Domestic Tourism Archives - Lokmarg

‘Uptick In Domestic Tourism is Fuelled by Nationalistic Pride’

By LokMarg 27th January 2024

Sushreeta Mohapatra, a content writer with Indian School of Business in Hyderabad, speaks about the latest Maldives vs Lakshadweep row. Her views

An upshot of the recent diplomatic fracas between India and Maldives over the Indian Prime Minister’s social media posts on the beauty of Lakshadweep has been the increasing interest among Indian tourists in visiting Indian destinations. But for how long will the wave sustain, and will it even translate into action?

Remember the days when the lockdown norms were eased and all you could see on your social media feeds were pictures of celebrities posing in exotic foreign locales? Nearly three years down the line, the penchant of Indian tourists for foreign locales is once again in the spotlight. Which begs the question – are we doing our country a disservice by choosing others for that dream vacation? Perhaps it is not as simple as it appears.

Nowadays, rather unfortunately, most people choose their vacation destinations not for the sights but for the likes they will bring. The simple joy in exploring new places has given way to the itch for sharing ‘Instagramworthy’ pictures. And let’s face it – travelling outside India for a vacation is seen more as a social status benchmark than anything else. Forget the luxury traveller – even the middle class is off to a foreign vacation at the first chance they can afford.

And with budget tours, cheap airfare, and ease of paperwork, who wouldn’t want to? The ‘have money, will travel’ motto which seems to drive most people, particularly the youth, to plan a vacation can easily be revised to read ‘have money, will travel abroad!’ That a vacation in some of these foreign locales burns a smaller hole in the pocket than one in a popular destination in India only complicates matters.

Following an appeal to the citizens by the Prime Minister during his 2019 Independence Day address to explore more Indian destinations, in 2020, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, launched the Dekho Apna Desh Scheme. The scheme was meant to encourage Indians to see more of their own country, to explore its “diverse and rich cultural heritage.”

ALSO READ: ‘Can Lakshadweep Ecology Cope With Heavy Tourist Influx?’

Numbers speak encouragingly of the effort, portraying an over 11% increase in the number of annual domestic tourists in 2021. But here’s the catch – in the same period, the destinations which saw the most influx of domestic tourists continued to be the well-known ones, the Taj Mahal taking the top spot in terms of popularity. Are Indians less adventurous then, when it comes to seeking out new vacation destinations?

Not really. Indians travel their own country in far larger numbers than the recent news filtering down from social media seems to suggest. That the spotlight has been put on the lesser-explored destinations such as Lakshadweep and NorthEast India is less a reflection of actual travel trends and more of the continued ignorance of social media users. And let us not forget that some of these exotic Indian destinations have been accepting limited numbers of tourists, and for good reason.

To put the blame on the hospitality industry then would be misguided. After all, some of the best luxury hospitality enterprises offer spectacular experiences in scenic, remote locales within India, and they do have their takers.

In the end, only time, and people, will tell if ‘local’ tourist destinations will gain greater popularity at the expense of foreign vacations. For now, there is a wave that is fuelling the interest in exploring India, riding high on nationalistic pride, and if the seventh most beautiful country in the world (as ranked by a leading business magazine) can make the most of it, it only bodes well for everyone.

As told to Deepa Gupta

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‘Can Lakshadweep Ecosystem Handle Unruly Domestic Tourists?’

By LokMarg 23rd January 2024

Saimi Sattar, a travel writer-editor who is currently working in the hospitality sector, says unregulated tourism can sound the death knell of fragile coastal ecosystem. Her views:

Lakshadweep has been on my bucket list for quite some time. As it always happens, whenever we travel to pristine places, there is always this sense of trepidation that once it is exposed to tourism, its beauty will be compromised. Kashmir is one example. The unbridled tourism that the current Union Territory witnessed last year was evident in the mounds of plastic bags and bottles that were dumped everywhere — even in a location as remote as Sonmarg! It is as if people want to leave a footprint behind, however ugly. And this seems to be especially true of the travellers from the sub-continent.

Tourism is always accompanied by an increase in the demand for energy, waste generation and vehicular traffic. Add to it the top-heavy commercialization – and this is where my worry lies. A heavy influx of tourists will inevitably spell a disaster for a place that is as eco-sensitive as Lakshadweep. For, the truth is that unregulated tourism can sound the death knell of the local ecosystem.

The blueprint for sustainable development in a coastal island would include: a robust sewage system, smaller hotels that leave a lessor carbon footprint, eco-friendly transport and proper waste management. However, it seems that we do not have time for that. Nor do we seem to have an understanding or intention to preserve the ecology.

As for the recent hyper-nationalism we witnessed regarding Lakshadweep and the Maldives, aren’t these predictable given the rise of the Right-wing in many parts of the world? Mohamed Muizzu won the election in Maldives with the slogan of ‘India Out’. From there it was just an obvious step whereby his ministers abused the Indian prime minister.

