PROSPECTS OF RURAL TOURISM IN BENGAL

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1 PROSPECTS OF RURAL TOURISM IN BENGAL Tanmay Bhowmick Assistant Professor Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management Ramnagar College Introduction:- India is termed as a country of all reason and all season with unified diversity having mountains, hills, plateaus, rivers, lakes, seas, waterfalls, backwaters, green paddy fields, tea gardens, forests, desert, mangroves, etc. From Kashmir to Kanya Kumari and from Gujarat to Nagaland, India is immensely gifted by nature. The history, heritage and culture allure the inbound tourists and are our country s pride. Indian tourism resources are colorful and in plenty. Based on such resources, Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of India has introduced different types of tourism and rural tourism being one among the promising ones. India is known as the land of villages, where 74% of the population consists of villagers and a huge part of it depends upon agriculture. But industrialization, economic development and urbanization altogether has contributed the ongoing rural to urban migration due to falling income levels and fewer job opportunities in rural parts of India. In such a scenario, the concept of rural tourism certainly holds a lot of significance for generating employment and promoting sustainable livelihoods. The rich diversity and variety that India has in terms of different cultures in each province, the customs and traditions, colourful festivals, folk arts and handicrafts as well as performing arts and historical heritage make many rural areas in India as potential rural tourism sites. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 49

2 Definition:- Rural tourism emphasizes on creating an experience in rural setting. Any form of tourism that displays the rural life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations, thereby benefiting the local community; both economically and socially as well as enabling interaction between the tourists and the locales for more enriching tourism experience can be termed as rural tourism. It is an alternative tourism concept, which involves visiting rural environments for recreational experiences. It can be participation in rural activities, mingling with local people and experiencing the local culture expressed in customs, values, beliefs, traditions, economy, history, agriculture, etc. It is all about experiencing the uniqueness of that area. It is a multidimensional concept. Any form of tourism that showcases rural life, art, culture and heritage at rural locations, benefitting the local community economically and socially and enhances the interaction between tourists and locals is called rural tourism. It is a subset of tourism that would consist of wide range of aspects such as agri-tourism, eco tourism, cultural and heritage tourism; and adventure tourism. The basic concept of rural tourism is to benefit the local community through entrepreneurial opportunities, income generation, employment opportunities, conservation and development of rural arts and crafts, investment for infrastructure development and preservation of the environment and heritage (Mishra, 2001). The WTO (World Tourism Organization) seminar in June, 2003 at Kielce, Poland, defined Rural Tourism in this way- Rural Tourism is engaged in by tourists seeking rural peace; it is tourism away from the mainstream tourism activity. Visitors who wish to interact Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 50

3 with the rural environment and the host community, in a meaningful and authentic way, engages in it. Merits of rural tourism:- Tourism has already been established as a power vehicle to accelerate growth and development of an economy. With numerous positive social impacts, promotion of tourism is now an urgent demand of each and every developing economy; to which India is no more an exception. With the passage of time, the Indian economy has to tackle the issues like rising population, ever increasing number of educated unemployed youth, especially in the rural areas; Employment of people especially the semi-skilled, unskilled, physically challenged people, generation and mobilization of resources in rural areas, etc. and it cannot be denied that promotion of rural tourism is an antidote to resolve such issues. Through development of rural tourism, the impacts beneficial to the rural societies would be- i. To sustain and create local incomes. ii. iii. iv. To enhance living standards of rural folks. To provide employment opportunities. To earn foreign exchange. v. To contribute to the costs of providing economic and social infrastructure. vi. vii. To encourage the development of other industrial sectors. To contribute to the conservation of environmental and cultural resources. Challenges:- In Bengal, we find tourism destinations in different stages of what is termed as the Product Life Cycle (PLC). For example, a region like Digha, Mandarmoni, a city like Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 51

