Rural Tourism Resources

Rural Tourism Resources – Tourism is a socioeconomic activity with the competence of creating large-scale employment without compromising the environment and ecology of the destination. India is branded for its inheritance, civilization, and charming exquisiteness in the travel and tourism sphere. As per Ministry of Tourism statistics (2016), India has received 8.80 Million foreign tourists with an annual growth rate of 9.7% and earned 1, 54,146 crore rupees from the travel and tourism segment.

However in spite of having a variety of resources, its share in International Tourist Arrivals is 1.18% and rank International Tourist Arrivals is 25th Rural Area of India is the paramount place to understand India’s true tradition, heritage, culture, fair, and festivals, way of life, etiquettes, generosity, gastronomy, pattern, and manners. Rural areas of India are competent to provide destinations and sites for all forms of tourism.

Rural Tourism Resources

The 18th-century industrialization fashioned impromptu urban-centric syndrome resulting in smog, anxiety, crime, unhygienic surroundings, overpopulation, one-way flow of people, and lopsided development. Expansion of Rural Tourism Resources has been considered one of the solutions to above-mentioned evils. A lot of studies has been undertaken in China, Australia, Spain, Germany, the USA, Europe, South East Asia, and South Africa.

In China, research has been undertaken to evaluate the eminence of rural tourism experiences which shows that tourists are exceptionally contented with rural areas environmental state of affairs, local attitudes, and service quality management. Tourists have low satisfaction levels with food and lodging conditions, charges, condition of infrastructure, and leisure facilities. In Australia, the role of trendy media and films in the promotion of Rural Tourism Resources metaphors has been studied.

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.

Ministry of Tourism

Government Initiatives in Rural Tourism Resources

The Government of India has already visualized that the development of travel and tourism is the best approach to proliferate the income of the rural population where almost 68.8% of the population resides in nearly 6 lakh villages. Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has published guidelines related to the “Rural Tourism Resources for Infrastructure Development” on 9th December 2011. As per Scheme Guidelines:

1. Village Tourism will be promoted and specific tourism products will be formed whose base will be rural heritage, culture, lifestyle, environment, geography,
2. Rural tourism development must be in synchronization with different schemes of the Department of Rural Development, State Governments, and other related departments.
3. Each state/UT Government will submit one proposal for the promotion of Rural Tourism Resources. After selection State/UT Government will prepare a detailed plan of action. A maximum of Rs. 50 lakh would be sanctioned.
4. Scheme Activity includes:
   1. Improvement of village environment/ surroundings (landscaping, parks development, fencing, compound wall, etc, road improvements (within Panchayati limit), solid waste management, sewerage management, and hygiene infrastructure.
   2. Village illumination and construction of wayside amenities:
   3. Monuments conservation, signage, reception and accommodation, construction,
   4. Tourism-related equipment procurements like Eco-friendly Transport, Water, and Adventure sports.
5. Convergence Committee will be constituted under the Chairmanship of the Managing Director State Tourism Development Corporation/ Tourism Commissioner and headed by the District Collector
6. All works will be executed by the central government/ state government agency by following scheduled rates prescribed by CPWD or the state PWD. The created infrastructure and assets would be managed by State /UT governments or their agencies.

Main Characteristics and Features of Rural Tourism

1. The tourism activity took place in the country side and community participation/initiative is a prerequisite.
2. It is multi-faceted and incorporates different forms of tourism.
3. Locally available accommodation (Village Architecture) and Food should be served. Accommodation must be clean, pest controlled, and hygienic.
4. A tourist shopping center can be opened so that tourists can purchase local products like food, tea, honey, fruits, herbs, minor crop, handicrafts, painted pottery, carpets, hand-sewn clothes, traditional embroideries, toys, etc.
5. Locally available traditional transportation is used like Tractors, Bi-cycle, Bullock-carts, Horse and Camel Riding, Tonga, etc.
6. Tour production centres like Fruit gardens (Mango, Grapes, Bird Raise Centre, Poultry, Dairy Farm, Cattle-Goats Area and visit local facilities like Gram Panchayat, school, Village Fairs, Village Hat (market), Sugar factory, Milk collection center, Ponds, Wells, Pokhara, River, Tube well, Ceremony, different types of Tress, old Religious Places and Museums.
7. Rural tourist itinerary must be busy and activity oriented like participation in plantation, cattle caring, nature education, tree climbing, painting natural scenes, clay molding, watching domestic animals-birds, rural games, silk making, honey making, making of milk products, making of household instruments, musical instruments, handicrafts, and cooking.
8. Family and village games like (Gilli Danda, Gotti, Marbles, Kabaddi, Kushti, High Jump, Long Jump in farm soil, Chiloher Pati, Khaillar, Tree climbing, and Jumping, etc.) are organized and evening entertainment is provided like a campfire, rural folk dance, local songs(Kajari, Biraha, Alaha, Qualities, etc
9. Rural Tourism Focus must be on
   • Something to see
   • Something to Do
   • Something to Buy
10. Prime beneficiaries are local people who are trained professionally to provide a complete packages to Rural tourists. Local and district administration’s support is a pre-requisite.
11. Rural tourists should be educated to act “Responsibly” and should respect the human and natural heritage of the host community. Tourists should be sensitized toward cultural values, social norms, and traditions. There must be clearly defined and communicated Do and Don’ts.

