TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN EAST INDIA

UNRAVELING THE ESOTERIC EAST: A PASSAGE ACROSS TIME

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Tourism is a quintessential recreational activity for most people. However, unintentionally many people indulge in tourism because of other motivations. We will look at how these motivations can be leveraged to entice them to visit East India.

East India is full of wilderness, mountain ranges, endless beaches, spirituality, culture, tradition and modernity. East India offers almost everything the rest of India offers, albeit in its own unique style. It however, suffers from chronic problems like terrorism, violence, crime, poverty, lack of sanitation, low awareness and poor infrastructure.

In this paper, an attempt has been made to

Ø provide viable solutions to these problems

Ø propose opportunities and ways to leverage on the positives

Ø provide a framework for a support system to develop and promote tourism

Ø use tourism to uplift the local population

Ø evaluate policies pertinent to tourism

The 4 states Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa provide a colossal opportunity for tourism in this region. These 4 states have been evaluated in isolation. Strategies, alternatives and guidelines for development of tourism in these states have been provided.

INTRODUCTION

Tourism is essentially the act of visiting places. Usually, it is for recreational purposes. The destination a traveller chooses depends on his motivation.

Motivations:

· Recreation

· Cultural and educational

· Religious and spiritual

· Adventure and exploration

· Sports

· Wildlife and nature

· Business/ Conference travel

· Native (going back to place of origin, visiting relatives, etc)

Eastern India comprising of the states, namely, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Orissa, offer a variety of destinations, each satisfying a specific tourist need. It is a place full of wilderness, mountain ranges, endless beaches, spirituality, culture, tradition and modernity. East India offers almost everything the rest of India offers, albeit in its own unique style. One can choose from Gaya, Deoghar, Nalanda, Puri, Chilika Lake, Ranchi, Calcutta, Darjeeling, Sunderbans or Shanthi Niketan depending upon their inclination. It also however, suffers from chronic problems like terrorism, violence, crime, poverty, lack of sanitation, low awareness and poor infrastructure.

CURRENT SCENARIO

DOMESTIC TOURISM

It is evident that the categories which can be tapped are business and leisure. Religion is left out as it depends completely on the perception of the individual about the relevance of the temple in his culture and religious group. From the people travelling for social purposes, there is a significant percentage of tourists who go back to their native place for the summer. This group must be encouraged to travel to nearby tourist spots.

It must be noted that West Bengal and Bihar rank 8th and 9th respectively in terms of tourism share. Jharkhand and Orissa do not even figure in the top ten.

INTERNATIONAL TOURISM

Most Asian, especially South East Asian countries have a sizable percentage of tourists from nearby countries. India however, does not follow this trend. This maybe attributed to the fact that India was formerly a British colony. Europe provides maximum number of tourists followed by the United States. It is surprising that the number of tourists from Japan and China is paltry, considering India is the origin of Buddhism. The focus of tourism has been on Europe for too long and it is time we looked eastwards. Bihar especially has a lot to benefit here, as it is genesis of Buddhism.

IMPACT OF TOURISM ON THE LOCAL REGION

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACT OF TOURISM

India is a country which has unique cultures and ecological systems spread throughout the length and breadth of the country. Developing such places into mass tourist spots could threaten its very existence. Hence the developing and undeveloped spots, which are under such a risk, should be developed to low and moderate extent depending on the conditions. At ecologically sensitive places like biosphere reserves and remote tribal areas, the development should be low, price barriers should be high and number of tourists limited. Similarly, at culturally sensitive places like Shantiniketan, modernisation will ruin the charm of the place. Thus, the impact of development has to be thoroughly assessed, not just in economic terms, but also on the USP of the destination.

TOURISTS CATEGORISED ACCORDING TO BUDGET

In places which cannot be fully developed into mass tourist spots, efforts must be made to attract Type II and III tourists to maximise the economic output. However, before one develops tourist destinations in a state, the fundamentals must be in place for a secure and gratifying experience.

FRAMEWORK FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT MODEL

The National Tourism Policy, 2002 encompasses everything required to satisfy a tourist. It thus serves as an excellent framework for a tourism development model for Eastern India.