Thereafter, it was only a matter of time before Indian social media warriors retaliated with predictable aggression. Since India is the biggest country in the subcontinent, we have been flexing our muscles, especially after we became legitimate guests at the high table with the western and so-called ‘civilised’ nations. No wonder, the smaller countries see us as a bully in the playground.

ALSO READ: ‘Saving Hills From Tourist Influx Is Shared Responsibility’

The most incredulous thing is that sometimes it seems that our foreign policy is being led by the social media! Over the years we have seen that foreign policy is discussed, the long-term repercussions assessed, and a policy is framed taking into account the geo-political situation in the neighbourhood. Being reactive is equivalent to being juvenile. The battles on Twitter should be restricted to the platform and not spill over to real life — which is what has happened here.

On a lighter note, till December 2022, only 7.2 per cent of Indians had passports. So of all those outraging on social media, how many would actually have travelled to the Maldives is anyone’s guess.

As for relations with our neighbours, it is transparent that age-old ties have turned frosty with each of them in recent times: Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and now the Maldives. The relations with various Pakistani regimes were always unstable but never have they been at such an all-time low. It is sad. There are so many shared cross-cultural connections — in terms of what we wear, the food we eat, the festivals we celebrate, architecture, music, poetry, literature — the list is endless. But all of us prefer to butt heads rather than script a cohesive future.

It is not as if each of these countries do not have its problems; poverty, income disparity, lack of education, violence, communalism — our glasses are full to the brim. All of us are unitedly rank low on human indices. The way forward would have been to overcome this through cross-border solutions. But rhetoric wins elections. Not sensibility. And that seems true for many nations these days.

I have the fondest memories of travelling to Pakistan as a student. My father’s only sister lived in Karachi. The abundance of love that strangers showered on me during my visits, because I was an Indian, was heartening. That is a privilege exclusively reserved for Indians. Cab drivers did not accept money, shopkeepers did not charge us for stuff, and customs officers made sure that we were not harassed by their underlings. The list goes on.

I had returned the last time with the promise to my uncle that I would visit Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa next. Sadly, my uncle passed away more than 10 years ago. With our relations with Pakistan being what they are and the difficulties in getting a visa, I wonder if I will ever visit the country where the people are our mirror image. It is a tragedy.

The narrator has been the editor of Exotica, a luxury travel and lifestyle magazine

As told to Amit Sengupta

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Ayodhya Tourism To Rise 10 times After Ram Temple: Yogi

By LokMarg 18th December 2022

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that tourism to the city will increase by 10 times after the Ram temple in Ayodhya is constructed.

UP CM also said that the state which is number one in terms of domestic tourism is the safest state in the country for travelers.
“Uttar Pradesh is a state with infinite possibilities in terms of tourism. All the major centers of religious, spiritual, and eco-tourism are present here. Today Uttar Pradesh is number one in terms of domestic tourism. In 2024, when the Shri Ram temple will be ready in Ayodhya, tourism will increase 10 times,” Yogi said while addressing tour operators from all over the country at the 37th Annual Convention of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) on Sunday.

Yogi also claimed that at least one crore tourists visited Varanasi in the month of Sawan.

“We have Kashi (Varanasi) which is the oldest city in the world, and the cultural and spiritual capital of India. One year has passed since the inauguration of the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham. Earlier, usually, one crore tourists used to visit Varanasi in a year but, this year, one crore tourists came to Varanasi in the month of Sawan alone,” Adityanath said.

The Chief Minister said that apart from Varanasi, Ayodhya is the center of faith of every Sanatani where everyone aspires to come here once in their lifetime.

“The construction of the grand temple is going on on a war footing in Ayodhya. Along with Deepotsav, many works have been done for tourism development in Ayodhya. Infrastructure development is going on at the cost of Rs 30,000 crore. When the construction and development works of Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya will be completed in 2024, tourism to the city will increase 10 times,” Yogi said.

“Similarly, we also have Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, and Barsana. Whether indigenous or foreign, all have a connection with Mathura. Along with the spiritual development there, you all must have felt the physical development as well. Infrastructure development works are going on for the development of Mathura-Vrindavan by the central and state governments at a cost of Rs 25,000-Rs 30,000 crores”, CM Yogi pointed out.

He further said that apart from facilitating investment in the state, the UP Government was also providing lakhs of employment opportunities to the youth.

“We can contribute to increasing the GDP of not only the state but also the country by inviting domestic and foreign tourists to UP. The state government will fully support you in whatever meaningful effort you make,” he pointed out.

Citing the example of the 2019 Kumbh in Prayagraj, Adityanath said 24 crore people came to the city to attend it and it was one of the best-organized events.

The chief minister also mentioned the government’s plans to develop the Ramayana, Krishna, and Buddhist circuits.

The chief minister assured tour operators of the safety of tourists and better connectivity.

On the occasion, the chief minister unveiled a coffee table book based on Bundelkhand.

Ministers Arun Kumar Saxena, Dayashankar Singh, Principal Secretary Tourism Mukesh Meshram, and office bearers of the ITOA were also present in the program. (ANI)