of tourism in Rajasthan as there are many potential avenues which have remained
untapped. Besides this the government can promote medical tourism by providing super
specialty medical facilities at a cheaper rate the government can also develop infrastructural
facilities for promoting camp tourism and eco- friendly nature tourism.

Prospects of Rajasthan tourism industry are very bright. In Rajasthan, tourism is the third largest
employer after agriculture and textiles sector. Rajasthan has a developed tourism infrastructure,
with over 6,000 hotel rooms in more than 150 hotels. Of these, over 1,400 rooms (54 hotels)
belong to the heritage category. The state runs the "Palace on Wheels', 'Heritage on Wheels', and
newly launched luxury train 'Royal Rajasthan on Wheels', which is a famous attraction for
foreign tourists. There are many popular tourist destinations in the state which attract tourists
from India and abroad that include historic cities (Jaipur, Udaipur, Bikaner), wildlife centuries
(Sariska, Ranthambore, Keoladeo) and desert locations (Jodhpur, Jaisalmer). To provide further
impetus to tourism industry in the state, Rajasthan government has reduced the luxury tax
applicable to the tourism industry from 10 per cent to 8 per cent. If the government continues to
provide incentives to tourism sector than in years to come tourism industry will become the
largest, employment generating industry in Rajasthan.

Problems-

Poor advertisement for the publicity of tourism- One of the fundamental problems in tourism in
Rajasthan is shortage of specialized advertisement and publicity of many significant attractions

Problems of shortage of accommodation- Different ranks of hotels and tourism facilities

according to the financial abilities of tourists are a very important factor in tourism development.
Due to lack of such facility a numbers of tourists have problems of availability of hotels at a
cheaper rate and this causes many tourists to have a very short stay in Rajasthan.

Higher Tax- Higher taxes are charged to tourist at various stages right from their entry in
Rajasthan. Taxes are charged on airport, food provided hotel accommodation. This has
cumulative impact on the overall expenses.

Lack of Tourists reception centers (TRC) - There is a lack of Tourists reception centers in
Rajasthan which provide the basic information about the tourist destination in Rajasthan. The
absence of this important centre, leads to loss in revenue, as tourists visiting Rajasthan do not
move to all places of tourists attraction.

Discrimination pricing- There is discriminating pricing for foreign tourists. In most of the
historical monuments there is different pricing for domestic and foreign tourist.

Insensitive tourists create problems- Many a times tourist visiting popular sites, forget the civic
sense and indulge in activities which seriously hamper the beauty of a particular tourist
destination.

Seasonality- The hot weather of Rajasthan creates a lot of problem for visiting tourists. Many
tourists, who not used to such types of climatic conditions, find their stay very tough.
UNIT 2 Tourism

Tourism Product- A tourism product can be defined as the sum of the physical and
psychological satisfaction it provides to tourists during their travelling en route to the destination.
The tourist product focuses on facilities and services designed to meet the needs of the tourist. It
can be seen as a composite product, as the sum total of a country’s tourist attractions, transport,
and accommodation and of entertainment which result in customer satisfaction. Each of the
components of a tourist product is supplied by individual providers of services like hotel
companies, airlines, travel agencies, etc.

Why it is different from other types of consumer product- tourism is termed as a smokeless
industry and unlike other product it has not its own entity or a single item but it is the
combination of different products, services and attractions. A tourism product is the sum of the
physical and psychological experience got by tourist during their traveling to the destination.

Types of Tourism Product-The tourism product which is a combination of tangible and

intangible products can be a thing, an event, or a place which motivates the tourists towards it.
There are different ways in which the tourist products can be classified.

Natural Tourism Products- These includes natural resources such as areas, climate and its setting,
landscape and natural environment. Natural resources are frequently the key elements in a
destination’s attraction. Let us look at some examples: 1. Countryside 2. Climate- temperature,
rains, snowfall, days of sunshine 3.Natural Beauty- landforms, hills, rocks, gorges, terrain
4.Water- lakes, ponds, rivers, waterfalls, springs 5.Flora and Fauna 6.Beaches 7.Islands 8.Scenic
Attractions

The climate of a tourist destination is often an important attraction. Good weather plays an
important role in making a holiday. Millions of tourists from countries with extreme climates
visit beaches in search of fine weather and sunshine. The sunshine and clear sea breeze at the
beaches have attracted many people for a very long time.

In countries with tropical climates, many upland cool areas have been developed as ‘hill
stations’. Hence climate is of great significance as a tourism product. The scenery and natural
beauty of places has always attracted tourists. Tourists enjoy nature in all its various forms.
There are land forms like mountains, canyons, coral reefs, cliffs, etc.

Flora and Fauna attract many a tourist. Tourists like to know the various types of plants and trees
that they see and which trees are seen in which seasons. There are many plants which are specific
to certain regions and many times students and travellers visit those areas especially to see those
varieties of plants. Thick forest covers, attract tourists who enjoy trekking and hunting activities.
Fauna attracts tourists who like to watch birds, wild mammals, reptiles and other exotic and rare
animals. Countries in South East Asia have crocodile gardens, bird sanctuaries, and other tourist
products that display the fauna of their region.

Beach tourism is very popular among the tourists today. Tourists of all age groups, backgrounds,
cultures and countries enjoy this tourism product. Besides attraction and sale ability, beach
holidaying has lead to overall development of tourism in many parts of the world. The basic
importance of beaches is that they provide aesthetic and environmental value of the beach such
as beautiful natural scenery with golden sands, lush green vegetation and bright blue sky

Man Made Tourism Products- Man- made tourism products are created by man for pleasure,
leisure or business. Man- made tourism products include:

Cultural- Cultural tourism is based on the mosaic of places, traditions, art forms, celebrations and
experiences that portray the nation and its people, reflecting the diversity and character of a
country. • Sites and areas of archaeological interest • Historical buildings and monuments •
Places of historical significance • Museums and art galleries • Political and educational
institutions • Religious institutions

Traditions- A pilgrimage is a term primarily used for a journey or a search of great moral
significance. Sometimes, it is a journey to a sacred place or shrine of importance to a person’s
beliefs and faith. Members of every religion participate in pilgrimages. A person who makes
such a journey is called a pilgrim. A large number of people have been making pilgrimages to
sacred religious places or holy places. This practice is widespread in many parts of the world.

• Pilgrimages • Fairs and festivals • Arts and handicrafts • Dance • Music • Folklore • Native life
and customs

In India there are many pilgrimage centers and holy places belonging to all major religions of the
world. India is among the richest countries in the world as far as the field of art and craft is
concerned. Tourists like to visit and see the creative and artistic treasures of various countries.
Every country has certain traditional arts like soap sculptures and batik of Thailand; gems and
jewellery, tie and dye works, wood and marble carving in Indonesia; ivory, glasswork, hand
block printing, sandalwood, inlay work; are some of the examples of traditional art that attract
tourists.

Entertainment- • Amusement and recreation parks • Sporting events • Zoos and oceanariums •
Cinemas and theatre • Night life • Cuisine Tourist products that have entertainment as their main
characteristic are many. Just to name a few there are amusement and recreational parks like
Disneyworld in United States, Hong Kong, Paris, Singapore and theme parks in various countries
and cities like Appu Ghar and Fun and Food Village in Delhi, Essel World in Mumbai and so on.
Tourists may come to attend sports events and it is also an opportunity to explore the country.
The fundamental concept is that all tourist activities have an influence on providing economic
benefits and have a powerful influence in some definite locality.
Business- People who travel in relation to their work come under the category of business
tourism. However such travels for business purposes is also linked with tourist activity like
visiting places of tourist attraction at the destination, sightseeing and excursion trips. Business
travel is also related to what is termed today as convention business, which is a rapidly growing
industry in hospitality and tourism. A business traveller is important to the tourism industry as it
involves the usage of all the components of tourism. They travel because of different business
reasons- attending conventions and conferences, meetings, workshops etc. Participants have a lot
of leisure time at their disposal. The conference organizers make this leisure time very rewarding
for participants by organizing many activities for their pleasure and relaxation. The spouses and
families accompanying the participants are also well looked after by the organizers. The
organizers plan sightseeing tours and shopping tours for the participants and their families.

Event Based Tourism Products- Where an event is an attraction, it as an event based tourist
product. Events attract tourists as spectators and also as participants in the events, sometimes for
both. The Singapore shopping festivals, the camel polo at Jaisalmer, Kite flying in Ahmedabad
attracts tourists, both as spectators and participants. Whereas in case of the Snake Boat race of
Kerala can be enjoyed witnessing it. Event attractions are temporary, and are often mounted in
order to increase the number of tourists to a particular destination. Some events have a short time
scale, such as the Republic Day Parade, others may last for many days, for example Khajuraho
Dance Festival or even months like the Kumbh Mela. A destination which may have little to
commend it to the tourist can nevertheless succeed in drawing tourists by mounting an event
such as an unusual exhibition.

Symbiotic Tourism Products- Some tourism products do not fall into the above categories.
Wildlife sanctuary, Marine parks, Aero products and Water sports, Flower festivals are the
example of tourism products which are a blending of nature and man. Nature has provided the
resource and man has converted them into a tourism product by managing them. National parks
for example, are left in their natural state of beauty as far as possible, but still need to be
managed, through provision of access, parking facilities, limited accommodation, litter bins etc.
Yet the core attraction is still nature in this category of product. These products are symbiosis of
nature and man.

