EMERGING TRENDS IN TOURISM

INTRODUCTION Recognizing the importance of the tourism industry, the Government of India has taken many policy measures such as Tourism Policy 1982, Tourism Plan of Action 1992 & Tourism Policy 1997. Through these policies, the Government called for effective coordination of public & private participation to achieve synergy in the development of tourism. These plans identified new forms of tourism products for taking advantage of the emerging markets. Business tourism, health tourism, rural tourism, pilgrim tourism, adventure tourism, &

sustainable tourism are some of the new products devised for changing demand. Let us study these emerging dimensions in the tourism sector. OBJECTIVES Understand emerging trends in tourism. Learn about new products & old traditional tourism products. Know the importance of sustainable tourism development Understand the concept of nature tourism. Develop environmental consciousness. Develop skills to locate important tourist destinations on the map. Know that tourism can be an instrumental for developing secularism & national integration & universal brotherhood. EMERGING TRENDS Tourism will expand greatly in future mainly due to the revolution that is taking place on both the demand & supply side. The changing population structure, improvement in living standard, more disposable income, fewer working hours & long leisure time, better educated people, ageing population & more curious youth in developing the countries, all will fuel the tourism industry growth. The arrival of a large number of customers, better educated & more sophisticated, will compel the tourist industry to launch new products & brands & re-invents traditional markets. The established traditional destinations founded on sun-sea-sand products will have to re-engineer their products. They must diversify & improve the criteria for destinations & qualities of their traditional offers. Alongside beach tourism, the tourism sector will register a steady development of new products based on natural rural business, leisure & art & culture. Thus the study of new markets & emerging markets & necessity of diversified products are the basis of our strategy, which can enhance & sustain, existing & capture new markets. Let us discuss some of the new tourism products. HEALTH TOURISM/MEDICAL TOURISM India is promoting the high-tech healing provided by its private health care sector as a tourist attraction. This budding trade in medical tourism, selling foreigners the idea of travelling to India for world-class medical treatment at lowest cost, has really got attention in the overseas market. The Indian system of medicine, which incorporates ayurveda, yoga, sidha, unani, naturopathy & other traditional healing treatments, is very unique & exotic. This medical expertise coupled with allopathic & other modern methods become our new focus segment to project India as a Global Healing Destination. If we

believe the report published by McKenzie Consultants & Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), the response is quite positive & it could be generating revenue approximately Rs.100 by the year 2012. Our medical tourism provides low cost treatment. Perhaps you will wonder that the cost of same treatment in the US is ten times more than that in India. Many state governments like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Uttranchal, & Karnataka have been showcasing their medical tourism segment in certain focused market like the Gulf & African regions. (Gaur Kanchilal) Indian private sector hospitals have undertaken massive investment in the area of health. These super-specialty hospitals employ efficient & expert doctors & other paramedical staffs with modern facilities. The experienced doctors, dedicated service minded experts have made available their services for giving alternative system of medicines & treatments. Health camps, lecture training classes are also arranged for general awareness.

