Tourism in Uttaranchal: How to touch everyone’s life
U. S. Pant
==============
What should be the Road Map?
While there is no single road-map for excelling in tourism, we may suggest the following core areas for a strategic approach:
a) Access is something that is a core issue. Without getting late any further, we must establish air-link and rail-link in the state – in a big way. It is significant to note that the British had surveyed for a rail-link upto Bageshwar; but after 57 years of independence also, we have not got it in place. Railways are synonymous with economic development of the regions all over India and other developing countries. In countries like Switzerland, rail journey through the picturesque landscapes in the hills and valley is a major tourism factor.
In line with North-East India, we must provide affordable/subsidized air journey (possibly use ATR aircraft) to both the local inhabitants and the visitors. Perhaps, our governments and leaders never pressed for it. The lone air-strip in Pithoragarh was never operated due to bad policies and management. Air routes to pilgrim places and tourist locations like Chamoli, Uttarkashi and Pithoragarh will also be economically viable. These are the nodal places of pilgrim tourist routes.
b) Accommodation with clean, hygienic surroundings and safe drinking water in smaller places may be provided, by both public and private sector, with value added packages. Incentives in the form of soft loan, subsidy, tax-holiday may be provided to entrepreneurs. The interference of local police, inspectors etc. should be the least; and the reputed members of community may be empowered (without making them a nuisance) to see and report that no notorious activities or misuse of facility is being done. Low-cost, affordable accommodation should target the domestic tourists. The best tourist places in South East Asia (Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia) have the cheapest and world class accommodation in Hotels. This is one reason that tourist arrivals, there, are maximum.
c) Toilets is a problem for tourists all over India. Tourists, particularly women have to really plan and find it difficult to ease themselves on the way. The clean toilets for public use (could be pay-and-use) should be prescribed for all petrol pumps, restaurants, besides the government providing the community toilets at public places – well maintained by corporates/banks or communities.
d) Guides and Escorts service should be available with the communities at fixed rates for the services. ‘Tourism police’ that is now in place, in places like Kerala, Rajasthan, Delhi, can also be engaged by employing multi-skilled workers. The Tourism Police can double as guides and should be trained and skilled in hospitality, courtesy and professional knowledge of history, culture, places of interest, cuisines, flora and fauna etc. Even in good ‘law and order’ situation they have a useful role to play.
e) Family accommodation is something very popular in Europe as an alternative to provide low cost accommodation and meals, with a family atmosphere to the visitors. For this purpose, part of the house is put up as a tourist facility where almost every member of the family puts in efforts and provides services to the tourists While the tourists get a home away from home along side the tourism, the members of the family either get full time or a part time job by running such facilities. This is very important not only from the view point of providing employments at the site of the individuals, but is also a very effective measure to stop the tendency of migration in search of employment. Once reasonable means of livelihood are provided at the village/town, people tend to stop moving away and assisting the umbilical cord. What is important is to ensure that such tourist facility is not only reasonably priced but is also competitive in terms of hygiene, good environmental surroundings, pleasant atmosphere and choice of meals to suit the specific requirement of the visitors.
f) Rural tourism in the picturesque surroundings must be promoted by incentivising efforts of the village entrepreneurs. The economics of the rural tourism is same as in the preceding para; but packaging will be in the rural surroundings and ambience, wherein city-dwellers could spend peaceful holiday in a rural set up and experience amidst the rich traditions and culture of the village life. There would be enough takers for such offers, once the infrastructure facilities are put in place. A walk through the green fields and tasting the seasonal fruits direct from the trees is always add to the fun for little ones, but there have to be varying attractions for keeping them occupied and building around. This would also bridge the gap between education and exposure of the rural children and city dwellers. Nature and adventure is a core factor for mountaineous region like Uttaranchal. Every place in the highlands is a potential site for trekking and mountaineering in the state. While there are identified trekking and adventure routes, the same can also be located in the local area for holiday makers.
g) Packaging of the facilities is the key to attract all members of the family at any time. While the father is attending the conference in a hill station, the children should be offered with some entertainment facilities or educational visits coupled with fun. At the same time, the women members of the family can be taken around to the places where handicrafts, artifacts are made. The more senior and mature members of the family can be taken around to see culture, tradition and problems of the population in and around the area. The crux of the matter is the fact that add-on’s have to be made available in any tourism facility.