In case of adventure sports tourists can be participants. The basic element of adventure is the
satisfaction of having complete command over one’s body, a sense of risk in the process, an
awareness of beauty and the exploration of the unknown. Adventure tourism can be classified
into aerial, water based and land based.

Other Tourism Products-

Health Tourism- Holidaying is generally considered as an investment in health, a subject that

presents opportunities of cost- benefit analysis. The medical expertise of various countries has
added a new product to the existing tourism products. People are travelling to various countries
for treatment of various ailments and medical procedures like Cardio care, Bone Marrow
Transplant, Dialysis and Kidney transplant, Neurosurgery, Joint Replacement Surgery, Urology,
Osteoporosis, and numerous other diseases. Even cosmetic surgery, alternative medicines like
homeopathy, acupressure, ayurvedic medicines and naturopathy are also becoming tourism
products wherein travel companies are offering Yoga and Rejuvenation packages. Tourists travel
for what is illegal in one’s own country. Tourists travel also for advanced care that is not
available in one’s own country, in the case that there are long waiting lists in one’s own country
or for use of free or cheap health care organizations.

Eco-Tourism- Ecotourism combines local economic development, protection of the quality of the
environment and promotion of the natural advantages and the history of an area. The
combination of all or some of the above mentioned kinds of tourism could contribute
significantly to the development of tourism in any country. The availability of tourist packages
involving gastronomy, entertainment and information about the cultural wealth of a country
should be regarded as a priority issue for tourist agents, as it will reduce the concentration of
tourist activity in certain areas and will improve and enrich the tourist.

Rural Tourism- 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
can be termed as rural tourism. It is multifaceted and may entail farm/agricultural tourism,
cultural tourism, nature tourism, adventure tourism, and eco- tourism. The stresses of urban
lifestyles have lead to this counter- urbanization approach to tourism. There are various factors
that have lead to this changing trend towards rural tourism like increasing levels of awareness,
growing interest in heritage and culture and improved accessibility and environmental
consciousness, Tourists like to visit villages to experience and live a relaxed and healthy
lifestyle.

Ethnic Tourism- Ethnic tourism is travelling for the purpose of observing the cultural
expressions of lifestyles of truly exotic people. Such tourism is exemplified by travel to Panama
to study the San Blas Indians or to India to observe the isolated hill tribes of Assam. Typical
destination activities would include visits to native homes, attending traditional ceremonies and
dances, and possibly participating in religious rituals.

Senior Citizen Tourism A newly emerging trend in tourism, basically for senior citizens or old
people who live in isolation, especially in the west, because of daily busy schedules of their
children and more importantly the attitudes. The characteristic feature of this type of tourism is
that the senior people are less demanding in the form of facilities and services, besides leaving
minimum impact on the destination community and their main consideration is on personalized
service.

The Elements of Tourist Product-

Attractions: An attraction is very important basic components of a tourist product. Unless there is
an attraction, the tourist will not be motivated to go to a particular place. Attractions are those
elements in a product which determine the choice made by particular tourist to visit one
particular destination rather than another. The attractions could be cultural, like sites and areas of
archaeological interest, historical buildings and monuments, flora and fauna, beach resorts,
mountains, national parks or events like trade fairs, exhibitions, arts and music festivals, games,
etc.

Accessibility: It is a means by which a tourist can reach the area where attractions are located.
Tourist attractions of whatever type would be of little importance if their locations are
inaccessible by the normal means of transport. A Tourist in order to get to his destination needs
some mode of transport. This mode may be a motor car, a coach, an aero plane, a ship or a train
which enables him to reach his predetermined destination. If tourist destinations are located at
places where no transport can reach or where there are inadequate transport facilities, they
become of little value. The tourist attractions, which are located near the tourist generating
markets and are linked by a network of efficient means of transport, receive the maximum
number of tourists.

Accommodation: The accommodation and other facilities complement the attractions.

Accommodation plays a central role and is very basic to tourist destinations. World Tourism
Organization in its definition of a tourist has stated that he must spend at least one night in the
destination visited, to qualify as a tourist. This presupposes availability of some kind of
accommodation. The demand for accommodation away from one’s home is met by a variety of
facilities. The range and type of accommodation is quite varied and has undergone considerable
change since the last half century. There has been a decline in the use of boarding houses and
small private hotels. Larger hotels are increasing their share of holiday trade, especially in big
metropolitan areas and popular spots. In more traditional holiday and sea-side resorts in Europe
and elsewhere, big hotels are keeping their share of holiday resorts. In recent years, some
changes have been reflected in the type of accommodation. There has been an increasing demand
for more non- traditional and informal types of accommodation. The latest trends in
accommodation are holiday villages. In recent years there has been an increase in the popularity
of such accommodation.

Amenities: Facilities are a necessary aid to the tourist centre. For a sea-side resort, facilities like
swimming, boating, yachting, surf-riding, and other facilities like dancing, recreation and other
amusements are important for every tourist centre. Amenities can be of two types; natural, e.g.
beaches, sea-bathing, possibilities of fishing, opportunities for climbing, trekking, viewing, etc.
and man-made, e.g. various types of entertainment and facilities which cater to the special needs
of the tourists. Excellent sandy beaches, sheltered from sunshine with palm and coconut trees
and offering good bathing conditions form very good tourist attractions. Certain other natural
amenities such as spacious waters for the purpose of sailing or the opportunities for fishing and
hunting are also very important.
Characteristics of Tourism Products- Tourism products are mainly service products or
services which have several characteristics. For example in the business tourism, conference
planning and management is a service offered by large hotels and convention centers. Fairs and
festivals are events which are offered for enjoyment only at a particular time of the year and
these are perishable and variable. In India, cultural attractions in the forms of dances and music
can be seen and enjoyed. Other products which tourists consume like wildlife, and flora and
fauna are natural products.

Intangible: Unlike a tangible product, say, a motor car or refrigerator, no transfer of ownership of
goods is involved in tourism. The product here cannot be seen or inspected before its purchase.
Instead, certain facilities, installations, items of equipment are made available for a specified
time and for a specified use. For example, a seat in an aero plane is provided only for a specified
time.

Highly Perishable: A travel agent or tour operator who sells a tourism product cannot store it.
Production can only take place if the customer is actually present. And once consumption begins,
it cannot be stopped, interrupted or modified. If the product remains unused, the chances are lost
i.e. if tourists do not visit a particular place, the opportunity at that time is lost. It is due to this
reason that heavy discount is offered by hotels and transport generating organizations during off
season.

Absence of ownership: When you buy a car, the ownership of the car is transferred to you, but
when you hire a taxi you buy the right to be transported to a predetermined destination at a
predetermined price (fare). You neither own the automobile nor the driver of the vehicle.
Similarly, hotel rooms, airline tickets, etc. can be used but not owned. These services can be
bought for consumption but ownership remains with the provider of the service. So, a dance can
be enjoyed by viewing it, but the dancer cannot be owned.

Heterogeneous Tourism is not a homogeneous product since it tends to vary in standard and
quality over time, unlike a T.V set or any other manufactured product. A package tour or even a
flight on an aircraft can’t be consistent at all times. The reason is that this product is a service
and services are people based. Due to this, there is variability in this product. All individuals
vary and even the same individual may not perform the same every time. For instance, all air
hostesses cannot provide the same quality of service and even the same air hostess may not
perform uniformly in the morning and evening. Thus, services cannot be standardized.

Composite Product: The tourist product cannot be provided by a single enterprise unlike a
manufactured product. The tourist product covers the complete experience of a visit to a
particular place. And many providers contribute to this experience. For instance, airline supplies
seats, a hotel provides rooms and restaurants, travel agents make bookings for stay and
sightseeing, etc.
Unstable Demand: Tourism demand is influenced by seasonal, economic political and others
such factors. There are certain times of the year which see a greater demand than others. At these
times there is a greater strain on services like hotel bookings, employment, the transport system,
etc.

Fixed supply in the short run: The tourism product unlike a manufactured product cannot be
brought to the consumer; the consumer must go to the product. This requires an in-depth study of
users’ behavior, taste preferences, likes and dislikes so that expectations and realities coincide
for the maximum satisfaction of the consumer. The supply of a tourism product is fixed in the
short run and can only be increased in the long run following increased demand patterns.

Risky: The risk involved in the use of a tourism product is heightened since it has to be
purchased before its consumption. An element of chance is always present in its consumption.
Like, a show might not be as entertaining as it promises to be or a beach holiday might be
disappointing due to heavy rain.

Psychological: A large component of tourism product is the satisfaction the consumer derives
from its use. A tourist acquires experiences while interacting with the new environment and his
experiences help to attract and motivate potential customers.

Marketable: Tourism product is marketed at two levels. At the first level, national and regional
organizations engage in persuading potential tourists to visit the country or a certain region.
These official tourist organizations first create knowledge of its country in tourist –generating
markets and persuade visitors in these markets to visit the country. At the second level, the
various individual firms providing tourist services, market their own components of the total
tourist product to persuade potential tourists to visit that region.

Tourism Product Production System- A tourism product can be of any type from cultural,
educational, recreational, heritage site, or a business hub. Tourism Product Development should-

 Be authentic and should reflect the unique attributes of the destination.

 Have the support of the host community.
 Respect the natural and cultural environments.
 Be different from the competitors, avoiding copying developments blindly.
 Be of sufficient scale to make a significant economic contribution, but not very large to
create high economic leakage.