STEPS FOR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

ACTION	STEPS
Swagat/ Hospitality	.All airports, major railway stations and bus depots should be spic and span. Information, directions and sign boards should be provided in Hindi, English and the main local language. Dorms, clean restrooms, communication facilities, cloakrooms and refreshments must be available. Bookstalls must carry comprehensive state guide book. Information centre must be set up and the officer in charge must be able to communicate clearly in Hindi and English. State lodges and boarding rooms must be setup in all major cities, hubs and tourist places.
Soochna/ Information	Information Centres at all tourist places with information available in Hindi and English. Comprehensive interactive website including:- § A clickable map detailing all possible tourist destination and detailed info about the place, how to get there, government and private accommodation, restaurants, places to visit and activities. § FAQs § Downloadable state guide book in all major international languages Online forum and weblog on the state tourism website. Tie ups with travel agencies and tour operators to provide information
Suvidha/ Accommodation	State lodges, hotels and resorts at all tourist destinations. Proper and clean sanitation facilities in all tourist spots. Travel facilities ranging from basic to luxury. Optimum number of private hotels.
Suraksha/ Security	Guards at all entry and exit points of tourist spots. Police Station in immediate vicinity. All late night luxury transports provided with satellite phones. Others with basic GPRS communication. Disaster management policy in place and customised for all tourist spots. Qualified Life Guards all major tourist beaches. Warning boards at all necessary places. Fine the tourist for ignoring warning. Qualified guide compulsory at all risky spots like forests, mountains, etc. Plastics and non bio degradable material banned from ecological zones. These must be avoided by the staff also and disposing them in the ecological zones must warrant suspension or fine. State Government list on dangerous areas and reason for the danger. (e.g. terror, robbery, wild predators, quicksand, etc) Tourists must be encouraged to follow sustainable tourism and guidelines must be provided for the same.
Sahyyog/ Cooperation	All representatives should be able to communicate in Hindi, English and the state local language. Telephone helpline with international languages like French, German and Spanish and major domestic languages. Missing tourist special helpline Meticulous training and efficient utilisation of staff to achieve quality control.

Sanrachna/ Infrastructure

All major tourist destinations directly accessible by railways or air. The rest should be directly accessible by public road transport. All roads leading to the destination must be in good condition Information Technology must be used to connect all tourist interface points like information centres and transport points. Information centres should have access to the internet. All tourist spots should have electricity, water supply and telephone connection. All tourist attractions must be reviewed periodically and renovation work must be carried out if necessary must be carried out. All major cities should be very clean with an efficient municipal corporation and cleanliness policies in place.

INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICES

FACTORS IN DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT

The practices can be adopted in any relevant destination depending on the support available, especially from the local population.

The Matura Turtle Tourism and Conservation Programme, Trinidad

· Successfully decreased the slaughtering of leatherback turtles in that part of Trinidad.

· Introduced eco-tourism as a means to improve the local community by blending sustainable tourism, preservation of nature with economic growth.

· Can be adopted in settlements within forests and coastal areas in India

The Bahamas: One-Stop Online Booking and Immigration Card

The Bahamas’ website, www.bahamas.com, allows the prospective tourist to create an online account in which they can book and change reservations, e-mail those plans to friends and family, and print out their own vacation plan.

The Gambia: Redistribution of Resources (Pro-Poor and Responsible Tourism)

The government created the Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism (ASSET) to develop linkages between small-scale enterprises and mainstream tourism to enhance the synergy.

Trinidad & Tobago: Trinidad & Tobago Tourism Industry Certification Programme

It improved the quality of tourism products and services and secured support from the industry by

1. Having all tourism operators agree on the need for operational standards,

2. Linking the programme to marketing initiatives that offer Approved Tourism Operators (ATO) support in financing and promotion.

Botswana: National Eco-Tourism Strategy (NES)

· Botswana developed a National Eco-Tourism Strategy (NES) with the help of a number of different stakeholders.

· The NES emphasis on community development through tourism.

· It educates visitors and local communities about the importance of conserving natural and cultural resources.

Park Central Taxi Rank, Johannesburg, South Africa

The project cleared the surrounding streets of public transport activity that was an obstacle to traffic on inner city roads and commercial development within the city by providing a parking area for 2,000 taxis. This can be replicated in congested cities like Kolkata.

TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP OPPURTUNITIES

· Accommodation:

The state should provide basic accommodation in all destinations. Private participation in the budget accommodation will arrive according to the supply-demand situation.

The state should provide necessary clearances and tax holiday depending on the necessity of luxury facilities in the area.

· Circuit – connectivity development:

State should encourage private bus operators between the tourist spot and nearest city.

In places without airports, private players must be encouraged by giving land concessions to set up landing strips if there are opportunities for business tourism.