4 Darjeeling, Kalimpong, etc. has reached a maturity level. They no more require promotion and have similarly exhausted their carrying capacity (infrastructural, environmental and social impacts). On the contrary, there are rural regions which are struggling hard to promote their attractions and develop their tourism products. The same is the case with many rural parts of India, even after having enough potential to attract both domestic and foreign tourists. The major challenges for promoting tourism in general are likely to- i. Sustain the local environment and natural resources. ii. iii. iv. Control the tourist inflow. Sustain the tradition and culture of rural areas. Ensure security of the tourists. v. Avail amenities like hospitals, police stations and lodging facilities. vi. vii. viii. ix. Educate the rural folks. Ensure proper understanding between guest and host. Provide occupational training. Promote handicrafts. x. Improvement of basic infrastructure. Therefore, it is necessary that the Government (both central & state) and especially the local government alongwith other stakeholders take initiative to mitigate the challenges for transforming the potential achievements into actual ones as well as to have better socioeconomic impacts. Opportunities:- In Asia, especially in India, rural tourism in its true form is relatively new. The development of a strong platform around the concept of rural tourism is definitely useful for a Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 52

5 country like India, where almost 74% of the population resides in its 7 million villages (Ministry of tourism, Government of India, 2009).Rich in tradition of arts, crafts and culture, rural India can emerge as an important tourist destination. Those in the developed world who have a craze for imbibing knowledge about the traditional ways of life, arts and crafts will be attracted to visit Rural India if the concept of Rural Tourism is marketed well. The potential for rural tourism to be a major force in rural economic development resulting in poverty alleviation is yet to be realized to the fullest extent. In the Indian context, the concept of rural tourism should be taking place by considering a lot of sensitive issues in relation with socio-cultural impacts on the rural societies. Some of these issues may be empowerment to rural womenfolk, distribution value chain and income generation for rural community, commercialization of rural tourism sites and socio-cultural conflict. National Tourism Policy of India The Government on India, realizing the need of a national tourism policy, announced the first tourism policy in 1982 to get maximum shares from the projections of 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals and receipts of $2000 billion by Thus, the Ministry of Tourism took a policy decision to bring about many changes in its strategies and techniques for tourism development. The policy had a clear vision of giving adequate impetus to the growing tourism sector as India is endowed with all credentials to become a leading tourism destination in the world. In 2002, with an objective of making tourism a growth engine of Indian economy, the Ministry of Tourism unveiled the second tourism policy. Other basic objectives of the policy are to exploit the vast potential of tourism for economic growth, employment creation and poverty eradication in an environmentally sustainable manner. A legislative framework for tourism development is incorporated in the policy that is government-led, private sector-driven and oriented towards community-welfare. The policy Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 53

6 outlines the significant role of the private sector in achieving inclusive growth in tourism in a more responsible way. The policy document envisages the relationship between tourism development and preservation and exhibition of cultural heritage. Effective linkages and close coordination is established with departments like civil aviation, environment, forest, railways and home. The other highlight of the policy is to ensure sustainable tourism development that should be considered as an important means of economic growth and social integration. The 2002 policy looks into the hospitality dimension of tourism. It is highlighted a tourist should feel satisfied and return with unforgettable experiences. The concept of hospitality includes the six (6) S s which are, as follows:- 1) Swagat (welcome) 2) Soochna (information) 3) Suvidha (facilitation) 4) Suraksha (safety) 5) Sahyog (cooperation) 6) Sanrachna (infrastructure development) The policy highlights the importance of all these six areas which must be examined as far as the existing strength is concerned. These six critical areas must be strengthened to demonstrate India s cultural richness and its tradition of Atithi Devo Bhava or the guest is God. Tourism development must foster understanding among people, generate employment opportunities, and result in socio-economic benefits to the local community mainly in the interior and remote areas. It must strive towards balanced and sustainable development. It must preserve enrich and promote Indian cultural heritage and natural resources as well. The most notable objective of the policy is to make the stay of foreign tourists a memorable and Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 54