The creation of a tourism product is a complex process. The following table shows the steps of
creating tourism product −

The product creation process starts with primary inputs such as resources, raw materials, other
materials for construction, energy, and fuel. This could also include the agricultural products
required to prepare food for the tourists.
The primary inputs are then processed further through manufacturing or construction into
intermediate (or processed) inputs. The intermediate inputs are nothing but the tourism facilities
such as gardens, parks, museums, art galleries, shopping centers, convention centers,
accommodations, restaurants, and gift or souvenir shops. They facilitate and support the tourism.

The intermediate inputs are further refined through expert management, workforce, and technical
services, and packaging into intermediate outputs. The intermediate outputs are nothing but the
services associated with tourism industry.

For example, the intermediate input such as a hotel room remains just as a commodity unless it is
occupied by the tourist and turns into a part of a tourism product by incorporating the occupant’s
experience. Similarly, the food at restaurants needs to be cooked and presented by the staff at any
restaurant and needs to be ordered and consumed by the tourists.

The final outputs are nothing but the personal experience the tourist takes from availing services
and by carrying out various tourism-related activities. The tourists utilize the intermediate
outputs (or services) to generate intangible but a high value experience such as satisfaction,
recreation, and completion of a business related task or maintaining a contact of friends or
relatives.

Steps of Tourism Product Development

The following general steps are taken for tourism product development −

Research the Market- At this step, the tourism marketing force conducts research on the current
market to identify the opportunities. In includes economy, study of various market segments and
their varied requirements, past market data, and current market and tourism trends.

Match the Product with Market- By assessing the market segments and conditions for tourism,
different packages are created for various market segments such that they can satisfy the
requirement of each segment of individuals.

Assess the Destination- Since destinations form the basis of product development, the product
development force visits the prospective tourism destination to assess its tourism potential and its
ability to accommodate and serve the tourists, features of the destination, and its shortcomings. It
is assessed to judge if the destination is fulfilling the requirement of Accommodation,
Attractions, Activities, or Amenities. It is also checked for the ease of Accessibility.

Understand the Stakeholder Role- Tourism product development is the result of collaborative
efforts of various stakeholders. It involves identifying all the stakeholders in private and public
sectors, DMOs, Tourism and allied businesses, and their respective roles in creating or
developing a part of a tourism product. The stakeholder meetings are conducted for creating a
project plan. The project goals are set to realize long-term vision, medium-term action plans, and
short-term progress assessments.
Product Building- At this step, the product is actually built using required resources and
consultations of the expertise to create intermediate inputs (facilities and amenities) and
intermediate outputs (services). It encompasses not only development of destination
infrastructure but also support for special activities and experiences.

Marketing & Promotion- The functional and emotional benefits of the tourism at the tourist
destination are communicated to the market. The marketing people create brochures, place
advertisements on the business portals, and contact media to promote the destination and the
product on the television and radio. They also use various other marketing techniques to increase
the product visibility.

Providing Human and Technical Resource- It includes providing skilled staff and contemporary
technology to cater the needs of tourists efficiently, to handle all tourism related operations at the
destination effectively, and to communicate with the staff easily.

Tourism Product Life Cycle- Over the years, people who study tourism have come up with
theories to explain how a tourist destination begins, grows, and changes—and how it changes the
entire region surrounding it. A well-known, useful theory is the Tourism Area Life Cycle,
developed by Richard Butler in 1980. Tourism planners and managers still use this theory today
to help guide their decisions. According to this theory, a tourist destination undergoes six stages.

1. Exploration- At first, hardly anyone knows about a particular place. It has very few tourist
facilities, like hotels or restaurants. The natural surroundings are unspoiled, which is usually a
major reason tourists are attracted. Plants and animals native to the place are thriving. The local
people earn their living in ways that are traditional to them and are not focused on tourism. The
innovators are the kind of tourists who would be most likely to be found in a place at the
exploration phase. The innovators are the path breakers of tourism. They have a strong sense of
adventure and seek out the world’s least visited places. They like to interact with people from
other cultures and delight in the exotic and unfamiliar.

2. Involvement- Once a small number of tourists come to the location regularly, local residents
start a few tourist-related businesses. Small hotels and a few restaurants are built; maybe a taxi
service is started to get people to and from an airport. The destination is still unspoiled and
relatively unknown. Example- Making a film requires being on location for months at a time.
The film crew, actors, and actresses all needed places to stay.

3. Development- When a destination is becoming known, investors and tourist-related companies

get involved because they recognize that they can make a good profit. Suddenly, the local people
are being hired by outsiders to tend to tourists. Control of the area is no longer in the hands of its
residents. A building boom begins: big hotels, restaurants, bar, and entertainment transform the
area into one centered on tourism.
4. Exploration- This is a point of reckoning for a tourist destination, So many tourists, and so
many tourist-related businesses happened at that time the destination has reached capacity—
meaning that if building and expansion continue, the area will suffer. It cannot grow without
losing the qualities that made it a destination in the first place: unspoiled natural areas and a
strong sense of the local culture.

Tourists Attracted to This Stage- The traditionalists on Plog’s model frequent destinations at this
stage. They like:

 Vacations to be predictable and laid back.

 Do not want a lot of interaction with other cultures; they prefer familiar food, music, and
activities.
 Stay in good hotels and to be in areas heavily developed by tourism.

5. Stagnation- If a tourist destination hasn’t recognized that it has reached its limits during the
Consolidation Stage; it becomes inescapably obvious in this phase.

 Tourists looking for package deals and inexpensive options would still visit a destination
in this phase.
 Aspects of the destination show signs of wear and tear; many hotels become run-down.

If a destination has entered the Stagnation Stage and no changes in management or strategic
planning occur, decline is inevitable. It means that the tourist destination is no longer profitable
and will either close up or turn into another type of business.

6. Decline- A destination may enter the Decline Stage for many reasons, such as a natural
disaster that does irreparable damage, competition from other tourist destinations, poor long-term
planning and management, or political and economic forces beyond a destination’s control.

7. Rejuvenation- The main objective of any tourist destination is to continue to attract tourists
and to stay profitable. But turning a destination around so that it is once again thriving requires
radical changes. Objective:

 Instead of ignoring the surrounding community, a sustainable tourist destination must

become fully integrated with the surrounding region and take local opinions and needs
into account.
 Building has to be managed, and new resorts must not be built beyond a certain point, so
that the number of people coming to a place supports it rather than damages it.
 The roads, sewer systems, and water and energy supplies all need to be well maintained
and adequate.
 The natural environment must be restored and preserved.

UNIT 3 Types and Forms of Tourism

Types of Tourism- Tourism have two types and many forms on the bases of the purpose of visit
and alternative forms of tourism. Tourism can be categorized as international and domestic
tourism.

International Tourism- When people visit a foreign country, it is referred to as International

Tourism. In order to travel to a foreign country, one need a valid passport, visa, health
documents, foreign exchange, etc. International tourism further divides into two types; Inbound
Tourism & Outbound Tourism.

Inbound Tourism- This refers to tourists of outside origin entering a particular country. When
people travel outside their host/native country to another country, then it is called inbound
tourism for that country where he/she is traveling. For example when a tourist from Indian origin
travels to Japan then it is inbound tourism for Japan because foreign tourist comes to Japan.

Outbound Tourism- This refers to tourists traveling from the country of their origin to another
country. When tourist travel a foreign region than it is outbound tourism for his own country
because he/she is going outside their country. For example: when a tourist from India travel to
Japan then it is outbound tourism for India and Inbound tourism for Japan.

Domestic Tourism- The tourism activity of the people within their own country is known as
domestic tourism. Traveling within the same country is easier because it does not require formal
travel documents and tedious formalities like compulsory health check and foreign exchange. In
domestic tourism, a traveler generally does not face much language problems or currency
exchange issues.

Regional Tourism- Regional Tourism is a tourism activity which is concentrated to a certain

region (a state for example). Regional Tourism in Gujarat would involve tourism in Gujarat
alone.

Intra-regional means within the same region, Inter regional means between/amongst other
regions. Inter-regional travel is traveling between 2 or more regions. Subtly different is intra-
regional travel, which is traveling within the same region.

Forms of Tourism-

Religious tourism- Religious tourism is an important part of the tourism industry, which usually
related to the followers of particular faiths who visit locations that are considered as holy sites.
Religious tourism is the pioneer form of tourism which has begun almost with the dawn of
humanity. From the ancient times religious destinations were not only a part of the cultural
landscape but they also had become a vital factor in local marketing and prime parts of the
economy of hosted destinations.

It is difficult to give a specific definition of religious tourism and the reason behind it is that
cultural and religious travels are used synonymously. These are because the majority of cultural
tourists visit religious destinations as a part of their itinerary and are thus referred to as religious
tourists. The general meaning of religious tourism implies travelling with the prime motive of
experiencing religious activities or the products they induce such as art, culture, traditions and
architecture.

Historical Tourism- Historical tourism is refers to a kind of tourism where the tourists focus on
the history, history of some place, things, people and events. They go to see, study and
experience places where the historical things occurred. The places will be portrayed of the
history of that country or region and tells about the past happenings. Tourists usually visit those
places of historical importance to know about the culture, traditions & customs, architecture and
get to know about the evolution and the development of the culture.