· Amenities

Ø Trolleys/ Ropeways, Skating Rinks in hilly terrain

FDI must be sought here as all the development work in this area has been done abroad and Indian firms will not have the necessary expertise to meet the safety requirements.

Ø Souvenir Malls/ Shopping Hubs

This is the domain of private sector. Loans can be provided at low interest rates for the interested firms depending on the scenario in the relevant area.

Ø Kayaking, Canoeing, Skiing, Rock climbing, etc for Sports Tourism

This is the domain of the private sector. State should provide necessary clearances and set up stringent safety and environment protection regulations.

Ø Coastal Tourism Development

Private sector can be encouraged to set up beach resorts and water sports complexes.

Ø Wildlife tourism

This is essentially the State‘s responsibility. Corporate houses might contribute as a part of CSR, but the State should not depend on that.

Ø Nature Parks, Amusement Parks and Theme Parks

FDI must be actively encouraged here as the international players have high level of expertise. If Indian companies are not willing to partner, 100% FDI must be allowed.

· Sezs, small landing strips, convocation centers, conference facilities for business tourism

Public-Private partnership is the foundation of SEZs, with the private sector helping in developing world-class infrastructure, generating employment and generating wealth. The State provides tax holidays and concessions in return. Private sector can also help in developing business resorts for corporate meetings, seminars and conferences.

· IT support

IT support is essential in this age to communicate with the customer. Website, e-booking, customer feedback, etc provides a platform to reach out to the customer. The State can also generate revenue by having tour operators advertise on the site.

· Security

This involves CCTVs, scanners, alarm systems, etc. Ideally the whole security set up must be outsourced to a professional agency in the respective location.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Management

Professional management is necessary if tourism development has to move to the next level. A professional management team should be headed by an experienced and highly qualified bureaucrat. The department should chart out courses and workshops for tourism management. The selected candidates must undergo this course and start as a trainee before moving on to the next level.

Guides

The State should collaborate with Universities and introduce diploma courses for guides. The candidate should be proficient in Hindi and English before starting the course. This course must be progressive in content and updated regularly. There course should also include an elective in a foreign language.

Educationists

The state should have a small team of educationists. This group should be highly educated and should be involved in research. They should regularly visit schools and various tourist spots and educate the locals about the destination and encourage them to help maintain it.

Marketing

This team must deal with the tour operators and travel agents, design promotion strategies and collaborate with local agencies in the foreign locations where they have set up offices.

IT and Security

These should be out sourced to the professional agencies.

REGIONAL TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

BIHAR

Destinations:

Bihar should have one mass tourist destination which is its capital, Patna.

Other destinations like Gaya, Rajgir, Vaishali, Nalanda, Pawapuri, Parasnath, Kushinagar, Muzaffarpur and Madhubini should not be actively interfered with. State must simply facilitate tourism by providing transport, accommodation and other necessary infrastructure. Information about these places should be freely available.

Bihar should tap into the Japanese and Chinese market and promote the Buddhist circuit (Gaya, Vaishali, Rajgir and Nalanda)

Festival tourism:

Chatth Puja can attract tourists across the world. A fair can be held to coincide with the festival.

With the advent of colourful migratory birds, celebration of Sama–Chakeva is done. This festival can be promoted in conjunction with wildlife tourism. Udhwa Lake Bird Sanctuary could be used for this purpose.

Conclusion:

Bihar is potentially a great destination for tourists, domestic as well as international due to its association with history, religion and the fact that it epitomises the Gangetic Hindi cow belt.

The restrictions from the airports pertaining to international flights must be removed.

Bihar’s image should be transformed from an uneducated and rustic state to one brimming with history, religion and folklore.

JHARKHAND

Destinations:

· Ranchi, the capital, is well known for its scenic attractions.

· Netrahat and the rest of Chotanagpur are excellent nature destinations

· Baidyanath Temple at Deoghar is an important pilgrimage destination for the Hindus.

Conclusion:

Opportunities include:

• Adventure Tourism: The lush forests provide a perfect opportunity for trekking, nature trails, camping, etc.
• Business Tourism: The industrial history cities like Ranchi, Bokaro and Jhamshedpur can be leveraged to make them perfect destinations for corporate meetings and conventions.
• Health/ Rejuvenation Tourism: Spas and Health resorts can be set up on the fringes of Ranchi.

Jharkhand must be promoted as an eco tourism, wildlife and rejuvenation destination.