7 pleasant one with reliable and authentic services at predictable and reasonable costs. So, India can get maximum repeated visits along with an increase in the length of stay. Rural Tourism Scheme, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India: Tourism growth potential can be harnessed as a strategy for Rural Development. The development of a strong platform around the concept of Rural Tourism is definitely useful for a country like India, where almost 74% of the population resides in its 7 million villages. Across the world the trends of industrialization and development have had an urban centric approach. Alongside, the stresses of urban lifestyles have led to a counter-urbanization syndrome. This has led to growing interest in the rural areas. At the same time this trend of urbanization has led to falling income levels, lesser job opportunities in the total areas leading to an urbanization syndrome in the rural areas. Rural Tourism is one of the few activities which can provide a solution to these problems. Besides, there are other factors which are shifting the trend towards rural tourism like increasing levels of awareness, growing interest in heritage and culture and improved accessibility, and environmental consciousness. In the developed countries, this has resulted in a new style of tourism of visiting village settings to experience and live a relaxed and healthy lifestyle. This concept has taken the shape of a formal kind of Rural Tourism. Under this Scheme, thrust will be to promote village tourism as the primary tourism product to spread tourism and its socio-economic benefits to rural and its new geographic regions. Key geographic regions would be identified for development and promotion of Rural Tourism. The implementation would be done through a Convergence Committee headed by the District Collector. Activities like improving the environment, hygiene, infrastructure etc. would be eligible for assistance. Apart from providing financial assistance the focus would be to tap the resources available under different schemes of Deptt. Of Rural Development, State Govts. and other concerned Departments of the Govt. of India. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 55

8 Governmental Approach : Sustainability The tourism sector can address development issues such as poverty reduction, developing local economy, revival and regeneration of arts and crafts, preservation of culture and most important, gender equity. Tourism also encourages preservation of monuments and heritage properties and helps the survival of art forms. The Indian Government is trying to reap these gains through schemes of rural and community based tourism which also help in distributing the gains of tourism to all segments of society. The government felt the need for involving community in tourism project with UNDP support. It identified 31 villages to be developed as tourist spots. It helps develop necessary infrastructure and UNDP helps in capacity building, involvement of NGOs, local communities and artisans, and so on. Similarly, to promote tribal life and tribal products, the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED), the national level organization of tribal cooperatives in the country, has identified certain regions for promoting tourism. TRIFED is planning to start tribal shops in all the major international airports so that all the traditional and ethnic tribal products are showcased for foreign tourists. The inclusion of development with local participation is central to these tourism approaches. Potentialities of Rural Bengal: Tourism Perspective West Bengal, situated in eastern India, is a land with a rich diversity. Home to different civilizations and known for its cultural diversity, West Bengal has a great history too. Bengal is mentioned in the epic Mahabharata. Thanks to its geographical location stretching from the great Himalayas to Bay of Bengal, the state has spectacular landscapes to captivate souls. It is the one and only Indian state which sprawls from the snowy summit of Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 56

9 Himalayas in the north to temperate coastal plains in the south. It is the gateway to the exotic east and is studded with beautiful beaches, flat river-beds and deltas, picturesque hill stations and evergreen forests. Amidst such fascinating splendors, thrives the Rural Bengal composed of the rural folks along with their culture, fairs and festivals, handicrafts, delicacies, folk dance and music, hither and thither in Bengal, proud of staying miles away from urbanization with utmost rurality in nature, proving their equivalency as oases to urban dwellers. The potential attractions of Rural Bengal are mentioned below:- Fairs and Festivals Name of Fair Location Time of the Occasion Attraction &/or Festival year Gangasagar Sagardwip, South mid-january Makar Pilgrims take holy Mela 24 Parganas Sankranti dip Kenduli Mela Kenduli, Birbhum mid-january Makar Sankranti Annual gathering of Bauls Jalpesh Mela Jalpesh near February- Maha Pilgrims worship Mainaguri, March Shivaratri Lord Jalpeshwar Jalpaiguri Jhapan Villages of mid- August Manasa Devi Live snake shows on Bankura puja open platforms Poush Mela Santiniketan, December Annual Folk dance, music Birbhum Festival theatre and Baul Bishnupur Bishnupur, Promotion of Handicrafts and Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 57