Yogasana has become popular & widespread & many public & private & other organisations conduct Yoga classes. Ayurveda, naturopathy & nature treatments are popular around the world. Ayurveda India has a rich heritage in the areas of traditional & natural medicines. The earliest mention of Indian medical practices can be found in the Vedas & Samhitas of Charaka, Bhela & Shusruta. A systematic & scientific approach was adopted by the sages of the time leading to the development of a system that is relevant even today. India is the l& of Ayurveda. It believes in removing the cause of illness & not just curing the disease itself. It is based on herbals & herbal components without having side effects. Ayurveda considers that the base of life lies in the five primary elements; ether (space), air, fire, water & earth. & the individual is made up of a unique proportion of the five elements in unique combinations to form three doshas (vata, pita & kapha). When any of these doshas become accute, a person falls ill. Ayurveda recommends a special life style & nutritional guidelines supplemented with herbal medicines. If toxins are abundant, then a cleaning process known as Panchkarma is recommended to eliminate those unwanted toxins & revitalize both mind & body. Ayurveda offers treatments for ailments such as arthritis, paralysis, obesity, sinusitis, migraine, premature aging & general health care Kerala is a world tourist destination & part of the reasons lies with the well- known stress-releasing therapies of famed Ayurvedic research centers. The climate along with the blessing of nature has turned Kerala into the ideal place for ayurvedic, curative &rejuvenating treatments. Yoga If Ayurveda is the science of body, yoga is the science of the mind. Practiced together they can go a long way in making an individual fit. The word yoga means to join together. The ultimate aim of yoga is to unite the human soul with the universal spirit. Yoga was developed 5000 years ago & the base of yoga is described in the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. This describes eight stages of yoga. These are Yam (universal moral commands), Niyam (self purification), Asana (posture), Pranayama (breathing control), Prathyahara (withdrawal of mind from external objects), Dharana (concentration), Dhyana (meditation), & Samadhi (state of superconsciousness). To get the benefits of yoga, one has to practice Asana, Pranayama & Yoganidra. With the regular practice of asanas one can control cholesterol level, reduce weight, normalize blood pressure & improve cardiac performance. Pranayama helps to release tensions, develop relaxed state of mind & Yoganidra is a form of meditation that relaxes both physiological & psychological systems. Today, yoga has become popular in India & abroad & in a number of places including urban & rural areas yoga is taught & practiced.

Spas Most of the other parts of the world have their own therapies & treatment that are no doubt effective in restoring wellness & beauty. New kinds of health tours that are gaining popularity in India are spa tours. Spas offer the unique advantages of taking the best from the west & the east combining them with the indigenous system & offering best of the two worlds. In hydropathy, Swedish massages work with the Javanese Mandy, lulur, aromatherapy, reflexology & traditional ayurveda procedures to help keep the tourist healthy & enhance beauty. Combining these therapies with meditation, yoga & pranayama make the spa experience in India a new destination for medical tourism. The spas are very useful for controlling blood pressure, insomnia, cure tension, depression, paralysis & number of other

deadly diseases. Ananda Resort in Rishikesh, Angsana Resort, Golden Palm Spa & Ayurgram in Bangalore offer ayurveda, naturopathy, yoga & meditation packages. (Gaur Kanchilal) Allopathy India has made rapid strides in advanced health care systems, which provides worldclass allopathic treatment. This has become possible because of the emergence of the private sector in a big way in this field. More & more foreign tourists are realizing that India is an ideal place for stopover treatment. Indian Multi-specialty hospitals are providing world class treatment at an amazingly economical cost as compared to the west. Quality services & low price factor primarily go in favour of India. The cardio care, bone marrow transplantation, dialysis, kidney transplant, neuronsurgery, joint replacement surgery, urology, osteoporosis & numerous diseases are treated at Indian hospitals with full professional expertise. Apollo hospital group, Escorts in Delhi, Jason Hospital, Global Hospital & Max Health Care are catering to medical care for international patients in the areas of diagnostic, disease management, preventive health care & incisive surgeries. The tourism department has devised websites in order to provide information. Many Ayurveda health resorts that are owned & rum by traditional Ayurveda Institutes have come up. Ayurgram is a novel concept that not only offers heritage accommodation but also offers a whole range of Ayurvedic treatments & rejuvenating packages. Similarly hotels have also included these types of packages in their holidays. Some of the tour operators have worked out all-inclusive medical treatment package that include treatment, accommodation, food, airport transfers, post operation recuperative holidays, along with a host of other facilities. This in fact shows our product offers true value for money for service. Many world-class state-of-the-art furnishing & equipment are being added to our Ayurveda Resorts to welcome international guests. Along with these hospitals there are many centers which offer not just physical but emotional & spiritual healing to patients. With all these India is going to be one of the leading medical health care destinations in the near future. SPIRITUAL TOURISM Globally people are increasingly mentally disturbed & looking for solace in spiritual reading, meditation & moments of divine ecstasy. Our country has been known as the seat of spiritualism & Indias cosmopolitan nature is best reflected in its pilgrim centres. Religion is the life-blood for followers of major religion & sects. Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism & Christianity have lived here for centuries. The visible outpouring of religious fervor is witnessed in the architecturally lavish temples, mosques, monasteries & Churches spread across the length & breadth of the country. India is not only known as a place rich in its culture with varied attractions but also for many places of worship, present itself as embodiments of compassion where one get peace of mind. Thus India has been respected as a destination for spiritual tourism for domestic & international tourists. Spiritual tourism is also termed as religious heritage tourism. It includes all the religions mentioned above; religious places associated with, emotional attachment to these centers & infrastructure facilities for the tourists. This can also be referred to as pilgrimage tourism, as clients are not looking for luxury but arduous journeys to meet the divine goal or simple life. The essence of spiritual tourism is inner feeling through love. Love should not be rationed on the basis of caste, creed & economic status or intellectual attainment of the recipient. Religions come into existence for the purpose of regulating human life, what are common to all of them are the principles of love. Thus through religious tourism there is a sincere effort to bring better understanding among various communities, nations & thus foster global unity. Hinduism is one of the oldest religions of India. Over 5000 years of religious history created wonderful temples & survived through ages all over India. The most popular spiritual tours are those that are centered on holy Ganges River. Badrinath, Kedarnath, Haridwar, Gangotri,