Historical tourism is an attempt to understand the living environment and life-style of ordinary
people of the past & present and interpret these in an interesting manner to the tourists. Places of
historical places and events such as battlefields or monuments where discover and explorers
landed are being promoted as tourist attraction.

Social Tourism- According to the International Social Tourism Organization (ISTO) social
tourism can be defined as "the connections and phenomena related to the participation of people
in the countries of destinations as well as of holidaymakers, of disadvantaged layers of society or
those unable to participate in tourism, holidays and their advantages for whatever reason" Social
tourism is making tourism available to poor people who otherwise could not afford to travel for
their education or recreation. Social Tourism is synonym of solidarity and support to the low
income population groups.

It includes youth hostels and low-priced holiday accommodation run by church and voluntary
organizations, trade unions, or in Communist times publicly owned enterprises. In May 1959, at
the second Congress of Social Tourism in Austria, Walter Hunziker proposed the following
definition: "Social tourism is a type of tourism practiced by low income groups, and which is
rendered possible and facilitated by entirely separate and therefore easily recognizable services".

Adventure Tourism- Adventure tourism is defined as the movement of the people from one to
another place outside their comfort zone for exploration or travel to remote areas, exotic and
possibly hostile areas. Adventure tourism is a type of tourism in which tourist do some
adventures activities like as skydiving, hill climbing, and scuba diving.

Adventure tourism is very popular among young age tourists. Adventure tourism gains much of
its excitement by allowing the tourists to step outside their comfort zone. This may be from
experiencing cultural shock or through the performance of acts that required some degree of risk
(real or perceived) and physical danger.

Adventure travel is a leisure activity that takes place in an unusual, exotic, and remote or
wilderness destination. It tends to be associated with high levels of activity by the participant,
most of it outdoors. Adventure travelers expect to experience various levels of risk, excitement,
and tranquility and be personally tested. In particular, they are explorers of unspoiled, exotic
parts of the planet and also seek personal challenges.

Business tourism- Business tourism or business travel is a more limited and focused subset of
regular tourism. During business tourism (traveling), individuals are still working and being
paid, but are doing so away from both their workplace and home. Primary business tourism
activities include meetings, and attending conferences and exhibitions. Despite the term business
in business tourism, when individuals from government or non-profit organizations engage in
similar activities, this is still categorized as business tourism.

MICE Tourism- The term "MICE" in the context of travel is an acronym for meetings,
incentives, conferences, and exhibitions. The MICE market refers to a specialized niche of group
tourism dedicated to planning, booking, and facilitating conferences, seminars, and other events,
which is a big moneymaker in the travel industry.

MICE tourism involves a number of components, and agents working in this field must provide a
full range of travel and conference services for large and small groups and events of shorter and
longer duration. Personnel and businesses involved in the MICE tourism include corporate
meeting planners, meetings and convention departments of hotels, conference centers or cruise
ships, food and beverage managers, logistics firms, private tour operators and transfer
companies, incentive houses, professional trade organizations, tourism boards, tourism trade
associations, and travel-selling professionals.

Because of the organization and planning involved, typically, years in advance, MICE travel
agencies are usually affiliated with large corporations. Destinations often market themselves as
MICE locations and bid for events through their convention and visitor bureaus. They might be
able to offer subsidies to attract large events because of the increased revenue the visitors
provide through their economic impact on the host location.

The International Association of Professional Congress Organizers defines a meeting as any

number of people coming together in one place for a particular activity, which can be a one-time
event or recur regularly. Simply put, meeting travel refers to organizing any number of people
for such a meeting, which means it could also include a company sporting trip.

On the other hand, a conference is similar to a meeting in that it is a gathering of people coming
together in one place, but conferences usually have specific objectives and exchanges of
information. Therefore, conference travel involves organizing itineraries, meetings, and events
for people from the same profession or field.

Incentive travel may be one of the harder components of MICE travel to understand since it
doesn't necessarily deal with group events. Instead, incentive travel is typically given to
employees as a reward. Incentive travel doesn't usually have a business or explicit educational
component but instead is more of a non-business vacation with the aim of continued motivation
for performance.

At an exhibition, products or services are displayed, and they might be the primary focus of the
event, which means that exhibition travel agents are those who organize such showcases.
Exhibitions are often included in other conferences and meetings, though, meaning that there is
often overlap between agents in these industries. Businesses court new clients and debut their
latest offerings at these events.

Health Tourism- Holidaying is generally considered as an investment in health, a subject that

presents opportunities of cost- benefit analysis. The medical expertise of various countries has
added a new product to the existing tourism products. People are travelling to various countries
for treatment of various ailments and medical procedures like Cardio care, Bone Marrow
Transplant, Dialysis and Kidney transplant, Neurosurgery, Joint Replacement Surgery, Urology,
Osteoporosis, and numerous other diseases. Even cosmetic surgery, alternative medicines like
homeopathy, acupressure, ayurvedic medicines and naturopathy are also becoming tourism
products wherein travel companies are offering Yoga and Rejuvenation packages. Tourists travel
for what is illegal in own country. Tourists travel also for advanced care that is not available in
one’s own country, in the case that there are long waiting lists in one’s own country or for use of
free or cheap health care organizations.

Sports tourism- Sports tourism is any traveling that is done to participate in a sporting event –
including just watching. As long as a sport (soccer, baseball, golf, football, cricket, volleyball) is
the primary reason for one’s travels, it can be considered sports tourism. This particular category
within sports tourism is where a person or persons travels to a select recreation center, or sports
complex, to actively participate in a sporting event. While sports tourism has not always been
extremely popular, during the recent decade the amount of people attending out of area sporting
events has drastically increased. People are now traveling far and wide just to attend their
favorite events, and it is no wonder as to what has encouraged the sudden spike in popularity.

Ethnic Tourism- Ethnic tourism is travelling for the purpose of observing the cultural
expressions of lifestyles of truly exotic people. Such tourism is exemplified by travel to Panama
to study the San Blas Indians or to India to observe the isolated hill tribes of Assam. Typical
destination activities would include visits to native homes, attending traditional ceremonies and
dances, and possibly participating in religious rituals.

VFR tourism- Visiting friends and relatives involves travelling with "the major purpose of
visiting friends and/or relatives" and "is one of the foremost tourism motivators or categories in
tourism, alongside those of business, recreation, convention or conference, religion, education
and health. VFR tourism can be seen from four different perspectives: As a motivation for travel,
as a trip purpose, as a vacation activity and as a form of accommodation use.

UNIT 4 Tourist Transportation

Introduction- Transport industry has acquired a fundamental place in the global network system
by facilitating mobility of persons and goods from one place to another through various modes of
transportation. The development of tourism depends on the transport industry. A tourist always
thinks of safe, comfortable and convenient mode of transport. And of course, cost and time are
also important considerations while deciding on the mode of travel. Here lies the challenge
before the transport industry to attract the tourist by offering suitable means of travel as per their
requirements.

From the advent of human civilization, the means of transport have been changing according to
the development of technology. The discovery and application of steam and electricity in the
19th century and the internal combustion engine in the 20th century revolutionized travel and
transport. The next spectacular breakthrough came in the late 1950 with the propulsion of
aircrafts with jet engines opening to the whole world the immense benefits of air travel. Travel
became faster and more and more people could travel.

Role of Transport in Tourism- As it is very well said that travel and tourism can be as good as
technology allows it to be. It means with the technological advancements tourism tends to grow.
More particularly, in a vast country like India with extensive geographical diversity, fast and
efficient means of transport is very essential to link the various places. Tourism as an industry
can only be developed in the time taken to cover the long distances is cut short to the minimum.
In today’s industrial society, the time at the disposal of tourist is very limited. A leisure tourist
may have only a few weeks while the business tourist can afford to spend only a few days.
Consumer psychology is as present in tourist industry as in any other service industry and thus
the tourists like to maximize the returns of their spending by covering in their itinerary as many
places as possible within the limited timeframe.

India’s share of world tourist traffic is 0.29% with around a million per annum visiting India.
One amongst the various obstacles in achieving an increase in international tourism in India is
the serious deficiency in travel facilities from the main points of arrival in the country to the
centre of tourist attraction which they want to visit and stays at. The growth of air travel capacity
during the next decade will have to cater to this requirement. Tourist traffic is estimated to grow
at 6% annually. The service through this mode offered today is lacking in comfort and choice
and is thus an impediment in the growth of domestic as well as international tourist.

Types of Transport

Air Transport- Scheduled air transport started in India in 1932. Until its nationalization in 1953,
the existence of air transport was only symbolic and played relatively small role in the economy
of the nation. As its use was limited to the British government and technological level of this
industry being inadequate, they never took any effort to develop the same. After the enactment of
the Air Corporations Act, 1953 and nationalizing the air transport industry in India, two
Corporations were set up, viz., Indian Airlines and Air India. Pawan Hans was formed in 1985 to
run the helicopter services and was initially named the Helicopter Corporation of India.

Air transport to India is primarily used for passenger transportation and hence it has a very
important role to play in the development of tourism. The government is now spending huge
amounts to upgrade and modernize the airports as per the requirements of today the future.

The airline industry present policies and practices- The civil aviation industry in India has
emerged as one of the fastest growing industries in the country during the last three years. India
is currently considered the third largest domestic civil aviation market in the world. India has
become the third largest domestic aviation market in the world and is expected to overtake UK to
become the third largest air passenger* market by 2024.