10 Utsav Bankura December Tourism traditional music of Bishnupur Teesta Tea & Dooars, Jalpaiguri November- Promotion of Folk performances Tourism and Alipurduar December Tourism and handicrafts Festival Nabanno Utsav Bolpur, Birbhum March Spring Festival Handicrafts, performances Folk Handicrafts District Birbhum (Shantiniketan) Nadia Bankura(Bishnupur) East Midnapore West Midnapore Purulia Koch Bihar West Dinajpur Crafts Batik print, Kantha stitch, Dokhra, Terracotta, Artistic leather craft Taant sarees(fuliya & Shantipur), Clay idols (Krishnanagar) Terracotta, Dokhra, Baluchari sarees Shell and conch shell products Mat making Stone carving, Chhau masks Cane and bamboo items, Shital pati, Jute products Jute products Horn work, Sholapith, Bell and Brass metal wares,etc. Folk Dance and Music District Koch Bihar Music &/or Dance Rabha, Mech, Rajbangshi,Bhawaiya nritya, Bishohori Gan Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 58

11 Birbhum Nadia Purulia Bankura Baul, Santhali nritya Kirtan Chhau, Tushu, Bhadu, Jhumur nritya Jhapan, Tushu, Bhadu, Jhumur nritya East Medinipur Bhatiali Malda Darjeeling Baan nritya, Bak nritya, Tapa nritya, Kali nritya Domphu, Kukri nritya Rural Getaways for Urban Escapists in Beautiful Bengal Destination Location Highlight/s Samsing Dooars Tea gardens, Orange orchards Ayodhya Hill Purulia Lush green forest with springs and streams Garh Panchkot Panchet foothills, Purulia Temples of Jor-bangla, Pancharatna and Pirha Styles Duarsini Purulia Tribal village amidst lush green forests Deulghata Purulia Palash Parban, architectural remnants of 15 temples Bishnupur Bankura Terracotta Temples, Traditional Music Of Bishnupur Gharana, Baluchari sarees Mukutmanipur Bankura Kansabati Water Reservoir, Terracotta handicrafts, Tribal villages Lepchajagat Darjeeling View of all five peaks of Mt. Kanchenjunga Taki Hasnabad, 80 km Bagan Bari on the bank of River Ichhamati from Kolkata Ballavpur Birbhum Santhal villages, handicrafts, Folk performances Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 59

12 Danga Lava Darjeeling Tribal villages, Nature interpretation centre Conclusion The concept of rural tourism certainly holds a lot of significance. It leads to the dual benefit of tourism development and potential improvement in incomes and living standards of the rural folk. Rural tourism will definitely add more to what a country earns in foreign exchange. Rural tourism will hasten the process of development and give chance to the village folks to interact with the outside world. It will boost employment opportunities in rural areas and the product of rural artisans will also find a ready market. In a nutshell, rural tourism has a lot to offer to the world. For tourism development and planning to work, coordination and cooperation between local governments and entrepreneurs is crucial. As the local community is the beneficiary, their support for the tourism development and the attitudes and the hospitality of local tourism workers are important. References Swain, S.K. and Mishra, J.M., 2012, Tourism: Principles and Practices, Oxford University Press, New Delhi. Das Gupta, D., 2011, Tourism Marketing, Dorling Kindersley (India) Pvt. Ltd. Jacob, R., Joseph, S. and Philip, A., 2007, Indian Tourism Products, Abhijeet Publications, Delhi. Chaudhary, M., 2010, Tourism Marketing, Oxford University Press, New Delhi. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 60

13 Arya, R.P., Arya, J., Arya, G. and Arya, A., Tourist Guide & Map of West Bengal, Indian Map Service, Jodhpur. White Paper on Rural Tourism Prospects in West Bengal Province, India by Sudipta Kiran Sarkar, WEC2009 world ecotourism conference. Top 15 Places to Visit In West Bengal _ Trans India Travels.html, accessed on 22/07/ Tourmyindia.com, accessed on 22/07/ ezccindia.org/west-bengal.html, accessed on 24/07/2016. Published by Ramnagar College, Depal, Purba Medinipur, West Bengal, PIN Page 61