Heritage tourism in India

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India is not formed from a linear chronological progression of historical events. We promote a holistic experience of India encompassing tangible (monuments, cities) and intangible ( performing arts, festive events, rituals) aspects to gratify the senses. We combine an instinctive love of India with academic inputs to plan your visit.If you wish to make an enquiry please email [email protected].

1. Heritage Tourism: Territory
unexplored
Vaibhav Chauhan
[email protected]

2. What is Heritage?

Heritage is a word with many meanings, most relating to
its general interpretation as “that which is inherited from
the past”

The term ‘heritage’ has been used in relation to the
natural world, referring to mountains and rivers, to
buildings and monuments, the arts, and to social
customs and traditions.

3. “Traveling to experience the places and activities
that authentically represent the stories and people
of the past and present. It includes historic, cultural
and natural resources."

Heritage tourism occupies a significant proportion
of the ‘cultural’ spectrum; therefore, heritage
tourism will often overlap with other tourism
products where historic or human influences are
significant;

What is Heritage
Tourism?

4. Typology of
Heritage Tourism
Natural
Heritage,
Caves
Natural
Reserves, Eco-
Parks




-
Built Heritage
Historic buildings
Museums
Monuments

Indigenous oral,
Textual traditions
Indigenous
Practices and
rituals etc
Popular Culture
Festivals
Carnivals,Perfor
ming and Visual
Arts etc.
Tangible Intangible
Heritage Tourism

5. •Tourism is a powerful economic
development tool. Tourism creates jobs,
provides new business opportunities and
strengthens local economies.
•When cultural heritage tourism
development is done right, it also helps
to protect our nation’s natural and
cultural treasures and improve the quality
of life for residents and visitors alike.
•Linking tourism with heritage and
culture can do more for local economies
than promoting them separately. That’s
the core idea in cultural heritage tourism:
save your heritage and your culture,
share it with visitors, and reap the
economic benefits of tourism.
TOURISM+ CULTURE + HERITAGE

= SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIES

6. • Cultural heritage tourism can have a
tremendous economic impact on local
economies. To economic benefits like new
businesses, jobs and higher property values
•An area that develops its potential for cultural
heritage tourism creates new opportunities for
tourists to gain an understanding of an
unfamiliar place, people or time
• With the arrival of visitors in turn come new
opportunities for preservation. Well-
interpreted sites teach visitors their
importance, and by extension, the importance
of preserving other such sites elsewhere.
• Perhaps the biggest benefit of cultural
heritage tourism is that opportunities increase
for diversified economies, ways to prosper
economically while holding on to the
characteristics that make communities special.
The Benefits of
Cultural Heritage
Tourism

7. •Heritage attractions increase local value-added
through expanding visitor expenditures (entrance
fees, tours, local transport, merchandising, etc).
•Diversification of the tourism experience beyond
“sun, sea, sand”
•Differentiation of tourism product
•Promotes conservation of natural, built & traditional
heritage.






The Benefits of
Cultural Heritage
Tourism

8. •Destination imaging, intellectual property, branding
and media value.
•Builds society’s cultural confidence and image of
self-worth.
•Heritage tourism creates new markets for local and
regional arts and crafts, and builds community pride
•Heritage education can be nurtured through student
participation in, and attendance at, selected places
and facilities, with the added benefit of fostering a
future clientele and conservation ethics






The Benefits of
Cultural Heritage
Tourism

9. • The trend towards processes of commodification, or
the culture of consumption
• When a community’s heritage is the substance of
what it offers visitors, protecting that heritage is
essential. So a major challenge in cultural heritage
tourism programs is ensuring that increased tourism
does not destroy the very qualities that attract visitors
in the first place.
•A challenge results not only from visitor impact, but
also from visitor expectations of quality products and
services. While the possible loss of authenticity,
resulting from attempts to meet the requirements of
the market-place, is a serious issue, it must be
acknowledged that many sites are well served by the
increased interest in heritage in recent years. Ex. Taj
heritage corridor

The Challenges of
Cultural Heritage
Tourism

10. Heritage tourists are one of the highest yield
tourism groups:
• Heritage tourists spend 38% more per
day than traditional tourists.
• Heritage tourists stay 34% longer than
traditional tourists.
• Heritage tourists spend 20% more
and stay 22% longer than arts oriented
tourists.
(Heritage Council of Western Australia
2006: 15).
Why it is Important for
India

11. Why it is Important for
India


•27 World Heritage Sites
•3667 ASI protected monuments


• 2.09 million visitors for world Heritage sites in 07
• Tourism contributes about 96% of the total income
of artisan household in Kerala and 90% in Rajasthan
• Revenue collection from sale of entry tickets from
Taj Mahal = 23,28,540 USD in 07-08
Amongst Asian destinations, India has a distinct image, with strong
associations on
o Palaces and Royal retreats
o Place of religious interest
o Yoga, Ayurveda and Meditation
o Heritage and Artifacts, and
o Medical Treatment

12. Why it is Important for
India


56%
19%
25%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Cultural Diversity
Religious places and Heritage
Others
Tourist Motivation
International Passenger Survey Of India By Govt. of India (2006)

13. Why it is Important for
India



And further in Sight seeing category…
International Passenger Survey Of India By Govt. of India (2006)
43
34
13
0
10
20
30
40
50
LandscapeMonumentsMuseum/Art Gallery

14. Why it is Important for
India



And in cultural Activities…
International Passenger Survey Of India By Govt. of India (2006)
34
57
9
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Art/Theatre/Music/DanceFestval,Fairs
Literary Activities

15. 1.Fragmentation of effort and lack of
integrated approach
2.Lack of public education and awareness
3.Uneven quality in site restoration and
interpretation
4.Inadequate visitor service infrastructure
5.Lack of aggressive marketing
6.Insufficient investment
What is holding us back?

16. 1.Leadership (ASI, Missions)
2.Vision
3.Action
4.Investment
5. Education
6.Planning
7.Integrated Development Plans for
Heritage Cities and Sites

What is needed to take
heritage tourism to the
next level

17. IDP is a strategic approach which is not confined
to a good understanding of the monument but
also the area it is situated in, its culture,
economy, social and historical resource and
its surroundings.
IDP which is an multi -discipline approach
becomes the simultaneous response to the
need of
1. The visitors (Visitor Management Plan)
2. The heritage (conservation issues, carrying
capacity )
3. The heritage presenters (Better upkeep,
Good communication )

What is Integrated
Development Plan?

18. What is Integrated
Development Plan?

19. Where do we need to
start?

Develop a nationwide strategy!!!!
What should the strategy include?
1.Strategies to promote preservation and
development of heritage resources at the state
and local levels
2.Standards to guide preservation, interpretation
and development of visitor service infrastructure
at heritage sites
3.An aggressive heritage tourism marketing
campaign with a regional focus
4.A technical assistance and training initiativefor
heritage tourism organizations, sites and
practitioners
5.A strong public education and awareness
initiative

20. Who needs to step
forward?







State-level stakeholders
Regional stakeholders
Local stakeholders
Corporate’s , Business houses etc.

21. Who needs to step
forward?







State-level stakeholders
Regional stakeholders
Local stakeholders
Corporate’s , Business houses etc.

22. What is the bottom
line?






There are major opportunities to expand heritage
tourism in India and the economic benefits can be
substantial, but it will require a major commitment
on the part of both public and private entities
make this happen. With a more formal
organizational structure and the commitment of
additional resources,

23. Thank you