by N.K.A. Ballal, Retd. Sr. Vice-President, ITDC
Rural tourism is essentially an activity which takes place in the country-side. Unlike the conventional tourism, the rural tourism is experience-based, nature and environment-friendly and is strictly based on preservation of our culture, heritage and traditions.
The benefits of rural tourism is multi-folded. Along with the creation of alternate source of income, it also helps in the revival of the local arts and handicrafts. It helps women empowerment, poverty alleviation and improves the standards of living of the rural folk. That is the reason, Government of India is giving so much importance and emphasising on the development of this form of tourism and is offering lots of incentives and subsidies for the same. Almost 74 percent of the population living in rural India and with almost 7 million villages, India is ideally suited for this form of tourism. With all major cities in India becoming urban jungles, the people are on the look-out for escape route and this form of tourism would definitely help.
Another major advantage is that rural tourism can be an upmarket experience both for domestic and international tourists. This is one of the primary reasons that the Home-Stay concept introduced by Karnataka Tourism has been a resounding success with more that 3,000 Home-Stays in place. Coorg is overflowing with domestic tourists from all over India. And most of them prefer to stay in these homes amidst the coffee estates and be with the nature. A win-win situation both for the tourists and the estate owners.
“Stop. Take a deep breath and walk, fly or catch a train away from the city and into the world where the average pace of life is slower than slow. It is not down in any map, true places never are.” [Herman Melville].
I would like to enumerate some well-known rural tourism centres in India for the benefit of SOM readers:
1. Eco-sphere Spiti – high altitude rural tourism: The Spiti Valley is a lesser known alternate to Leh and Ladakh. Visits to Buddhist Monasteries, Yak safaris, treks to villages, village home-stays and cultural performances are some of the activities on offer.
2. Chhotaram Prajapat’s Home-Stay near Jodhpur: This home-stay has become very famous since its inception wherein one can stay in village dwellings [with western commode], learn the art of weaving and experience home cooked food, camel safaris, folk dances, village trekking etc.
3. Lakshman Sagar – luxury rural tourism in Rajasthan: Here one can experience rural tourism in luxury of well-made huts or tents. New attractions would be brick-making kilns, chilli drying and wholesale market, nature walks and horse safaris.
4. Rural tourism at Kutch, Gujarat: Here one can experience the vibrancy of Gujarat, culture, art and dances.
5. Farming in Punjab: This trip is for tourists who want to see and experience traditional farming, dances and Punjabi cuisine.
6. Tribal travels in North East: Here one can experience the pleasures of mountain rides, trekking in unknown territories and interacting with tribes like Naga and Bodo.
7. Kila Raipur – rural Olympics in Punjab: The famous bullock cart race which happens in February every year.
8. Rural tourism in Maharashtra: This includes ‘the story of rice’ which allows the tourists to experience the way rice is cultivated, lessons about the famous worli paintings or visit to a village in the month of June when millions of fireflies light up the hills of western ghats.
I have just enumerated some of the rural tour initiatives which have become popular in the international calender but alas, as usual we Kannadigas have missed the bus. In spite of having all the features mentioned above, we have not been able to encash upon this novel tourism idea so far.
Whether ploughing a field, harvesting rice, learning to make toys or pots, traditional jaggery making, teaching the tourist how silk worm is bred, riding in a bullock cart or simply sleeping under the stars, rural tourism initiatives are not just giving the city-dwellers a taste of life on the other side of the farm hedge; they are creating sustainable eco-systems which provide alternate source of income for the village dwellers without straining their existing resources.
Since our Prime Minister has asked our MPs to adopt a village and convert that into a model village, I have the following suggestion to our own MP Pratap Simha. Sir, you can choose a village near Mysuru which has some traditional artisans or folk dancers living there and try to develop the same as a rural tourism venture. You can also adopt another village at Coorg which can highlight the exotic culture, dress and cuisine of the Kodavas. Apart from the money you have at your disposal from your own fund, this form of tourism gets lots of incentives from the Ministry of Tourism and Rural Development, which can be tapped. The village council can be persuaded to make some traditional huts with western commodes so that the tourists can be made to stay and experience the real village life.
This form of tourism should strictly be upmarket to ensure that only quality tourist come in and not quantity. Of course, our Department of Tourism should actively and aggressively market it at all the trade marts abroad. Just like the Home-Stays in Coorg, this will catch on and will bring in prosperity to the village and the region. A point to ponder.
[Do write your comments to ananthballal@yahoo.com]
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / December 03, 2014
