Tourism is the most essential industry in the service sector of the Indian economy. It is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries, and its role in accelerating the country’s economic development is widely recognized. There are various types of tourism in India.
It has generated many social and economic benefits, promotes national integration and international understanding, and creates employment opportunities to a large number of people and foreign exchange earnings. Tourism
also supports local handicrafts and cultural activities.
WTO has taken the tourism concept beyond a stereotypical image of „holiday
making‟. The officially accepted definition in the report is: “Tourism comprises the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment not for leisure, business and other purposes”.
WTO has classified three types of tourism:
a) Domestic Tourism: This type of travel involves residents visiting within their own country. No formalities are required.
b) Inbound Tourism: Comprises non-residents travelling into a country of their choice.
c) Outbound Tourism: Comprises residents of a nation travelling out to a foreign country
These three primary forms of tourism can be, in turn, combined to derive three categories of tourism.
a) Internal Tourism: This comprises domestic and inbound tourism.
b) National Tourism: domestic and outbound tourism.
C) International Tourism: inbound and outbound tourism.
Types of Tourism in India
India is a vast and diverse country. There are various types of tourism in India. Let’s discuss these types of tourism in India.
1. Adventure Tourism
Adventure tourism has recently grown in India. It involves exploring remote areas and exotic locales and engaging in various activities.
For adventure tourism in India, tourists prefer to go trekking to places like Ladakh, Sikkim, and the Himalayas. Himachal Pradesh, Jammu, and Kashmir are popular for their skiing facilities.
Whitewater rafting is also catching on in India, and tourists flock to places such as Uttranchal, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh for this adrenaline-packed activity.
India offers various kinds of adventure on water, land, and air. Adventure tourism in India includes rock climbing, skiing, the Camel safari, paragliding, mountaineering, rafting in white water, and trekking.
As a kind of adventure tourism in India, rock climbing is relatively new. Due to the
presence of climbing rocks throughout the country, rock climbing as a kind of
adventure tourism in India is taking off significantly.
The various places in India where tourists can go for rock climbing are Badami, Kanheri Caves, Manori Rocks, and Kabbal. Skiing in India as an adventure tourism has become popular in the last decade.
The country has a large number of hill stations with excellent skiing facilities, which has given rise to skiing adventure tourism in India. The places in India where tourists can go skiing are Manali, Shimla, Nainital, and Mussoorie.
Whitewater rafting in India is a relative newcomer to adventure tourism. This has been increasing due to several rivers, waterfalls, and rapids. Tourists can go whitewater rafting in India on the Ganga, Alaknanda, and Bhagirathi rivers.
Trekking as a part of adventure tourism in India has grown recently. Many tourists are coming to India to go trekking in the various rugged mountains.
Camel safaris in India have also become very popular due to initiatives taken by the tourist boards of some Indian states. The most famous destinations for camel safaris in India are Bikaner, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer.
Paragliding in India has developed recently, and paragliding facilities are available in many places in the country.
Mountaineering in India is also quite popular in adventure tourism. Tourists can go to Garhwal, Himachal Pradesh, and Jammu and Kashmir to indulge in mountaineering.
Adventure tourism in India has grown tremendously in recent years. For this growth to continue, the government must make efforts to rank alongside international destinations for adventure tourism.
2. Wildlife Tourism
India has a rich forest cover, with some beautiful and exotic species of wildlife, some of which are even endangered and rare. This has boosted wildlife tourism in India. A foreign tourist can go for wildlife tourism in India in the Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary, Keoladeo Ghana National Park, and Corbett National Park.
3. Medical tourism
Tourists worldwide have been thronging India to avail themselves of cost-effective but superior quality healthcare in terms of surgical procedures and general medical attention.
Several medical institutes in the country cater to foreign patients and impart top-quality healthcare at a fraction of what it would have cost in developed nations such as the USA and the UK. Chennai attracts around 45% of medical tourists from foreign countries.
4. Pilgrimage Tourism
India is a country with its own identity and different religions. It is famous for its temples, and pilgrimage tourism is increasing most rapidly among the different kinds of tourism in India.
The various places for tourists to visit in India for pilgrimage are Vaishno Devi, Golden Temple, Char Dham, Mathura Vrindavan and Baba Amar Nath at
Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir.
Not only are domestic tourists visiting these sacred places, but we have also seen a huge flow of foreign tourists.
5. Eco-Tourism
Ecotourism in India has developed recently, for the concept itself is relatively new. Ecotourism entails travelling to places renowned for their natural beauty and social culture while ensuring the ecological balance is not damaged.
Ecotourism pertains to a conscious and responsible effort to preserve the diversity of a naturally endowed region and sustain its beauty and local culture.
Indians have been known for ages for worshipping and conserving nature. So, the growth of ecotourism in India is natural. Also, the government of India has set up the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to promote ecotourism in India alongside
other types of tourism.
6. Cultural Tourism
India is known for its rich cultural heritage and element of mysticism, so tourists come to experience it for themselves. The various fairs and festivals that tourists can visit in India are the Pushkar fair, Taj Mahotsav, and SurajKund mela.