Government Initiatives- Some major initiatives undertaken by the government are:

 In February 2019, the Government of India sanctioned the development of a new

greenfield airport in Hirasar, Gujarat, with an estimated investment of Rs 1,405 crore
(US$ 194.73 million).
 As of January 2019, the Government of India is working on a blueprint to promote
domestic manufacturing of aircrafts and aircraft financing within the country.
 In January 2019, the government organised the Global Aviation Summit in Mumbai
which witnessed participation of over 1,200 delegates from 83 countries.
 In January 2019, the Government of India’s released the National Air Cargo Policy
Outline 2019 which envisages making Indian air cargo and logistics the most efficient,
seamless and cost and time effective globally by the end of the next decade.
 In November 2018, the Government of India approved a proposal to manage six AAI
airports under public private partnership (PPP). These airports are situated in
Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Lucknow, Guwahati, Thiruvananthapuram and Mangaluru. AAI
received 32 technical bids from ten companies.
 In February 2018, the Prime Minister of India launched the construction of Navi Mumbai
airport which is expected to be built at a cost of US$ 2.58 billion. The first phase of the
airport will be completed by end of 2019.
 The Government of Andhra Pradesh is to develop Greenfield airports in six cities-
Nizamabad, Nellore, Kurnool, Ramagundam, Tadepalligudem and Kothagudem under
the PPP model.
 Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) has been launched.

Functioning of Indian Carriers- The Directorate General of Civil Aviation is the principal
regulatory body in the field of civil aviation. It is not only responsible for regulation of air
transport services to/ from/ within India, for formulation and enforcement of civil air regulations,
air safety and airworthiness standards but also co-ordinates all regulatory functions with
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The main function of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation is to regulate all civil aviation
matter. Some of the salient functions are as under:

 Regulation of air transport services to/from/within India in accordance with the

provisions of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, including bilateral and multilateral with foreign
countries and the policy pronouncements of the government.
 Registration of civil aircraft.
 Laying down airworthiness requirement for civil aircraft registered in India and grant of
Certificate of Airworthiness to such aircraft.
 Licensing of pilots, aircraft maintenance engineers and monitoring of flight crew
standards;
 Licensing of aerodromes and air carriers
 Rendering advice to the Government on matters pertaining to civil aviation;
 Processing amendments to Aircraft Act, 1934 and the Aircraft Rules, 1937, and other
Acts relating to aviation, with a view to implementing in India the provisions of the
Chicago Convention and Annexes thereto and other International Convention relating to
aviation;
 Co-ordination of the work relating to International Civil Aviation Organization and
sending replies to state letters after consulting the concerned agencies;
 Investigation of minor air accidents and incidents and rendering technical assistance to
the Courts/Committees of Inquiry;
 Supervision of training activities of Flying/Gliding Clubs;
 Development of light aircraft, gliders and winches;
 Type certification of aircraft.

Air Corporation Act- The Air Corporations Act, 1953, nationalized all air transports and
provided for the establishment of Air Corporations to facilitate the acquisition of existing airline
companies and to make better provisions for the operations of air transport services in the
country. Air Corporation Act, 1953, established two Corporations by the names 'Indian Airlines'
and 'Air India International'. While Air India International took over the international routes of
the nation, eight domestic airlines -- operating in the country at the time -- were merged to give
birth to Indian Airlines, the national domestic airline carrier of the country. These independent
domestic airlines were:

1. Air India (1946 -- formerly, Tata Airlines, the first airline of India -- incorporated in
1933)
2. Deccan Airways (India's second domestic airline)
3. Airways India
4. Bharat Airways
5. Himalayan Aviation
6. Kalinga Air Lines
7. Indian National Airways
 8. Air Services of India

Air Corporation Act, 1953, gave monopoly power to Indian Airlines to operate on domestic
scheduled services ruling out any other operator. Similarly, Air India International became the
single Indian carrier to operate on international routes expect flights to some neighboring
countries which were given to Indian Airlines.

Air Charters- Air charter is the business of renting an entire aircraft (i.e., chartering) as opposed
to individual aircraft seats (i.e., purchasing a ticket through a traditional airline).

There are several business models which offer air charter services from the traditional charter
operator to brokers and jet card programs:

 Charter Operators - certified by their associated government body such as the FAA for
US carriers have legal authority to advertise and conduct flights for hire.
 Air Charter Broker - Charter Brokers arrange flights on behalf of their clients, acting as
an "Authorized Agent".
 Jet card - Programs offered by both brokers and operators where a customer is offered a
fixed hourly rate for a specific jet category and the broker or operator sources a jet from
the available charter fleet.

Road/Surface Transport- Road transport is one of the most promising and potent means
suitable for short and medium distances. It provides the basic infrastructure for bringing the
majority of the people who are living in far-off villages into the mainstream of national life by
connecting them with different places. It plays a vital role in the opening up of interior and
remote areas and is relatively cheaper and less capital intensive. It offers a number of advantages
such as flexibility, reliability, speed and door-to-door service, besides supplementing and
increasing the efficiency of the other modes of transport.

These modes of Road Transport provide access to millions of people by using National
highways, state highways, district roads, village roads or even unclassified village roads. Most of
the interstate movements up to a distance of 600- 800 kms are by road. National highways are
maintained well by National Highway Commission to ensure smooth movement of road traffic.
State highways are primarily used to connect important tourist places located within the state in
different districts. Each of these districts has a large number of villages which are connected
through a network of village roads.

Rent a car- A car rental, hire car, or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short
periods of time, generally ranging from a few hours to a few weeks. It is often organized with
numerous local branches (which allow a user to return a vehicle to a different location), and
primarily located near airports or busy city areas and often complemented by a website allowing
online reservations.
Car rental agencies primarily serve people who require a temporary vehicle, for example, those
who do not own their own car, travelers who are out of town, or owners of damaged or destroyed
vehicles who are awaiting repair or insurance compensation. Car rental agencies may also serve
the self-moving industry needs, by renting vans or trucks, and in certain markets, other types of
vehicles such as motorcycles or scooters may also be offered.

Alongside the basic rental of a vehicle, car rental agencies typically also offer extra products
such as insurance, global positioning system (GPS) navigation systems, entertainment systems,
mobile phones, and portable Wi-Fi and child safety seats.

Coach Bus- A coach is a bus used for longer-distance service, in contrast to transit buses that are
typically used within a single metropolitan region. Often used for touring, intercity and
international bus service, coaches are also used for private charter for various purposes.

Deriving the name from horse-drawn carriages and stagecoaches that carried passengers,
luggage, and mail, modern motor coaches are almost always high-floor buses, with a separate
luggage hold mounted below the passenger compartment. In contrast to transit buses, motor
coaches typically feature forward-facing seating, with no provision for standing. Other
accommodations may include on-board restrooms, televisions, and overhead luggage space.

Coaches, as they hold passengers for significant periods of time on long journeys, are designed
for comfort. They vary considerably in quality from country to country and within countries.
Higher specification vehicles include luxury seats and air conditioning. Coaches typically have
only a single, narrow door, but sometimes they have two doors, as an increased loading time is
acceptable due to infrequent stops. Some characteristics include:

 Comfortable seats that may include a folding table, armrests, and recliner. Comfort is
considered to be an important feature in coaches.[6]
 Luggage racks above the seats where passengers can access their carry-on
baggage during the journey
 Baggage holds, accessed from outside the vehicle, often under the main floor or at the
rear, where passengers' luggage can be stowed away from the seating area
 Passenger service units, mounted overhead, on which personal reading lights and air
conditioning ducts can be controlled and used by individual passengers with little
disturbance to other passengers
 On-board rest rooms fitted with chemical toilets, hand basins and hand sanitizer.
 On some coaches, on-board entertainment including movies may be shown to passengers
 On-board refreshment service or vending machines
 Wheelchair accommodation, possibly including a wheelchair lift for access
 Curtains, useful on overnight services
 Onboard Wi-Fi access
 Onboard AC power
Transport Documents- The following conditions must be fulfilled by the Tourist Transport
Operator for grant of recognition by Ministry of Tourism:-

1. The application for grant of recognition shall be in the prescribed form and submitted in
duplicate along with the required documents.
2. The applicant should have been in the tourist transport operation business for a minimum
period of one year at the time of application.
3. The Tourist Transport Operator has operated in the above period a minimum number of
six tourist vehicles with proper tourist permits issued by the concerned State Transport
Authority (STA) / Road Transport Authority (RTA) for commercial tourist vehicles. Out
of these six tourist vehicles, at least four must be cars. The tourist vehicles and the related
documents should be in the name of the company except where the owner is a Proprietor.
4. The applicant should have adequate knowledge of handling the tourist transport vehicles
for transferring tourists from the Airport, Railway Stations, Bus Stations, etc., and for
sight-seeing of tourists, both foreign and domestic. The drivers should have working
knowledge of English and Hindi / local languages.
5. The drivers of the tourist vehicles should wear proper uniform and must possess adequate
knowledge of taking the tourists for sightseeing.
6. The applicant should have proper parking space for the vehicles.
7. The Tourist Transport Operator is registered with the appropriate authority for carrying
on the business of operating tourist transport vehicles.
8. The minimum office space should be at least 150 sq. ft for rest of India and 100 sq. ft for
hilly areas which are above 1000 meters from sea level. Besides the office may be located
in the commercial area and equipped with telephone, fax, computers etc. Its surroundings
should also be neat and clean. There should be sufficient space for reception and easy
access to the toilet facilities.
9. The turn-over of the firm from Tourist Transport operations only should be a minimum of
Rs. 25.00 lakh for rest of India and Rs. 10.00 lakh for the North – Eastern region, remote
& rural areas duly supported by a Certificate issued by Chartered Accountant.
10. The applicant should be income tax assesses and should submit copy of
acknowledgement certificate as proof of having filed income tax return for current
assessment year.