h) Health Tourism is getting increasingly popular. Uttaranchal has the best of climate and best of Ayurvedic Universities located there. While we see that headway has been made by Swamies and Saints by spreading yoga and pranayam through aggressive advertisement, little efforts have been made by the government or the tourism entrepreneurs on the region. One can see people enthusiastically glued to television channels to view and learn the techniques of yoga and pranayams; and people raring to attend the camps organized by such people. The health tourism, by adopting ayurveda, naturopathy, yoga and pranayams, can attract millions and millions of tourists in Uttaranchal. I think priority should be given to these areas and incentives be given to set up such centers, while the government takes care of the publicity part. If nothing else is possible, the Swamies of Rishikesh should be requested to set up their branch network at different places. This will not only increase the health consciousness but would also bring tourists to rejuvenate their bodies and souls while holidaying in Uttaranchal.
i) Round the Year Tourism is of utmost priority. So far we only see tourists visit Uttaranchal on seasonal basis. This is one reason because tourism has not really taken off as core activity in the state. Something similar used to happen in Austria where tourism in the hills was only seasonal, during the summer. The local population migrated in search of jobs and few people were left behind to take care of the economy. However, towards the late 70’s and 80’s, the entrepreneurs decided to set up winter tourism facilities with private sector initiatives. The efforts of the private sector were duly recognized and facilitated by the government; and soon winter sports, skiing and other activities started flourishing in highlands of Austria. This not only made tourism a round the year activity in Austria, but also reversed the trend of migration. Instead of mountain people migrating to the plains, the plain people started migrating to the hills. The net impact of this was increased business and employment opportunities in the hills and a quality living. Since then this ‘reverse migration’ continues in Austria and even in Switzerland. The village living and mountain living are considered more prestigious than living in city and the plains. This was made possible because equal or better facilities in terms of health, infrastructure, schools, entertainment, waste-disposal, transport, access and related areas were made available in such locations. Uttaranchal has a lot to learn from these experiences which are self-explicit. Once you make tourism a round-the-year activity, tourist arrival will be ensured. What is required is to plan and process the product in an innovative manner.
j) Pilgrim tourism alone can be a big tourism factor in the state apart from Hindu tourist places of Mansarovar route, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Hardwar and Rishikesh; there are innumerous historical temples and places of worship in the state. The Sikh shrines of Hemkund Sahib and Ritha Sahib are located in the state, while the Ponta Sahib Gurudwara is next door in Himachal. The pilgrim tourists do not, any more, like to stay in make-shift accommodation provided by Dharamshalas etc. They are willing to pay for good accommodation and consume other facilities en-route and at the destination.
k) Catch Domestic tourists, they are your best bet. It is an irony that we have not taken good note of the domestic tourists. Again, the pilgrim tourists traveling in groups and as a family could be provided additional comfortable stay by synchronizing other facilities on offer. For example at the end of their pilgrimage, in the foot hills or midway, they could be offered meditation and health rejuvenation centres. The products for this purpose have to be affordable and of top quality. Targeting domestic tourists can provide enough tourist traffic at the familiar site. Besides, it will be a deemed forex earning, if out bound tourists turn to Indian locations.
l) Miscellaneous activities like setting up of way side amenities, jungle lodges and log huts, fairs and festivals, sports and films, holiday tourism, conference and convention facilities, souvenir shops, water and adventure sports etc. would also require strengthenment and importance. The tourism requires good law and order conditions, gender sensitization and USPs in terms of boarding and lodging. The existing facilities will have to reconditioned for all these. Above all, to sell the products an aggressive publicity and public relations is a prerequisite.
m) To find funds for facilities and infrastructure development will not be difficult, if the funds collected are ploughed back in the industry. A ‘Tourism Cess’ at varied rates may be levied on the city/station professionals (Lawyers, Doctors, Architects, etc.), shopkeepers, vendors, practicing barbers, restaurants and hotels, travel agencies, transporters, taxi-owners/buses and so on. Al these are indirect and direct beneficiaries of tourism and tourist arrivals. The funds collected should go to local Tourism Boards, who should also get grants from government. They will look after the local matters other than major investment schemes; and should be self-sustaining, financially, in the long term.
n) Private Sector initiatives and ‘Public-Private Partnership’ (P3) should be tapped for high-cost infrastructure development. P3 is particularly important in a shrinking resources position of the government, for basic amenities in the state. This would require tremendous support from the government and dedicated professional facility and monitoring. ‘Sky is not longer a limit, as we find people going beyond the skies’.
These are few issues that will help participation of majority of population and them benefiting out of tourism. ‘Tourism industry is a gold mine for all, only if you dig deeper and remove the mud, to find the gold. Once your find the gold, buyers will never be a problem’.