Yamunotri, Allahabad, Varanasi. Jaganath temple at Puri, Bhubaneshwar, Konark in Orissa, Mata Vaishnodevi of Jammu & Kashmir, are some of the important pilgrim centers in north India. There are many spiritual sites in South India as well which dates back beyond the 10th century. Rameshwaram, Mahabalipuram, Madurai Meenakshi temple in Tamilnadu & Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh are some pilgrim centers. Every year millions of tourists, both domestic & international, visit these places. India is special to Buddhists all over the world & India is the destination or pilgrimage because Buddhism emerged in India. The country is dotted with places that are associated with the life & times of Gutham Buddha, Lumbini-the birthplace of Buddha, Saranath where Buddha delivered his first sermon, Buddha Gaya where lord Buddha attained enlightenment & Vaishali where he delivered his last sermon & announced his nirvana. Sikhism also emerged in India. The Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Hemkund Sahib, & Gurunanak Devji Gurudwara at Manikaran, which is also known for its hot water springs with healing properties, the holy city of Patna Sahib & Anandpur Sahib are important for Sikhs. The Jain temples of Dilwara & Mount Abu in Rajasthan, the Gomateswara temple at Karnataka, draw thousands of Jain followers. Even small communities like the Bahais have their own Lotus Temple at Delhi. The Sultanate & Moghul empires built many historical monuments & mosques during their reign, all over the country. Red Fort, Fatehapur Sikri, Jama Masjid, Taj Mahal, Charminar etc., bear testimony to the blend of the Indian & Islam traditions of architecture. The followers of Islam have many mosques & shrines of Sufi Saints, like Moin-Uddin Chisti & Nizamuddin Aulia. For Christians, spiritual tours to Goa among other place like Mumbai & Kolkata are must. Among the most popular sites in Goa is the church of Our Lady of Rosary, the Rachel Seminary, & Church of Bom Jesus. In addition to pilgrim centers there are personalities like the Satya Sai Baba, Osho, Shirdhi & others. This shows that spirituality & religion in India is a serious pursuit. The State Governments concerned, charitable trusts, temple trusts have made elaborate arrangements for accommodation, transport & ritual ceremonies. These organizations are also running hospitals, educational institutes, ashrams, meditation centers which benefit local community. More than 500 religious places have been identified & efforts are being made to develop these centers by Central & State Governments with private participation. MICE TOURISM The meetings, incentives, conferences & exhibitions (MICE) industry is extensively & rapidly growing & is largely associated with travel for business purpose. MICE related events include meetings, conferences, conventions, exhibitions & incentive travels. Each of these different subsections of MICE has quite different characteristics although the industry is often referred to as MICE. Increasingly convention bureaus serve the needs of meetings, incentives & exhibitions organizers & service providers supply each of the sectors. Business with Pleasure With the Indian economy opening up & government restrictions loosening, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Delhi & Kolkata are assuming importance as major centres of business activity in the country. The days of red- tape always associated with Indian business activity is a thing of the past & corporate India has moved towards more western standards of professionalism. Since the liberalization of the Indian economy, MICE tourism is becoming a growing segment in India. More & more business people have been coming to India for business purpose & adding business with pleasure in their India tour. Most of the hotels & tour operators offer special facilities for travelers, some even specialized in this field. They offers pick-up at the airport, corporate floor rooms which will feature phones, fax machines, computers, journals. All rooms offer elaborate conferencing facilities at hotels & special conventions centers. Hotels are adept in organizing theme banquets for a