Insurance Documents- Travel insurance is insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses,
trip cancellation, lost luggage, flight accident and other losses incurred while traveling, either
internationally or domestically.

Travel insurance can usually be arranged at the time of the booking of a trip to cover exactly the
duration of that trip, or a "multi-trip" policy can cover an unlimited number of trips within a set
time frame. Some policies offer lower and higher medical-expense options; the higher ones are
chiefly for countries that have high medical costs.
There are many travel insurance policies available in the market place, but care must be taken of
what events are covered by each policy, and what exclusions, exceptions and limits apply,
besides other issues.

All-India Permits- There is two different types of permits available for motor vehicles in India.
They are national permit and local permit. The fees levied by the registering authority for
different class of vehicles are different.

Local permit fees for different category of vehicles: If the owner of a motor vehicle wants to
apply for a local permit, the charges levied for different categories of vehicles are as follows:

 Light goods vehicle (LGV) Rs.2000/- 5 years

 Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) Rs.2500/- 5 years

National permit fees for different category of vehicles: If the owner of a motor vehicle wants to
apply for a national permit, he has to apply for at least 3 states in the country with the exception
of Delhi. The charges levied for different categories of vehicles are as follows:

 Light goods vehicle (LGV) Rs.2015/- 5 years

 Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) Rs.2515/- 5 years

Rail Transport- The Indian nationwide rail network, the fourth longest in the world, is owned
and operated by state-owned Indian Railways and includes an operating route length of more
than 65,000km. The network carried about eight billion passengers (the highest in the world) and
1.01 million tones of freight (fourth highest in the world) in 2013.

The Indian railway network is divided into 17 zones and operates more than 19,000 trains per
day, including 12,000 passenger trains and 7,000 freight trains. The national railway operator
plans to add 4,000km of new lines by 2017, as well as significant gauge conversion, doubling
and electrification of its existing aging lines. It also plans to add 3,338km of exclusive freight
network by 2017 with the implementation of Eastern & Western Dedicated Freight
Corridors (DFC), two of the six identified dedicated freight corridors in India.

Amtrak-American railway system- Amtrak, formally National Railroad Passenger Corporation,

federally supported corporation that operates nearly all intercity passenger trains in the United
States. It was established by the U.S. Congress in 1970 and assumed control of passenger service
from the country’s private rail companies the following year. Virtually all railways, with the
exception of a small handful, signed contracts with Amtrak. The corporation pays the railroads to
run their passenger trains and also compensates them for the use of certain facilities, including
tracks and terminals. It bears all administrative costs, such as those incurred for the purchase of
new equipment, and manages scheduling, route planning, and the sale of tickets.

Amtrak was founded to relieve American railroads of the financial burden of providing
passenger service and to improve the quality of that service. Since about the early 1960s, the
railroads had lost millions of dollars annually on their passenger lines as a result of a steady
decline in their ridership and increases in their operating costs. In order to avert further losses,
many of the companies dropped their unprofitable routes. In 1950 there were approximately
9,000 passenger trains in service, which carried just fewer than 50 percent of all intercity traffic.
By 1970, however, there were only about 450 trains still in operation, with a total share of the
passenger traffic amounting to a mere 7 percent.

Euro-Rail- Rail transport in Europe is characterized by its diversity, both technical and
infrastructural. Rail networks in Western and Central Europe are often well maintained and well
developed, whilst Eastern, Northern and Southern Europe often have less coverage and/or
infrastructure problems. Electrified railway networks operate at a plethora of different voltages
AC and DC varying from 750 to 25,000 volts, and signaling systems vary from country to
country, hindering cross-border traffic. The European Union aims to make cross-border
operations easier as well as to introduce competition to national rail networks. EU member states
were able to separate the provision of transport services and the management of the infrastructure
by the Single European Railway Directive 2012. Usually, national railway companies were split
to separate divisions or independent companies for infrastructure, passenger and freight
operations. The passenger operations may be further divided to long-distance and regional
services, because regional services often operate under public service obligations (which
subsidize unprofitable but socially desirable routes), while long-distance services usually operate
without subsidies.

General Information about Indian Railways- Indian Railways is one of the world’s largest
railway network consists of freight, passengers, tourist, Suburban rail systems, toy train and
luxury trains. IR has 4,337 operating railway stations, operates on a multi-gauge network of
broad, meter and narrow gauges. Indian Railways is divided into 16 zones and Locomotives are
consisting of electric and diesel locomotives.

1. Indian Railways is the largest rail network in Asia.

2. The First train on Indian soil ran between Bombay and Thane on the 16th of April 1853.
3. The New Delhi Railway Station has secured a place in the Guinness Book of Records for
having the world’s largest Route Relay Interlocking System.
4. Indian Railways transports almost 2.5 crore passengers daily.
5. Indian Railways is one of the world’s largest employers with over 1.4 million people.
6. Bhopal Shatabdi Express is the fastest train in India,operates between New Delhi and
Bhopal Junction.
7. Dibrugarh Kanyakumari Vivek Express the longest train route in the Indian Subcontinent.
8. Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta railway station has the longest name among all stations on
the Indian Railway system.
9. Mughalsarai Junction railway station contains the largest railway marshaling yard in
Asia.
10. The Rajdhani Express trains get the highest priority on the Indian railway network.
 11. Gorakhpur Junction railway station has the world’s longest railway platform with length
of 1,366.33 m.
12. The Slowest train in India is the Metupalayam Ooty Nilgiri passenger train.
13. Kolkata Metro zone of Indian Railways will run 1,500 ft underwater metro in India under
the Hooghly River between Mahakaran and Howrah station.
14. The Fairy Queen between New Delhi and Alwar in Rajasthan is the oldest functioning
steam engine in the world.
15. Trivandrum HNizamuddin Rajdhani Express covers a distance of 528 km without a
single stop.
16. Nilgiri Mountain Railway a single track and only rack and pinion rail system operates in
India.
17. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is considered to be the most beautiful train station in India.
18. The Maharaja Express is the most expensive luxury train in India.
19. Howrah is the busiest railway station in the nation train frequency of 974.
20. Ghum Railway station of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway is the highest railway station
in India.
21. Chenab Bridge will be world’s tallest railway bridge under construction in Jammu and
Kashmir.
22. Vembanad Rail Bridge of Kerala is the longest rail bridge in India with the total length of
4.62 km.
23. Pir Panjal Railway Tunnel is India’s longest railway tunnel with length of 11.215 km in
middle Himalayas.
24. Ib Railway station of Odisha has the shortest name of all stations on the Indian Railways
system.
25. Konkan Railway Train Route is the most beautiful train route of Indian Railways.
26. The Kashmir Railway is the most difficult railway line project of Indian Railways.
27. Mumbai Suburban railway is the oldest railway system of Asia.
28. The Delhi Metro is India’s first modern metro and facilities with most advanced
technologies.
29. Calcutta Metro is the first underground metro railway system in India.
30. The Rail Museum in Delhi is the largest in Asia.

Trains for Tourists: 1.Maharajas Express 2.Golden Chariot 3.Deccan Odyssey 4.Royal Rajasthan
on Wheels 5.Palace on Wheels. These trains attracts national and international tourist for luxury
tours.

Golden Chariot- Route: Bangalore (Karnataka) to Goa: The train weaves across Karnataka, once
home to the Vijayanagara kings who ruled in south India, and is a popular choice with Indian
families on holiday. En route the tour stops at Kabini wildlife sanctuary before arriving at the
incredible world heritage sites of Hampi and Badami, strewn for miles with boulders, rock-cut
sandstone caves and palace and temple ruins. Sit by your cabin window the evening before
arriving in Goa and watch the sun stream through the forests before setting on the hills. You'll
find this stretch relatively tourist-free. Onboard the rooms are neat, elegant and well-equipped,
en-suite showers are hot and powerful, and the swaying dining cars are straight out of an Agatha
Christie novel.

The Toy Train- Route: New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling (West Bengal): Darjeeling's tiny steam train
was initially built as a tramway to exploit the difference in the price of potatoes between
Darjeeling and Siliguri, and the hill railway is now considered a World Heritage Site. The Toy
Train trundles through dense forests, curving around tea plantations and bringing as close as
possible to the tea-pickers with baskets strapped on their heads. Famous for its reverses, loops
and the spiral at Agony Point, the railway line eventually criss-crosses the main road through the
town and runs alongside the fruit stalls in the street. Above all, if it's a clear day, you should see
the snow-capped tip of Kanchenjunga.

Deccan Odyssey- Once the ruler of India's railways, the Palace on Wheels has now been
dethroned by younger relatives. The elegant Indian Maharaja Deccan Odyssey connects Mumbai
and Delhi via Rajasthan and is the closest option to travelling like the Rajput kings once did - so
it's not cheap. It is possible to cover the same route by passenger train, but as most local trains
are overnight sleepers without air-conditioning, you lose the charm and beauty of the scenery.
During the day, you can go tiger-spotting in Ranthambore, visit the rapidly deteriorating caves
at Ellora and Ajanta and spend an afternoon at the Taj Mahal. Onboard activities include
watching Octopussy from under a giant duvet, dining in a choice of two splendid cars, reading
some Kipling in the lounge, or sipping Bombay Sapphire gin while the golden-red magnificence
of the desert blasts by.