WEST BENGAL

Destinations:

Kolkata and Darjeeling must be developed as mass tourist destinations. Tourism must be facilitated in other tourist destinations which include Mirik, Mayapur, Siliguri, Digha, Shantiniketan, Vishnupur and Bhakkali.

A luxury train from Kolkata to Darjeeling would provide tourists with a great experience of West Bengal.

Festival tourism:

Durga Puja has immense potential to attract tourists from all over the world. Cultural parades could be organised in this period. There could also be song and dance festivals. All these will add to the festive fervour.

There are other festivals which can attract tourists unique to destinations.

Conclusion:

West Bengal has history, culture, art, beauty, serenity, wilderness, modernity, tradition and academia all in the same state. However, it lacks proper channelizing of the resources. With many options specialised tours should be charted for all interests.

West Bengal thus is a perfect tourist destination for tourists with an intellectual bent of mind, those looking for calm and the ones looking for colour.

ORISSA

Destinations:

Bhubaneswar, Puri, Konark and Chilika are major destinations. Other destinations include Baripada, Jeypore, the rock-cut caves of Khandagiri and Udaygiri, the beaches and the various wildlife destinations.

Festival tourism has great potential as there are attractive cultural festivals like Rath Yatra and state sponsored festivals like Puri Beach Festival.

Conclusion:

Orissa has to supplement its history and wilderness with modern infrastructure and accommodation. Orissa’s perception of being very laidback state has to change to one with a vibrant and modern state.

Orissa requires mass media marketing and perception management to become a major tourist state.

TOURISM PROMOTION STRATEGY

Personal Selling:

All the staff in the department tourism and related services, interacting with the tourists should attempt to sell the state by being polite, helpful, recommending tourist spots and building rapport.

Advertising:

Ø Newspaper supplements (especially weekend editions) and magazines

Ø Special interest magazines like lifestyle, photography, travel, National Geographic, etc

Ø Posters in offices of Tour Operators

Ø Calendars

Tourism publicity:

Ø Participating in exhibitions

Ø Sending photographs, news and stories to newspapers, magazines, travel editors, etc.

Ø Projection of positive image of the state in delegate meetings, conventions, conferences, etc and coordinating with the rest of the government departments and private organisations for the same.

Ø Publishing books on the state culture, history and mythology; and promoting the same.

Ø Holding periodic conferences of tour operators and travel agents.

Public Relations:

Ø Setting up public relations office in all key destinations to interact with the visitors, the media, business houses, tour operators and travel agents.

Ø Press releases to newspapers and travel magazines

Ø Holding seminars and conferences

Sales Promotion:

Ø Give free memorabilia to high spending customers

Ø Discounts and concessions to tour operators and travel agents for low activity destinations.

Ø Free short tours for representatives of major tour operators.

Ø Brochures

Ø Tie ups with corporate business houses. Give discounts or freebies if they are ready for a long term commitment.

Ø Merchandising

Branding:

Ø Creating a logo and tagline which captures the essence of the state and supplementing it with posters representing at the most 3 categories of destinations from the state (e.g. mountains, beaches, temples or cathedrals, forests, city)

Ø Promoting festivals unique to the state and cross selling events and destinations

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR THE MODEL

Ø Growth in contribution to GDP

Ø Growth in employment

Ø Growth in sector tax revenue

Ø Growth in visitor numbers

Ø Growth in global market share

Ø Hotel occupancy rate

LEGISLATIONS PERTAINING TO TOURISM

1. Schemes involving funding high income private projects must be abolished as the parties can raise capital through debt or reserves.
2. Capacity Building for Service Providers Scheme should be done by tie-ups with relevant stakeholders.
3. Wildlife protection acts must be broad and clear e.g. any intentional act of killing an animal within the forest boundaries will lead to punishment.
4. Private motorised vehicles must be banned from ecologically sensitive zones
5. Steps must be taken to ensure proper execution of all schemes.

Bibliography:

• Google Search
• www.lonelyplanet.com
• www.gov.bih.nic.in
• www.travel.surlekha.com
• www.travel.mapsofindia.com
• www.wikipedia.org
• www.orissatourism.gov.in
• www.incredibleindia.org
• www.wbtourism.com
• www.jharkhand.nic.in
• Tourism marketing, S. M. Jha
• Travel and tourism management, Douglas Foster
• Tourism Today, Ratandeep Singh
• Tourism Towards the 21^st Century, Sunil Gupta and S. P. Bansal