product launch, small cocktails etc. The important conference centers are New Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Kovalam, Chennai, Bangalore, Agra, & Goa where popular convention tours offer exciting possibilities Incentive tourism Incentive travel has emerged as a popular means of rewarding the employees achievements & contributions, by several business houses especia lly multinational companies, Insurance Companies, Banks, Pharmaceuticals Firms, etc. Employees are given free tickets or holidays packages to select destinations all paid by company. These are given as added perks to keep up the interest of the executives who are the high performers of the company. Incentive tours market has become fast growing sector within the tourism industry. ADVENTURE TOURISM Youth tourism has been identified as one of the largest segments of global & domestic tourism. The young travelers are primarily experience seekers, collecting, enquiring unique experiences. Adventure & risk have a special role to play in the behaviour & attitudes of young travelers. The growing number of young travellers is being fuelled by a number of factors such as increased participation in higher education, falling level of youth unemployment, increased travel budget through parental contribution, search for an even more exciting & unique experience & cheaper long distance travel. Youth & adventure tourism appears to have considerable growth potential. The rising income in some major potential source markets such as the Central & Eastern Europe, Asia & Latin America, combined with the lower travel cost, growing student populations around the world particularly in developing countries, has fuelled the demand. India: a heaven for adventure tourism India has been an attraction for travellers from all over the world. Though in the field of international tourism, the segment of adventure tourism in India is getting only a fraction of such traffic. The trend has been showing an increased movement year after year with the development of facilities & greater awareness about adventure tourism options. Indian tourism offers both international & domestic adventurers a wide choice of adventures. Water sports, elephant safari, skiing, yachting, hail-skiing, gliding, sailing, tribal tours, orchid tours, scaling the high peaks of Himalayas, trekking to the valley of flowers, riding the waves in rapids, & camel safari in the deserts are breath taking opportunities for nature enthusias. Ladakh, the Garwal hills, the Himachal hills, Darjeeling, Goa, Lakshadweep, &aman & Nicobar, Jaisalmer & wildlife sanctuaries & reserves are some of the places that offer adventure tourism. Himalayas are the centre of Indias main adventure activities as well as outdoor recreational tourism. Our rivers, backwaters, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea & deserts are unique attractions for the various branches of adventure. Trekking holds out the greatest potential in terms of numbers. It requires little infrastructure & carries its benefits to remote hills & mountain regions. Many of them are economically poor & backward. For our own youth it also helps in inculcating a spirit of adventure, respect for nature. Indian Mountaineering NATURE TOURISM In search of new tourism products, travellers & suppliers are today seeking to reshape the meaning of nature as a tourism attraction. Modern nature based tourism focuses on experiencing flora & fauna in natural settings. The nature based tourism related to nature, its attractiveness so that the visitors experience it in its natural settings. Ecotourism takes into account unspoiled natural & socio-cultural attraction. Today the term nature tourism is often used synonymously with eco-tourism. Today nature tourism is the fastest growing segment of the tourism sector. It comprises around 40- 60% of all international tourism. Diversity of India is to be seen not only in its people, culture, religions, language & life style, the diversity starts in the land itself. The snowboard peaks of the Himalayas, tropical rain forests, & hot deserts & breathtaking beautiful coasts. Each diverse geographical region generates a

