TOURISM TRENDS IN INDIA

       Tourism in India has grown in leaps and bounds over the years , with each other region of India contributing something to its splendor and exuberance . The foreign tourist arrival in India witness an impressive growth in recent years . According to Ministry of Tourism , Government of India , annual report (2017-18) , number of efforts has also as mechanisms to provide right platform for growth of tourism industry in the country such as introduction of 'Visa on Arrival Scheme' (VOA launched in November, 2014) to foreign tourists visited in India for a short period for tourism purposes such as recreation , sight-seeing, medical treatments , business meetings , visiting friends/relatives , etc. To provide point source of information , the government of India started 'Incredible India Helpline' (on a toll free telephone number 1800111363 or on a short code 1363) on pilot basis . This helpline also used to guide tourists during emergencies by providing safe and secure travel to tourists especially the women tourists , to curb the activities of touts and to prevent cheating of tourists during their stay in India .

* Visa Policy of Policy :

       India requires citizens of most countries to have a valid passport and apply for a visa at their local Indian embassy or consulate , before they travel . They can apply directly by mail or in person or through their local travel services company . India has recently implemented an online method for citizens of more than 40 countries to apply and receive an e-Tourist Visa , Nationals of Bhutan , Maldives and Nepal do not require a visa . A Protected Area Permit (PAP) is required to enter the states of Nagaland and Sikkim and some of the states of Arunachal Pradesh , Himachal Pradesh , Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur , Mizoram , Rajasthan and Uttaranchal . A Restricted Area Permit (RAP) is required to enter the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and of Sikkim . Special permits are needed to enter Lakshadweep Islands .

*  E-Tourist Visa :

       In order to boost tourism numbers , the Indian Government decided to implement a new visa policy allowing visitors to obtain a visa on arrival at 16 designated international airports by obtaining an Electronic Travel Authorization online before arrival without the need to visit an Indian consulate or visa centre . As a result of this, the foreign tourists arrival is increased as compared to the past years and the facility will be made available to citizens of about more than 180 countries in several phases .

* Beginning of Digital Tourism :

       Today , tour operator and tourists , both are equipped with latest technology . It has empowered the tourism business managers and tourists to explore , discover and reach new places by facilitating online travel and accommodation bookings , and more . The tourists use various mobile apps as simple as a compass app . online booking apps , currency converter apps , world time apps , language translation apps, weather apps , google maps and restaurant or accommodation locating services on their mobile device .

* Expanding Social Media and Tourism :

       Taking the assistance of the social media for product promotions , marketing , travel decisions, etc. is gaining popularity . Social media includes web-based and mobile-based technologies that are used to turn communication into interactive dialogues between tour companies , hotels , airlines , travel service provides , communities and individuals . The last decade has seen an unparalleled use of social media and it rose in many different forms such as collaborative projects (e.g. Wikipedia) , blogs and micro-blogs (e.g. twitter) , content communities (e.g. YouTube), social networking sites (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn) , etc. Social media is referred to as consumer generate media by the current business as they are comparatively low-cost and easily reached to anyone when compared to trade or traditional media .

* Demand for Personalised Services :

       The trend prevailing today is to offer the right product to the client at the right time and at the right price . This will go ahead and would be the key in travel business . Customers are looking for personalization and hence cluster of services will not work in future . Tourism and hospitality service providers are able to reach out to different categories of customers with personalized product because of the arrival of big data . For example , a tour operator will be able to pinpoint the preferences and the likes and dislikes of every tourist who book tours frequently with them .

* Tourism and Global Warming :

       Global Warming , the unreliable weather patterns and the natural disasters are on the discussions and one can depict global climate change as one of the worst disasters to hit the humanity and question the survival of life . Climate change is having an impact on tourists purchasing trends and destinations should be prepared for the same . Tourists are becoming more concerned about the carbon footprint on their flights and this may result in the introduction and popularity of other me and of transport gaining ground to the detriment of air traffic . Journeys made by train , boat or coaches are being opted by the tourists and another factor is that these modes are nowadays offering more comfort , great web accessibility and timetables suitability . Moreover the long distance trips can be outweighed shorter trips within the same continent or the same geographical region .

* Growing Safety and Security Concerns :

       As the world is witnessing the shocking terrorist d criminal attacks recently , tourism has evolved to be very different from what is was before . Acts of terrorism , regional wars , population and other crises have unfortunately become facts of daily life . These influence the need to feel safe and secure too . In tourism , this results in an increased need for safety and security and in tourists avoiding destinations that are perceive as unsafe . The quality of water , not only in lakes and pools and other water bodies but also of tap water , will gain more important role in the choice of the destination , along with increased demand for improved safeguard of water quality .

* Environmental Consciousness : 

      Nowadays tourists are move environmental consciousness and this will continue to increase . Sustainable destinations and sustainable tourism practices will gain wide popularity . For sustainable destination the nature and population will play an increasingly major role . The preferences for destinations will be more strongly connected to the support given by the local population destination grows and the tourists preference to choose a destination largely depends on the same .

* Sustainable Travel Destinations :

       More and more people are becoming conscious of their environment, which is why eco-tourism is on the rise. The ABTA Travel Trends report predicts nearly 45 per cent tourists will consider sustainable tourism an important aspect while deciding on their holiday bookings.

This trend will become one of the top travel trends in 2019. Social issues will gain importance while choosing the travel destination for most travellers. Whether it is controlling the use of one-use plastic, waste management to preserving heritage, LGBT-welcoming places and more, sustainable tourism will include a broad range of diverse concerns. Not only travel places, but nearly 6 per cent tourists chose a travel company after checking their conservation records last year.

Thanks for Reading ...
Please mention your Comments 💌💌💌