Maharajas Train- Indian Maharajas Train is a luxury train in India introduced by Indian Railways
catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). A traveler gets an amazing opportunity to
Experience royalty but running on wheels. Indian Luxury Train has four cabins Deluxe Cabin,
Presidential Suite, Suite and Junior Suite. It also has Lounge Bar and Restaurants. All cabins are
designed so beautifully that if one sees through the window, one can enjoy beautiful landscapes.
Indian Luxury Train has allover red carpet and interiors are designed keeping in mind the Indian
Royal Heritage. Luxury Train in India has got many awards for its gracious hospitality. It offers
the traveler luxury and comfort. The Presidential Suite is called Navratna which means Nine
Precious Jewels. Luxury Train in India was named after the precious jewels of different
Maharajas (Kings). . Indian Maharaja Train has 14 Guest Carriages namely Moti (Pearl), Manik
(Ruby), Heera (Diamond), Panna (Emerald), Neelam (Blue Sapphire) etc. A traveler on this
Luxury Train Journey can see India’s Cultural Diversification. All the travel information and
guidelines will be mailed and also handed over in the form of documents to the traveler. Luxury
Train Journey will be an unforgettable experience to cherish for lifetime.

The Palace on Wheels- The Palace on Wheels luxury train takes you on a scintillating journey
into the royal land of sand dunes and regal palaces. Voted as the 4th best luxury train in the
world, the Palace on Wheels carries with it an intrinsic ambience that goes perfectly well with
the majestic charm and beauty spread so lavishly across the Indian terrain. The journey to the
hinterland of the desert starts every Wednesday evening from New Delhi and ends the following
Wednesday early in the morning, back at the same station. In 7 Nights/8 Days the train traverses
over 3000 Kilometers (or 1850 miles). On the Palace on Wheels, your journey is full of
exuberance and luxurious feeling. A perfect chance to relive the era when kings and queens
ruled; when royalty spelt magic; when charm and mysticism was in the air. There are 39 Deluxe
Cabins and 2 Super Deluxe Cabins on the Palace on Wheels train (with a total capacity is of 82
passengers).

Water Transport- Before the coming of road and rail transport it was water transport (regarded
as the oldest transportation mode) which carried goods and persons from one place to another. In
spite of the bridges constructed over the rivers it still has relevance because of environmental
considerations and of being economical. Before analyzing its relevance in tourism let us explain
the three broad categories of water transport. They are: 1.Foreign going Traffic 2.Inland
Waterways 3.Coastal Shipping.

The nation is surrounded by 3 large water bodies - Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Indian Ocean -
cities surrounding them potentially benefit from planning different package tours on a ship or a
boat or even staying in a boathouse. The tourism department of states such as West Bengal,
Maharashtra, Goa has launched various initiatives such as special tourist launches to sail through
the Sunder bans, motor launches from the Gateway of India, organizing sea cruises respectively.

There are other tourist attractions like staying in a houseboat at Dal Lake in Kashmir, taking boat
trips at Varanasi or Allahabad; boating at Nainital (boating and water sports are picking up fast
in the country). In Cochin, boat buses ply between the various islands. Though they are the local
mode of transport but tourists enjoy travelling in them.

Cruise Ship- Cruise tourism is a form of travelling for leisure purposes, involving an all-
inclusive holiday on a cruise ship of at least 48 hours, according to a specific itinerary in which
the cruise ship calls at several ports or cities. A cruise can be a one-way or a round trip and
generally has several ports of call where passengers can come ashore to explore and experience
the attractions, activities, culture, nature and shopping of that town, city or region. Sometimes
travelers first fly to a specific destination, take a cruise trip from there and then fly back, the so-
called ‘fly & cruise’.

Cruise ships come in many styles and sizes, from under 100 to more than 6,000 passengers, with
a wide range of variations in between. They also largely vary in price range, from budget cruises
to luxury cruises. The focus of this Product Factsheets lies on small and medium-sized cruise
ships, from around 80 to around 800 cabins. Large cruise ships generally have their own
Destination Management Companies (DMCs) in which they have a share or a strong
commitment. This makes it very difficult for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to
work with them.

Ferry- A ferry is a merchant vessel used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo,
across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes
called a water bus or water taxi. Ferries form a part of the public transport systems of many
waterside cities and islands, allowing direct transit between points at a capital cost much lower
than bridges or tunnels. Ship connections of much larger distances may also be called ferry
services, especially if they carry vehicles. For example:

Panjim-Vasco Ferry Service-The ferry service between Vasco and Panaji started few months ago
but there were already waterways in Goa that used for travel, transport and tourism.

Kochi Water Metro-Kochi Water Metro is expected to start from 2019 in Greater Kochi region
and boats are equipped with latest safety and communication devices.

Port Blair-Havelock Ferry Service-Ferry service in Andaman is the only way to explore tourist
islands and also provide a luxurious service to guest. There are Government and private ferry
services leaving from Port Blair harbor to Havelock Island.

River and Canal Boats- A river cruise is a voyage along inland waterways, often stopping at
multiple ports along the way. Since cities and towns often grew up around rivers, river cruise
ships frequently dock in the center of cities and towns. India’s roads are well-trodden, there are
vast swathes of the country that remain almost untouched by tourism and some are only
accessible by boat. The history, wildlife, and tribal culture in the India are unlike any other part
of world. For example:

Kerala Backwater Cruise-Backwaters of Kerala should be on top of your next vacation list and
the Houseboat Cruising is the most happening thing to do. Cruising on the eco friendly cruise
boats through the backwaters of Kerala offers wonderful, romantic and memorable experiences.

Sunder bans Boat Cruise-Sunder bans luxury cruise through the mangrove forest offers best
experiences of wildlife diversity and breathtaking beauty of estuarine national park. Luxury
Sunderland cruise by vivid takes you through the haipib bend of rivers, lagoons and mangrove
forest.

Ganges Heritage Cruise-Ganges heritage cruise on the banks of the lower Ganges River is the
best way to explore the city. The waterway dotted with list of historical sites, monuments and
beauty of holy river Ganga.

Hovercrafts- A hovercraft, also known as an air-cushion vehicle or ACV, is capable of travelling

on land, water, mud, ice, and other surfaces. The boat needs no jetty and is considered safer than
tourist boats. At present, the Indian Coast Guard wings use such boats. Odisha Tourism will
shortly launch a hovercraft facility on Puri beach in collaboration with a private operator.
Hovercraft tours also organized by vizag hover club in Visakhapatnam.

Fly-cruise- A fly-cruise cuts to the chase by flying you straight to the area you will be cruising
without wasting time on the 'boring' bit of the journey. But the 'boring' bits at sea for some are
the most enjoyable part for others - it's all a matter of what rocks your boat. Fly cruise does
obviously involve a flight though - something many cruisers like to avoid and you will be limited
to the baggage you can take if you go by plane.

Unit 5 International Tourism Organizations

WTO- The World Tourism Organization (WTO), an inter-governmental technical body dealing
with all aspects of tourism began its legal existence of January 2, 1975. It came into existence as
a result of the transformation of IUOTO and was called upon to succeed it. The swift expansion
of travel had created the need for a world body able to deal with tourism problems at the
government level, and this led to the transformation of IUOTO into WTO. The headquarters of
the organization were set up in Madrid (Spain) in January 1976. The activities of the
organization cover all sectors of tourism on a worldwide basis. WTO works in cooperation with
all international organizations, the United Nations in particular, as well as with commercial and
non-commercial bodies involved in tourism. The WTO has a very emphatic technical character.
The WTO was originally conceived as an inter-Governmental organization in a UN General
Assembly resolution on December 6, 1969. This resolution called for the establishment of WTO
to play a “central and decisive role” in the field of tourism and to maintain effective
collaboration with the appropriate organs of the United Nations and its specialized agencies. At
Torremolinos (Spain), in June 1977, the second General Assembly of WTO approved an
Agreement with the United Nations for Cooperation and Relationship. On December 20, 1977
the 32nd General Assembly of the UN approved Torremolinos (Spain), Agreement, which is
now in force. In immediate implementation of this Agreement, the UN General Assembly in
December 1977 also approved a resolution sponsored by the Philippines with 24 cosponsors,
including India, requesting the WTO “to intensify its efforts to promote tourism, particularly in
the developing countries, through international cooperation and to report to the General
Assembly at its 33rd session on action taken.” The WTO became an executing agency of the
UNDP in May 1976. A few months later, UNDP Resident Representatives throughout the world
became WTO representatives for all matters concerning technical cooperation in the field of
tourism.

Aims of WTO- The aims of the organization are defined in Article 3 of the Statute which is
divided into the following three sections:

 The fundamental aim of the organization shall be the promotion and development of
tourism with a view to contributing to economic development, international
understanding, peace, prosperity and universal respect for, and observance of human
 rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction to race, sex, language or
religion. The organization shall take all appropriate action to attain this objective.
 In pursuing this aim, the organization shall pay particular attention to the interests of the
developing countries in the field of tourism.
 In order to establish its central role in the field of tourism the organization shall establish
and maintain effective collaboration with the appropriate organs of the United Nations
and its specialized agencies.