different picture & exploring them provides a unique experience. Now all these are packaged for tourists to provide eco-friendly holidays in India. RURAL TOURISM Rural tourism has been identified as one of the priority areas for development of Indian tourism. Rural tourism experience should be attractive to the tourists & sustainable for the host community. The Ninth Plan identified basic objectives of rural tourism as: Improve the quality of life of rural people Provide good experience to the tourist Maintain the quality of environment. Indian villages have the potential for tourism development. With attractive & unique traditional way of life, rich culture, nature, crafts, folk-lore & livelihood of Indian villages are a promising destination for the tourist. It also provides tourism facilities in terms of accessibility, accommodation, sanitation & security. Rural tourism can be used as a means to: Improve the well being of the rural poor Empower the rural people Empower the women Enhance the rural infrastructure Participate in decision-making & implementing tourism policies Interaction with the outside world Improve the social condition of lower sections of the society. Protection of culture, heritage, & nature. To tap the immense opportunities, coordinated actives of all agencies involved in the development are required. A carefully planned & properly implemented development will definitely benefit the community economically & improve the quality of life in the villages. The success of such development depends upon the peoples participation at grass root level for the development of tourist facilities & for creating a tourist friendly atmosphere. Development of rural tourism is fast & trade in hotels & restaurants is growing rapidly. Increase in the share of earnings through rural tourism will no doubt; provide an attractive means of livelihood to the poor rural community. It increases the purchasing power at all levels of community & strengthens the rural economy. Development of infrastructure facilities such as rail, electricity, water, health & sanitation will definitely improve the quality of life. SUSTAINABLE TOURISM The concept of sustainability means that mankind must live within the capacity of the environment that supports. Sustainable development has been defined briefly as that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The definition brings out certain important aspects of sustainable tourism: Conservation & enhancement of resources for the future generation Protection of biological diversity Equity within & between generations Integration of environmental, social & economic considerations The concept of sustainable development is all about conservation & stewardship of resources for the future. The support for ecologically sustainable development emerging strongly in the tourism sector, as it is the logical way of balancing environmental concerns with growth & development of the industry. Environmental problems facing the world today are of such magnitude that urgent actions have to be taken at the highest levels to counter this fatal degradation. But it is not just enough for government organizations to work towards

sustainable development. Every individual, every neighborhood & every community has to contribute in every way possible to get close to the goal. Since the earth summit, the concept of sustainable development has been placed firmly on the global agenda. This issue is assuming great significance in the development of tourism in India also. Tourism activities depend upon nature & natural heritage, it is essential to ensure that tourism development is ecologically sustainable ecological process must not be neglected. Similarly tourism offers real experience of unique culture of the country. Hence the development should ensure that social & cultural sustainable tourism development compatible with the culture & values of the local people. The World Tourism Organization (WTO) defined sustainable tourism development as that which meets the needs of present tourist & host regions while protecting & enhancing opportunities for the future. It is envisaged as leading to the management of all resources in such a way that economic, social & aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential for ecological process, biological diversity & life supporting system. Thus tourism has to be human & adapted to the needs of the tourist, respond to the needs of the local communities, be socio-economic & culturally well planned & environmentally sound. The tourism must offer products that are operated in harmony with the local environment, community attitudes & culture so that they become permanent beneficiaries & not the victims of tourism. The basic cultural identity of these local people should not be adversely affected. Sustainability also ensures economically sustainable-development process in the efficient management of resources & such management to ensure that the resource supports the future as well as the present generation. Thus sustainable tourism aims to: Improve the quality of life of people. Provide good experience to the tourists Maintain the quality of environment that is essential for both tourists & the local community. Tourism can be one of the effective tools for building a prosperous community economically, socially & culturally. It must be environmentally sustainable & based on the sustenance of the natural & cultural base. Each destination should examine whether it has adequate attractions & facilities for tourism & there is a potential for tourism generating markets to be open to exploitation. The carrying capacity is the central principle in environmental protection & sustainable tourism development. It determines the maximum use of any place without causing negative effects on resources on community, economy & culture. Thus tourism has to be environmentally sustainable in both natural & cultural environment . EFFECTIVE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT The success of future tourism is intrinsically connected with the way in which the industry & the tourism system understand & incorporate the emerging critical trends that support its expansion. Tourism is undergoing major changes; aging world population (western countries) & active life style of older traveler, the emerging markets, growing disposable income of the youth & awareness about impact of tourism on environment, will decisively influence the number of tourists, motivation, destination & product choices as well as activities of future travellers. The rapid liberalization & de-regulation of markets will bring fierce competition based on price, quality & characteristics of the tourism products. These trends will bring profound changes in the management & planning of tourism business & destination. While global trends push forward new managerial approach, the managers & planners must aware of the emerging tools that helps to manage & market business & destinations. Future trend points towards three strategic directions: satisfying consumers, destination development & management & territory organizations. DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT: AN EMERGING THEME

