Authors : Prabhavati A. Patil
Page Nos : 122-124
Description :
India is endowed with an array of tourism resources - from bio-cultural diversity to a wealth of histories and antiquities. Tourism in India is a blooming industry as it accounts for an average of around 6.7 percent of the nation’s GDP. In the past decade, India has seen a revolution in tourism and tribal tours have become extremely popular among tourists from all over India and abroad. ‘Tribal tourism’ as defined by Terry Ward, journalist and travel writer, is “a new form of travel in which tourists visit tribal villages in order to be exposed to a culture completely different from their own.†Tribes living in region have a newfound source of income in tribal tourism. Tribal tourism has been instrumental in creating various financial opportunities for the tribes living in the hinterlands. It has helped foster awareness about the indigenous people in India. It is the branch of cultural tourism. It can also include tourism in rural areas showcasing the traditions of indigenous cultural communities (i.e. festivals, rituals), and their values and lifestyle. Cultural tourists not only spend on food and lodging but also on buying cultural artifacts and other cultural mementos. India, a myriad land stores wonders in its magical womb. From the bewitching Himalayas to the tranquil seashores and from the pre-historic ornamental caves to the heritage temples and palaces, India scores well in every part of life, culture, heritage and the flora and fauna. India also has a rich cultural heritage inclusive of monuments, ethno-handicrafts from the various ethnic groups, colourful fairs and festivals, music and ethnic dances. Still India is not complete without its vibrancy that is stored in the unique and queer life style of the tribes. These tribal societies are also known for their unique and traditional culture that include their day-to-day lifestyles, beliefs, customs, traditions, festivals, food habits, costumes and even the way of earning livelihood. This diversity of culture provides an opportunity for the country to bring in tourists on a large scale. With the tourism sector showing tremendous growth, India can leverage its rich tribal culture to lure a sizeable proportion of domestic and international tourists and hasten its economic development. Factors like increasing propensity among tourists to see tribal and ethnic cultures from close quarters is also a big plus point. Hence, the present paper highlights the socio-cultural profile of the tribal communities in general and primitive tribal communities in particular and the potential for tourism expansion in these areas.
Key words: Tribal tourism, cultural tourism, inheritance of traditions, indigenous populations, India.