Indian Rural Tourism Resources

Indian rural sites are full of resources but travel and Rural Tourism Resources cannot be consumed till it is transformed into a tourism product. For transforming resources into tourism products, we have to integrate resources with accommodation, transportation, guiding escorting services, shopping, security and communication, and promotional networks. Indian rural sites are full of resources like

• Nature Reserve, Nature trail, Rare Breed Centre, Parks, Butterfly Parks, Cliffs, Waterfalls,
• Prehistoric sites, Displays (Domestic houses, Museums Costumes) historic sites related to Epics, way of living, way of behaving, story
• Palaces, Havellies
• Temples, Samadhi, Mosque, Tombs, Dargah, Gurudwara, Churches, Wells, Ponds, Gramdevata, Religious Practices.
• Attractions based on primary production (Agricultural attractions, Farmer, Fishery Mining, Water Reservoirs)
• Craft center/workshops, water, and windmills, potters, wood carvers, and glass makers.
• Mass production of Goods like-Pottery, Brassware, Bangles, Carpets, Tea Gardens,
• Transport Attraction:- Transport Museums, Canals, and old vehicles.
• Sites/areas/houses of writers, politicians, social workers, freedom fighters, kings, queens, army men, sports person, and film personalities.
• Theaters, street-based performing arts, circus, musical groups, Qualities, Dance, Drama.
• Historical Fairs(Mela), Gatherings, Seasonal Fasting, Processions, Tajiya, Village level competitions, celebrations of Kajari-Teej Patola.
• Tress/ Herbs (Tulashi, Pipal), Black deer, Cow, Buffalo, etc.

Conversion of Rural Tourism Resources to Product

1. Infrastructure Building: Above mentioned resources can be used/ consumed by rural tourists when the same is transformed into a tourism products. For that purpose, we have to create a different categories of infrastructure/facilities and execute diverse schemes.
2. Incredible India Bed and Breakfast/Homestay Scheme: It gives an opportunity to tourists to stay with an Indian family and experience lifestyle, culture, tradition, hospitality, pattern, taste, color, and cuisine. The place of stay is clean, pest controlled, hygienic, and affordable.
3. Transportation Infrastructure: Interstate Bus, Taxi, Cab, Charter/Sightseeing Buses, Passengers ships, Sight Seeing Boats, and locally available animals.
4. Travel Services Network Like: Travel Agencies/ Tour Operators/ Travelers Aid Centres, Tourist Information Counter, Tourism Promotional/Development programmes, and Human Resource Development Programmes.
5. Food Services (Locally available cuisine).
6. Recreation facilities, Cultural and Entertainment program facilities.
7. Museums and Galleries, gift and souvenir shops, sporting Goods, Luggage shops, Laundry shops, and General shops.
8. Telecommunication Network, Security, Guiding/ Escorting services.
9. Promotional Programmes.
10. Rural Tourism Sites : Recently, the Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned Rs. 44.65 crores for the development of a Rural Circuit in Bihar comprising Bhitiharwa-Chandrahia Turkaulia. The project was sanctioned on 28th June 2017 for Rural Tourism Resources and is to be completed in 18 Months’ time.
11. Capacity Building: Travel and tourism is a service industry and services are provided by being. In the case of rural tourism, local youths must be professionally skilled. The government of India has launched many schemes/programs for training and capacity building. One of the most prominent programmes is Skill Development Programme. Under a skill development program, rural youth can get training/ education at different qualification levels in order to get jobs in different streams.

The Ministry of Tourism and Travel Industry has the responsibility to raise a skilled workforce of 50 lakh personnel by the year 2022. For hotels, it is mandatory to train a specified number of workforces under the “Hunar Se Rozgar Scheme.” For capacity building, the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) is running regional-level tourist guides (RLG) training program of 26-week duration.

The rural area represents the true culture of India and is the moral fiber of the Indian economy. Due to uneven development between rural and urban areas, the rural sector faces numerous problems like unemployment, non-availability of capital and technology, uncertain climatic conditions, etc.

At present, worldwide farms and practices of farming operations have changed and the young generation is not fascinated by staying in rural areas due to a lack of opportunities. Farmers are looking for supplementary means of income generation and the Government of India is very much inclined towards bridging the infrastructural and economical gap existing between the urban and rural sectors by formulating and promoting different special schemes.

Benefits of Rural Tourism

Development of the travel and tourism sector in the form of Rural Tourism has the potential of transforming villages into the economically sustainable zone as:

1. Rural Tourism Resources can create long-term employment and provides skilled/unskilled training and career development opportunities.
2. Rural Tourism will boost women’s empowerment and provides young/ agriculturist livelihood diversification.
3. Rural Tourism has the potential of establishing medium and small enterprises.
4. Rural tourism will promote local production, education, art and architecture, community self-esteem and pride, heritage, and nature conservation.
5. Rural Tourism will create new infrastructure/ superstructure, helps to maintain local services and facilities, and improves the quality of life.
6. Development of Rural Tourism is the passport of poverty alleviation and can double the farmer’s income without creating negative impacts on the environment and ecology.
7. Rural Tourism has the potential of developing new professional profiles in the form of local tour guides/escorts, Managers of Accommodation, Transportation, Shopping centres, Travel circuits, Production houses, Food Joints, Souvenir shops, and Services.

Challenges

There are certain troubles of Rural Tourism Resources owing to its essential character as its pedestal is local people and farmers. Rural people and farmers have inadequate knowledge, education, and exposure which construct problems in understanding and management of the travel and tourism sector which is most dynamic and vibrant.

They have modest business proficiency and are deficient in business and market opportunities. Inadequate infrastructures, lack of financial support, and unsatisfactory training, and education opportunities are other problems. In spite of these, if local rural people are proficient in presenting rural site-specific thematic stories to tourists, rural tourism can be developed and managed. Here local communities’ relationship with nature should be exposed to tourists and rural tourists must experience an authentic reflections of rural life patterns.