Cultural tourism India is the predominant factor behind India’s meteoric rise in the tourism segment in recent years because, from time immemorial, India has been considered the land of ancient history, heritage, and culture.
The government of India has set up the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to boost
cultural tourism in India. The ministry in recent years has launched the Incredible India! Campaign, which has led to the growth of cultural tourism in India.
India has had many rulers over the centuries, and all of them have impacted its culture. The influence of various cultures can be seen in dance, music, festivities, architecture, traditional customs, food, and languages.
It is due to the influence of all these various cultures that India’s heritage and culture are exhaustive and vibrant. This richness in culture goes a long way in projecting India as the ultimate cultural tourism destination, giving a boost to tourism in culture in India.
The most popular states in India for cultural tourism are Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttaranchal.
Tamil Nadu is also famous for cultural tourism in India, for it shows the Dravidian
tradition and culture. It has many temples that mirror India’s rich cultural heritage.
Uttar Pradesh has a lot of tourist places, which also testify to the country’s rich culture. The most famous monument is the Taj Mahal in Agra. Cities like Varanasi, Allahabad, Vrindavan, and Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh also attract many tourists, for they encapsulate beautiful vignettes of India.
Uttaranchal is also famous for its cultural tourism. This state has the
Himalaya Mountains which are called the abode of the Gods. Many ancient temples are found in the Kumaon and Garhwal regions of the state.
7. Wellness Tourism
Wellness tourism is one of the fastest-growing forms of international and domestic tourism. This form of tourism involves people who travel to a different place to pursue activities that maintain or enhance their health and wellness and seek unique, authentic or location-based experiences.
Wellness tourism includes massages, body treatments, facial treatments,
exercise facilities & programs, weight loss programs, nutrition programs, pre-and post-operative Spa treatments and mind/body programs.
8. Business Tourism
Business tourism can be defined as travel for business. It can be divided into three sections: Trading for goods to be resold on a wholesale basis, Conducting business transactions, e.g., visiting a client, contract negotiations, Attending a conference, exhibition, or event associated with their business.
9. Heritage Tourism
Heritage tourism in India has registered immense growth in the last few years, ever since the government of India took additional initiatives to boost India’s image as a destination for heritage tourism.
India has always been famous for its rich heritage and ancient culture. So, the onset of heritage tourism in India was long anticipated. India’s glorious past and cultural diversity make a potent blend that attracts millions of tourists yearly to its heritage tourist attractions.
The government of India and the Ministry of Tourism and Culture encourage heritage tourism by offering several benefits to the Indian states that are particularly famous for attracting tourists.
India’s rich heritage is amply reflected in the various temples, palaces, monuments, and forts found everywhere in the country, which has led to an increase in heritage tourism.
The most popular heritage tourism destinations in India are the Taj Mahal in Agra, Mandawa Castle in Rajasthan, Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu, Madurai in
Tamil Nadu, Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and the Indian capital.
The maximum number of tourists who come to India visit the Taj Mahal, one of the world’s seven wonders. It is made of marble with intricate inlay work done in an exquisite and meticulous style.
The Mandawa castle in Rajasthan, built in 1775, reflects India’s rich heritage and attracts thousands of tourists yearly. Rajasthan seems especially popular for its antique paintings, jade jewellery, palaces, and costumes.
Mahabalipuram has sculptural and architectural sites that are considered the greatest in India. Its cave temples, carved from granite blocks, date back to the 7th century, which is why many heritage tourists in India visit this place.
Tourism of heritage in India has also increased due to the interest of many foreigners in the temples. Madurai is known as the temple city due to its many temples. For this reason, many tourists visit the place each year. The most important temple in Madurai is the Meenakshi temple.
Heritage tourism in India has grown in recent years, but there is scope for further development, which can be attained only through the combined efforts of the government and the tourism boards.
10. Leisure Tourism
They usually visit hill stations, beaches, waterfalls, zoological parks, etc.
11. Cruise Tourism
Rail and road transport are widespread among the people. Some tourists go in for a Cruise mode of transport even if it is costlier. At any cost, the tourists desire to enjoy the holiday before they reach the actual tourist spot.
12. Sports Tourism
People now, from the rich and the poor, the young and the old, spare leisure time for sports activities. One segment undertakes tours to nearby cities and abroad for sports activities. Inevitably, Tourism participates in their tour.
13. Educational Tourism
Students travel abroad to secure higher studies and professionals to polish their talents. Tourism here automatically gets triggered. The types of tourism in India have grown, boosting the Indian economy. If it continues to grow, efforts must be taken by the Indian government so that the tourism sector can contribute more substantially to the nation’s GDP.
As we all know, the country (INDIA) is known as the “Golden Sparrow” in the world, the trend in the flow of international tourists to India and foreign exchange earnings. Though India’s performance in terms of PTAS (present tourist arrivals) and FEEs (foreign exchange earnings) is improving, it is too little compared to the other tourism-developed economies of the world.