With International tourist arrivals (ITA) into India rising 8% in 2010 to 5.5 mn (less than 50% are tourists) , it may be construed as an achievement by those in the apex body of the sector. Unfortunately, these are abysmal stats, if we compare it with our small or big Asian neighbors.
HongKong (China) itself has seen 20 mn ITA (equivalent revenues being US$ 22 bn) whereas Malaysia has seen 24.5 mn ITA (equivalent revenues being US$ 17.8 bn).
If one were to dare to, compare an European country say France, the ITA were 76 mn in 2010 (equivalent revenues being US$ 46 bn) !!
If one were to try and capture India's natural proposition to a foreign tourist it would simply be like this;
India is the holiday destination with 7500 km of shoreline, multiple serene & exotic beaches of Goa, Puri, Karnataka, Kerala, diverse climatic regions with Snow clad Himalayas, the hot arid desert in Rajasthan, the towering Vindhyas and Sahyadri mountain ranges and but of course the numerous historic monuments comprising forts, palaces etc in many states.
It is simply unfathomable for an avid traveler and patriotic Indian, to witness a country which has immense natural wealth but cannot be one of the top tourist destinations of the world.
Only judicious introspection, initiatives and implementation can bring out a step change. It may be prudent to start scrutinizing one state as a case for tourism betterment.
The example of Maharashtra which sees the highest number of arrivals, albeit not for the sole purpose of 'tourism' may be apt.
Maharashtra (means 'great state' in Sanskrit) is the 2nd most populous state and 3rd largest state in India. It is one of the richest state in terms of GDP contribution and also one of the rich states in terms of natural habitat and diversity it has to offer for an avid tourism buff.
The state has over 350 forts to boast of, most of which are over 400 years old. Ancient caves some of which are dating back to 2nd B.C. Six national parks in the state namely, Navegaon near Gondia, Nagzira in Bhandara, Tadoba in Vidarbha, Pench in Nagpur, Chandoli in Sangli, Gugamal in Melghat and Sanjay Gandhi Park in Mumbai. Maharashtra has an impressive sea shore of 720 km stretching from Dahanu in North right uptill Goa border in the south. Someone with a penchant for sand, sea and turf, Maharashtra is the place !. Western ghats some standing tall at 2000 m provide a refreshing alternative to city life !
The Ashtavinayak (Eight divine temples of Lord Ganesh) is a sacred tour of Ganesh temples much sought after by every god fearing person in Maharashtra and other parts of the country.
With such natural glory and beauty in the midst why has Maharashtra failed to capitalize on this tourism opportunity !
Well, simply put the reasons are initiative, planning and commitment !!
Lets scratch the surface to examine obvious failures..!!!
Start with the majestic forts in Maharashtra..Janjira fort is one of the most amazing forts both in terms of historic significance as well as the natural placing (right in middle of the sea). Maharashtra Tourism Dept. has played little role in developing this once formidable monument of India. Little does the department realize that the ferry / jetty, entry to the fort and the internal fort pathways could do with some amount of refurbishment / renovation.
Ironically, the state tourism dept. leaves it mark here as well with no sign boards, totally lack of any tourist information and refreshment facilities.
The question an Indian tourist would ask is why would a foreign tourist get attracted to such places which smacks of total neglect !!
On the other hand, not far away in Rajasthan, whether it be Amer fort or Kumbhalgarh fort, the RTDC has done a magnificent job in renovating and making it tourist friendly in every manner possible.
If one were to move to Pratapgarh near Mahabaleshwar, which was one of the popular forts in our history thanks to the smart act by Great Shivaji of executing the cunning Khan. What has Maharashtra government done to promote this fort as a tourist destination, zilch !
In the last three decades, the minor change I see at this fort is that a good parking area has been created and some broken walls and steps have been fixed.
Maharashtra tourism dept. could could do with some innovative approaches, probably showcasing a video cast of the heroic deeds of Shivaji or maybe having a exhibition and guided tour of the place. The fort is yet another neglected tourist destination of Maharashtra !
It is appalling to see that urchins damage / ruin public property in such historic places, unauthorized guides hanging around, making an Indian tourist (forget foreigner) wonder whether he is trustworthy or not !
If one moves to the virgin beaches along Konkan, some of the so called beaches in Mauritius or Seychelles may be put to shame, such is the natural beauty in Konkan belt !
MTDC has not touched these beaches, I guess we should thank them !!. But those tourist spots and sacred places such as 'Ganpatipule' which are equally enamoring have been handled with pure inexperienced hands.
Why cant we market our holy destinations the way the Europeans market Vatican or Goa markets its Cathedrals to tourists !!
'Ashtavinayak' (Lord Ganesh temple chain) sees lakhs of domestic tourist arrivals in a month. The situation at the locations is appaling to say the least. MTDC doesn't claim its existence here in any form apart from the solitary signboard at the highways guiding you to the temple.
Abysmally maintained roads (highway to the temple) which are about 2 km stretch typically speaking, are never laid the right way. Why has MTDC not been able to standardize basic amenities such as toilet, washrooms, rest rooms and refreshment facilities at the sacred locations in Maharashtra. Least one would expect is to have proper water closet around the temple area. Lack of hygiene, cleanliness rules, obviously due to improper planning and resultant lack of fund allocation.
Even if Tourism dept. were to hopefully maintain and conserve existing natural assets in the state, it would be akin to a great achievement, such is the sorry state of Maharashtra tourism !
The marketing initiatives by state tourism dept. need not be as ambitious as the Gujarat tourism campaign or Kerala 'Gods own country' campaign, because it would be too much to bite for the dept. minions. However it is time for Maharashtra tourism dept. to think of small step advertising to start with in the mass media.
Needless to say, tourism development and progress of state go hand in hand !!
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