Destinations face increasing challenges in international market place where numerous stakeholders (tourists, local people, tour operators, hotels & restaurants owners etc) with diverse values & often divergent needs compete for scarce resources. The growing population of travellers & inhabitants increasingly make impact on natural & social environment. The success of tourism depends on the ability of the firms & destination to engage in sustainable use & conservation of vital resources. The destination development is the key to sustaining the natural & cultural resources on which tourism depends. Therefore steps have been taken up as key initiative in development of tourism destinations. The close interaction between the public sector, the destinations tourism marketing organizations, private sector & local residents in planning is the key principle of sustainable tourism. Thus the stakeholders can work most effectively together to manage local global influences on their natural & cultural resources. Effective destination development is the important problem facing tourism managers. Integrated Destination Management A new concept adopts system approach where the ecological, physical, social spaces are linked by various networks & institutional structures. Traditionally, destination management tents to represent the tourism industries interests. Their mission is building & enhancing favorable destination image to attract targeted tourists & increase visitor numbers. Therefore, destinations & state & tourism agencies often focus their activities on tourism advertising campaigns. Historically, marketing focused on developing product, price, place & promotion, which ensure reasonable profit to individuals & organizations. Nowadays the marketing has been changed to an organizational function & a set of process for creating, communicating, delivering value to customers & its stakeholders. This reflects a shift away from mere profit motive towards creating value for a network of actors & environment. The integrated destination management brings in destinations ecological human communities as equitable & integrated members of planning & marketing & goal setting. The new approach integrates economic mobility, social equity & environmental responsibilities towards achieving the equality of life within living system. Based on eco-system network model a sustainable planning & marketing orientation does not just satisfy the needs & wants of individual but it strives to attain sustain ecosystem. The benefits are not just profits, but civic energy & social unity. Competition is replaced by dynamic interaction that aims at environmental, social, economic equity within the local global network of living & physical structures. Therefore, sustainable tourism marketing objectives are not to design product, price, place of a tourism destination or attraction, but to ensure quality of life & environments through tourism development. Achieving this will be a challenge. It involves developing an interactive product or place relationship that will give value to visitors & to diverse community stakeholders. DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT Tourism system, the destination region is perhaps one of the most important elements. Without the richness & variety of tourism environments around the world we would not have the same quality of tourist experience. In order to underst& the supply of tourism, consideration has to be given to the different environmental social & economical contexts around the world within which tourism destinations are located. Destinations demonstrate number of common features. Destinations are cultural appraisals They are perishable because tourism is consumed where it is produced. Destination involves multiple use of tourism with other uses. To be successful the components of the amalgam needs to be of equivalent quality.

