Export from Uttranchal-11

Evolution in Tourism Culture
Bhishma Kukreti


The tourism is nothing but exporting the local services to the tourists. For development of an international destination, the local communities have to develop an exclusive tourism culture. No doubt for centuries, Uttranchal have been a famous tourist destination for Indians and up to certain extent Uttranchalis have an exclusive culture for treating tourists, however, in the global economical era the Uttranchalis have to bring fast evolution in developing the new needed tourism culture. One of the aspects of evolution of tourism culture among Uttranchalis is the need of evolution in the pattern of community involvement in developing responsible and globally competitive tourism in Uttranchal.

There are many facets of involving each communities of Uttranchal for promoting the accountable and sustainable tourism in Uttranchal. One of the important factors of involving the community into tourism is the investment of retired Uttranchalis for the tourism business. There is a regular flow of retired Uttranchalis settling down in the cities of Uttranchal. Usually, the retired Uttranchalis invest their lifetime savings in passive infrastructure like building the bungalows in cities like Dehradoon, Rishikesh, Jwalapur, Haridwar, Roorkee or Kotdwara. There is a requirement of total transformation of changing the patterns of investment in Uttranchal by retired Uttranchalis. The need of the hour for developing Uttranchal as global destination is to develop a culture of investment of retired Uttranchalis in active and new formats of Uttranchal tourism.

Building bungalow by a retired Uttranchali in a city of Uttranchal is nothing but a passive investment because the bungalow has less productivity as far as investment in tourism is concerned. No doubt, renting some part of house for the tenants is a complimentary to tourism but the renting to tenants is not called the active investment for tourism development. The investment in active tourism is which satisfies the needs of tourists of a particular destination.

The government and social elites should inspire the retiring Uttranchalis to invest their savings in active tourism business. There are tens of avenues in tourism business, which are suitable for investment by retiring Uttranchalis. For example, the retiring Uttranchalis can invest in supply chains of hotel business, telecommunications, floriculture, transport, crafts and other tourism related business.

The state government prepared appreciable plans for tourism development in Uttranchal. One of the new formats for developing a new tourist destination in Uttranchal is surrounding areas of Tihri Dam. There are tens of opportunities for retiring Uttranchalis to invest in developing Tihri dam area as excellent tourism destination. Same way, there are other opportunities in tourism for the veteran Uttranchalis for investment and at the same time securing their investment for better return than investing in passive acts such as just building bungalows for living. Opening the gust houses by retiring Uttranchalis for tourism purpose near the coming hydroelectric projects is another opportunity for securing the future by the retiring Uttranchalis.

The biggest hurdle for non-involvement of retiring Uttranchalis in investing in tourism business of Uttranchal is risk factor in the business. The Uttranchal state and social organizations should act upon to create confidence among veteran Uttranchalis that they invest in active tourism infrastructure. Forming cooperative societies or associations (as are the ex-army associations) for the retiring Uttranchalis is one of the ways to call the investment for Uttranchal tourism. The state establishment should inspire the retiring Uttranchalis for investing in the organizations as Garhwal Motor Union (GMU) or Kumayun Motor Union (KMU) so that such organizations bring the latest and modern formats of transportation in Uttranchal. The associations related to the tourism business of Uttranchal should come forward in encouraging retiring Uttranchalis to invest in their respective business. Encouragement by various trade bodies of tourism will create confidence among retiring Uttranchalis to invest in tourism infrastructure of the state.


Copyright @Bhishma Kukreti/Mumbai/India/19/3/2009