In the connection the Organization shall seek a cooperative relationship with and participation in
the activities of the United Nations Development Programme as a participating and executing
agency.

Functions of WTO- The major activities of WTO include the following:

 Constant review of tourism trends and developments and exercising vigilance over
changes in world economic and social conditions affecting tourism, market fluctuations
and maintenance of standards within the tourism sector.
 Clearing house for all available information on international and domestic tourism
including statistical data, legislation and regulations, facilities and special events.
 Systematic collection, analysis and dissemination of data on various aspects of tourism.
Collecting legislative texts, regulations and documentation on all aspects of travel.
Conducting research studies covering tourism markets, plant and enterprises, physical
planning and area development, promotion and marketing, economic analysis and
financing techniques etc.
 Regular supply of studies, as well as updated information on trends in the various fields
of tourism to its members.
 Fostering the adoption of measures in cooperation with competent specialized bodies
regarding simplifying frontier formalities and removing barriers to the free movement of
tourists. Organizing and convening international Conferences, seminars, workshops,
round tables and technical meetings on all aspects of tourism. Preparation of draft
international agreements on tourism.
 Examining vocational training programs with a view to contributing to the establishment
of suitable teaching programs tailored to specific needs, especially in the developing
countries.

IATA- IATA was founded in Havana, Cuba, on 19 April 1945. It is the prime vehicle for inter-
airline cooperation in promoting safe, reliable, secure and economical air services - for the
benefit of the world's consumers. The international scheduled air transport industry is more than
100 times larger than it was in 1945. Few industries can match the dynamism of that growth,
which would have been much less spectacular without the standards, practices and procedures
developed within IATA. At its founding, IATA had 57 members from 31 nations, mostly in
Europe and North America. Today it has some 290 members from 120 nations in every part of
the globe.

For consumers, IATA sets the international standard for services and business practices amongst
member airlines. As an example, the three-digit airport codes used internationally are an IATA
convention. Additionally, IATA aims to achieve the following mandate:

 To promote safe, regular and economic air transport

 To foster air commerce
 To study problems connected with airline industry
 To provide a means of collaborating between air transport companies and agencies
 To co-operate with other international air transportation organizations Essentially, IATA
is airlines working together to standardize and improve service internationally Due to the
vital role played by IATA in air transportation issues, it is recommended that you ensure
that your carrier/forwarder is an IATA agent.

PATA- Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is the largest travel promotional organization in
the world. It promotes travel and tourism to and within the Pacific region. It was incorporated to
develop, promote and facilitate travel to areas within the Pacific Rim in 1951 as a non-profit,
voluntary and non-political corporation. PATA was established in 1951 in Hawaii. In 1953 its
headquarters were moved from Hawaii to San Francisco. PATA first conference was held on
January 1952 in Honolulu and its first Asian office was established in Manila, the Philippines in
1976. Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) is the largest non-profit, non-political
organization in the field of travel and tourism. The objective of the PATA is the promotion and
development of tourism, advancement of the interest of members. PATA is a membership
association acting as a catalyst for the responsible development of the Asia Pacific travel and
tourism industry.

The main objectives of PATA are:

 To promote and develop tourism in the Pacific region.

 To provide timely up-to-date and informed.
 To organize seminars/ conferences for the members.
 Build the business of members.
 To organize training and development programs for members.
 To promote ethical practices.
 To focus on destination development.

Roles and Functions of PATA- Generally, PATA’s main aim is the progressive development and
promotion of tourism to its member countries. The contribution, role, and functions of PATA
towards its members can be studied under the following points:

 PATA conduct research studies on tourism.

  PATA organize marketing programmes.
 Provides detailed and up-to-date information.
 Organize events in the Pacific region.
 Helps in economic development.
 PATA helps in the improvement of tourist plants and service facilities.
 PATA helps the member countries to introduce a corrective measure to increase tourist
traffic.

UFTAA- Universal Federation of Travel Agent Association is an association of travel agents and
tour operators. It is one of the largest organizations in the field of travel and tourism industry. In
1919, International Federation of Travel Agencies (IFTAA) was established in Brussels.
However in 1996 IFTAA merged with the Universal Organization of Travel Agents (UOTA)
with the objective to ensure better coordination, co-operation among travel agents and to spread
the professionalism at the globe. The new organization established was known as the Universal
Federation of Travel Agent Association (UFTAA). The main objective of the association is the
promotion, development, and expansion of the travel and tourism industry worldwide.

Objectives of UFTTA- The Universal Federation of Travel Agent Association plays an important
role in the promotion and development of travel and tourism and their products. Some important
aims and objective of Universal Federation of Travel Agent Associations are following as:

 To ensure public recognition of members.

 To protect interest from legislation and other forms of legal point of view.
 To act as a negotiating body.
 To improve professional status and business standing.
 To improve up to date information.

Role of UFTTA- Universal Federation of Travel Agent Associations is an organization which is

dedicated to travel and tourism. It is a global travel and tourism organization at the world level.
UFTTA promote and develop tourism at the national level as well as international level. Some
important role and contribution of UFTTA are following as:

 Promotion travel sector.

 Promote destination
 Negotiation.
 Co-operate with international bodies.
 Promotion status/development process.
 Help to settle a dispute.
 Up to date informal.
 Develop payment systems.
 Research studies.
 Develop ethics.
  Helps to standardize relations.
 Develops vocational training courses.
 Organize seminars, conferences for the development of technology.
 Helps the members in transferring foreign currency payments to their suppliers.

ASTA- The American Society of Travel Agent is the leading and largest professional association
of the travel trade in the travel and tourism industry. It was established in 1931 as the American
Steamship and Tourist Agent Association but in 1945 the association changed its name to ‘The
American Society of Travel Agent Inc.’ ASTA’s present name was adopted to foster
programmers for the advancement of the travel industry, promote the ethical practices and
provide a public forum for travel agents. It has more than 25000 active members which include
1800 active and remaining are allied and associate members. Active members are the travel
agencies and tour operators whereas allied and associate members are airlines, hotels, railways,
government tourist offices and government organization.

Objectives of ASTA- The main objective of ASTA is the promotion, advancement of the
interests of members, safeguarding the traveling of people against frauds, misrepresentation and
other unethical practices. The other sub-objectives are:

 To educate and train members.

 To provide a common forum.

 To organize travel seminars, conferences and conventions.

 To provide a means of collaboration.

 To publish material relating to the travel industry.

Role and Functions of ASTA- A professional travel trade organization – ASTA comprises
different segments of the industry is playing a pivotal role in the promotion and development of
the world’s fastest growing industry. The following point justifies the above assertions:

 ASTA helps in professional and technical assistance.

 It offers a common forum for the exchange of ideas.
 It conducts worldwide market research.
 It helps the governments to formulate tourism policy and strategies.
 ASTA protects the tourists from unethical travel trade practices.
 ASTA conduct research, studies, and publicity for the sound development of travel
agencies.
 ASTA offers various training and management development programs for senior
executives of travel companies.
 ASTA co-operates with all organizations and individuals engaged in tourism activities,
designed to enhance the professional standing of the travel industry.
ICAO- The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a UN specialized agency,
established by States in 1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on
International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).

ICAO's aims and functions, as stated in the Chicago Convention, are:

 To foster the planning and development of international air transport so as to ensure the
safe and orderly growth of international civil aviation throughout the world;
 Encourage the arts of aircraft design and operation for peaceful purposes;
 Encourage the development of airways, airports, and air navigation facilities for
international civil aviation;
 Meet the needs of the peoples of the world for safe, regular, efficient, and economical air
transport;
 Prevent economic waste caused by unreasonable competition; ensure that the rights of
contracting states are fully respected and that every contracting state has a fair
opportunity to operate international airlines;
 Avoid discrimination between contracting states;
 Promote safety of flight in international air navigation; and promote generally the
development of all aspects of international civil aeronautics.

Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO):- Over the year the functions of the travel
companies have increased considerably. The travel agencies are no more acting as middlemen
between the vendors and tourists. They are specialized in one product line i.e. tour packaging.
Today, they are the manufacturers of tourism product and are commonly known as ‘tour
operators‘. Tour operators have their own price tag for earning a profit and have developed several
tour promotional programs. However, to encourage, assist and to protect the interests of tour
operators, the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) was formed in 1982. IATO was
established in 1982 at the national capital Delhi. The association is the representative body of
tour operators.

Objectives and Aims of IATO- IATO is a large tourism organization in India. It is the
association of tour operators. IATO helps in the development and promotion of travel and
tourism in India. The main objectives of IATO are:

 To promote national integration, international welfare, and goodwill.

 To take necessary steps in the promotion, encouragements, and development of tourism
in the country.
 To develop, promote and encourage friendly feelings among the tour operators and travel
agents/agencies.
 To protect the interest of the members.
 To set up and maintain high ethical standards.
 To settle the disputes of the members.
 To communicate and negotiate with chambers of commerce, IATA, Ministry of Tourism,
and other organizations in other countries.
 To organize the promotional tour with Airlines, and International Tourism bodies.
 To institute awards for excellence in the travel trade.
 To assist students with the scholarship to pursue higher education or research for the
development of tourism.
 To undertake such welfare activities as the members cannot take individually.
 To print and publish information material for the benefit of members.