It is important for the destination to deliver quality experience & product, & in this regard, careful planning & management is essential to ensure a tourism industry based on sustainable development. The destination brings together all aspects of tourism demand, transportation, supply & marketing. It is one of the most important elements of tourism because destinations & their image attract tourist, motivates the visitor & therefore energize the whole tourism system. As the demand for the tourism has increased, pressure from the growing number of visitors has degraded some destinations. In response to this, planning & management strategies have been implemented in the busier destinations. Planning & management is the key to making existing tourist destination & resources more effective in meeting current as well as future demand. Thus destination as the focus of facilities & services designed to meet the needs of the tourists. Most destinations comprise a core of the following components: Attractions manmade features, natural features or events that provide motivation to visit. Access local transport facilities. Amenities (accommodation, food, beverages, entertainment & retailing. Auxiliary services in the form of local organizations. Infrastructure & Super Structure Infrastructure represents all forms of construction above or below the ground, with extensive communication with the outside world as a basis for tourism activity in the area. Adequate infrastructure is essential for tourism development mainly in the form of transportation, utilities & other services. Generally infrastructure does not generate income & is treated as a public investment in most tourist developments. Where as a super structure is normally private sector activity, as it is the profit-generating element of the destination. It includes accommodation, built attractions, retailing & other services. In many countries public sector is actively providing financial incentives grants, loans, & tax- holidays for private sector tourism investment. The destination development is a combined effort of public & private sectors. Destination Evolution The evolution of tourism has been closely linked to the evolution of destinations & in particular, resorts. The evolution of resorts has been driven by transport developments. Most of these are now touring centres rather than destinations in their own right, & in response touring circuits & clusters of attractions have developed. At the same time markets also respond to these terms of their tourist facilities & services. This evolution of tourism destination can be represented by tourist area life cycle (TALC). This states that destinations go through a cycle of evolution similar to the cycle of a product. The shape of TALC curve will vary, but for each destination it will be dependent upon factors, which can delay or accelerate progress through various stages such as the rate of development, access, government policy, market trends & competing destinations. The development can be stunned at any stage in cycles, & only tourist developments promising considerable financial returns will mature to experience all stages of cycle itself is variable. The tourism destinations evolve from their beginning or inception stage through exploration, involvement, development, consolidation, stagnation & eventual decline or rejuvenation. Destination life cycle provides a framework for understanding how destinations & their market evolve. Understanding the life cycle aids the development of community based & sustainable tourism strategies at the involvement stage. The components of tourist destination can be effective only if careful planning & management deliver a sustainable tourism product. Only in recent years, that the

negative impact on tourism on destination, rise of environmentalism & green consciousness have been set for a reassessment of the role & value of tourism to destinations. The concept of sustainability demands a long-term view of tourism & ensures that the consumption of tourism does not exceed the ability of the host destination to provide for future tourists. In other words it represents a trade-off between present & future needs. Perhaps the central issue for here is the gradual shift from short-term to longer-term thinking & planning at the destination. Development of destination for tourists A sustainable tourism development model attempts to keep tourism in a particular place within the limits of capacity of the place. The late modern forms of tourism are based more on specialization, niche areas & highly competitive than on earning money from volume tourism. Butlers model of tourism development at destination provides more detailed picture of how to achieve the structural development of tourism. A different level of development in an area is presented below: Development of a specialized offering for tourists Simplest service offering for tourists is placed at the bottom of service ladder. Common forms of services are cafeterias, petrol stations & dabas. Both local residents & tourists use these services. Next Step up the ladder is that there is some form of overnight accommodation in the area, a hotel, & motels but without any special attractions. Third step is specialized tourism service providing a greater range of attractions, activities, & accommodations. The fourth stage is tourism centers where the whole range of services has been adopted to the needs of tourism for one season or two-season destination. Final step on the ladder is advanced service rich source of services & extensive specialization, in the form of theatres, concert halls, large museums etc. This model presents the stages in the development from small-scale tourism to mass tourism. conclusion Tourism industry is one of the major segments of our economy, it contributes major part of foreign exchange & generates employment & helps infrastructure development. Government of India has formulated policies to boost the tourism industry. Tourism will expand greatly in future mainly due to the great revolutions that are taking place in demand supply. Thus the study is a critical issue in tourism industry. And new product development & innovation is essential for survival. Health tourism in India is promoted as high-tech healing destinations, which provide world-class treatment at low cost, incorporating the Indian system of medicine ayurveda, naturopathy, unani, sidha & allopathy. India is the seat of spiritualism. It is the confluence of different religions:Hinduism Sikhism, Islam, Christianity, & Jainism, etc. The followers of religion built many lavish temples, mosques, monasteries & churches across the country. These are attracting both domestic & international tourists. In India, adventure tourism & nature tourism have been identified as the largest segment of global & domestic tourism. The geographical diversity makes India as a heaven for adventurers. MICE tourism is a fast emerging sector; especially after the liberalization of the Indian economy & Indian tourism industry is equipped with all facilities to welcome business tourists. Sustainable tourism is a new concept, which says that the tourism development should meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their needs.

EMERGING TRENDS IN TOURISM

SUBMITTED TO, DR JAMES MANALIL SMS CUSAT

SUBMITTED BY, REKHA SIVANANDAN ROLL NO-20 MBA -TT