INDIAN TORISM INFRASTRUCTURE

INTRODUCTION

Tourism infrastructure is the basic of tourism development and utilization of existing destination resources. It includes a large number of services, necessary to meet the need of tourist and increase satisfaction during their study at the destination.

India has already made a place on world’s tourism map because of its great potential to attract tourists to the diversity of its tourist sites spread all over the country. It is also known that we still lay behind our other neighbouring countries like China, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Tourism has always been an integral part of the country's five year plans, with it

being accorded priority sector status in the Twelfth Five Year Plan. Apart from

marketing and promotion, the Central Government has been developing

infrastructure focusing on both domestic and foreign tourists. Apart from the

Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Ministry of Railways have

contributed their part by ensuring the right infrastructure is in place to connect

the various destinations.

COMPONENTS OF TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE

                                Figure 1- components of tourism infrastructure

                                 Source - semanticscholar.org

OBJECTIVES FOR TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE IN INDIA

·       To develop the tourist areas socially and economically.

·       To increase employment opportunities in tourism sector.

·       To develop domestic tourism for the budget or economy category.

·       To preserve the environment and national heritage.

CASE STUDY ON INDIAN TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE –

AMBAJI AREA DEVELOPMENT :

Ambaji is one of the 64 “Shaktipeeths” of India and is therefore an important pilgrimage centre. It is in proximity to other tourist places of Gujarat like Idar, Shamlaji, Vijaynagar-Polo and Mount Abu in Rajasthan. Lakhs of pilgrims visit the place through out the year. The number of visitors increases manifold during festivals especially on Bhadravi Poonam.

Figure 3 - Ambaji Temple Gujarat

Source - gujarattourism.com

Location: Ambaji is situated in Banaskantha district near Gujarat – Rajasthan border, 60 kms. from Palanpur.

Nature of Project: Present town infrastructure is inadequate to support a large influx of people during festivals. Thus the development needs to be two pronged in terms of improvement in infrastructure facilities, and environment on the one hand (publicly supported) and tourist facilities including supporting amenities (private sector driven) on the other.

Components:

•         Renovation of Temple and Creation of Temple library
•         Urban Design / Renewal of Temple Area
•         Good quality budget and deluxe hotels, and accommodation resorts
•         Good quality restaurants
•         Better quality of potable water and water supply, drainage facility
•         Medical facilities
•         Recreational facilities: Gardens with landscaping, Amusement Park for children
•         Wayside amenities
•         Visitor information centre

Investment Potential:

Estimated cost of the all components is around Rs. 400 crore

Benefits Of Ambaji Area Development:

•        Development of Ambaji region would boost the local economy and create employment opportunities for local tribals.
•        To engage or assist or promote necessary facilities for the local residents, pilgrims as well as tourists.
•        To establish, maintain and operate services connected with the Pilgrimage Tourism industry and to co-ordinate the activities of the persons providing such services for pilgrims.
•        To provide for disaster management and mitigation.
•        To undertake preparation and execution of town planning scheme for whole or part of the Pilgrimage Tourism development area.

                                                                                    Figure 4 - Showing Infrastructural Development Of Ambaji

                                                                                      Source - slideshare.net 

CHALLENGES FACED BY THE TOURISM SECTOR IN INDIA

·       The lack of good infrastructure in terms of certain quality of hotels and poor connectivity make it that much tougher for a traveller. Yes Rajasthan and Kerala and few other states do have great hotels and roads and airport and train connections, but there are still lots of room for improvement in other regions.

·        The connectivity from Varanasi to Agra or even Khajuraho to Anywhere in India (these cities are riddled with poor flight connectivity and often large delays in train journeys, and of course a very long drive). By making conscious efforts in implementing a robust infrastructure for travel and accommodation we can look towards boosting the country’s international tourist arrivals.

·       Inadequate airline capacity, particularly during the peak tourist season, bad conditions of our airports, delays in getting the bookings, flight cancellations and delays render air travel in India nightmarish for foreign tourists.

·       Due to appalling conditions of traveling by trains, in India tourists prefer to avoid unless unavoidable.

·       Lack of hygienic and comfortable accommodation for the tourists, in general, but reasonable good accommodation for low spending middle class tourists

·       In particular, render tourism unattractive. Absence of motel hampers the smoothness, of long distance travels.

·       There is absence of an up to date information systems with quick retrieval facilities causes inconvenience to tourists.

·       Another major factor inhibiting the growth of tourism is the seasonality of the industry with the busy season being limited to six months from October to March  and heavy rush in November and December.

·       Lack of an integrated tourism promotion programme during the five-year plan periods has hindered the growth of tourism.

·       Indifference of many states and union territories to tourism, which has not yet been accorded industry status by them, is another factor limiting its growth.

·       Next factor is the failure of the mandarins of tourism to quickly adopt to the changing environment, for example the temporary closure of Jammu and Kashmir to tourists and socio-political and religious agitations in other northern states of the country rendering them unattractive to tourists, by developing and promoting alternative tourists destinations in South India.

·       A lukewarm attitude towards the domestic tourism due to the emphasis placed by the authorities on foreign tourism has been another limiting factor.

  RECOMMENDATIONS

·       A good infrastructure in terms of hotels and connectivity is very important.

·       The government need to take care of the roads which are the prime source of transportation for the tourists.

·       In the accommodation sector the hotels and its sanitization plays an important role, good rooms and proper sanitization should be maintained for the safety of the tourists.

·       There should be a good availability of air lines and trains in the peak tourist season to rid of the delays and the ticket cancellation so the tourist can get a smooth travel.

·       A number of mortel should be constructed for the tourist travelling to long distance.

·       Use of clean energy source for street lighting.

·       Development of equipments for tourism activities light and sound show, water/adventure sports etc.

·       Creating informatory and directional signage.

·       Proper parking facilities for two-wheelers, cars, buses and caravan should be provided.

·       Clean and proper toilets, cloak rooms facilities and waiting rooms should be constructed near every tourist spots.

·       Construction of craft haats, bazzars, cafeteria.

·       Construction of open air theater.

·       Comprehensive Solid waste management .

·       Wi-Fi connectivity and development of informative push - apps for tourism destinations.

·       CCTV cameras and other security equipment and installations.