In step with global trends, India should also shift its focus to promoting rural tourism, according to the Chamber. Since most tourist sites are located away from urban centres, the trend towards an increase in tourism outside well-known urban centres is discernible across the globe.
Early movers in adopting this concept have been Rajasthan and Kerala. Commenting on some of the latent potential, FICCI said that the ethnic Bengal, the agrarian life of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, the heritage of the North-East mountain villages, the r eligious charm of Uttar Pradesh, the tribal areas of Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh were waiting to be tapped.
FICCI said Finland rents out cottages in the countryside, while Hungary calls it village tourism or services provided to tourists visiting villages. While connotations regarding the concept varies, all nations associate rural tourism with a ``non-urban l ifestyle''.
To promote the concept, FICCI in association with the Udaipur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UCCI), supported by the Department of Tourism, Art & Culture, Government of Rajasthan, Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Government of India and West Zone Cultur al Centre, Department of Culture, Ministry of Tourism & Culture, Government of India, is organising a two-day conference from September 8 in Udaipur.
The motive is to promote rural tourism to achieve income, employment and economic stability in rural communities in India, FICCI sources told Business Line.
Apart from this, it will help in marketing India to increase national and international tourist traffic, as also linking rural tourism with urban tourism service providers, FICCI said.
The emergence of rural tourism will help in boosting a range of activities, services and amenities provided by farmers and rural people to attract tourists to their area to generate extra income.
The basic concept of rural tourism is benefit to 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.
Sources said apart from promoting rural tourism, FICCI and UCCI, will help in marketing rural India to increase national and international tourist traffic, developing tiny and micro entrepreneurs and providing them marketing support and help in strengthe ning rural infrastructure.
By: Prem Dubey
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