Boosting Tourism in India - Addl Inputs

Dear Friends,

Below are the key Solutions, Issues & Root Causes to improve Tourism in India.

Please review them and if you have anything additional to add, please do so by submitting your comments to this post. When submitting comments, please ensure you mark whether it is Issue, Root Cause or Solutions that you are sharing.

We will soon be compiling this whitepaper and share with PMO and Minister of Tourism - Mahesh Sharma so actions can be taken at the earliest.

Thanks for your participation!
Rajendra Pratap Gupta


Improving State of Tourism in India - Key Solutions

1. Safety should be first priority. Tourist police should be appointed at major tourist destinations to look after the safety of the tourists as well as prevent cheating and harassment with them
2. Public toilets should be made in all tourist spots
3. More tourist information centres should be opened
4. A 24-hour tourist helpline should be started
5. Social campaigns should be done to educate masses about treating tourists well
6. Department of tourism should start a detailed website with all the things that a tourist might require
7. Improve infrastructure - people should have easy access i.e. good connectivity, good restaurants
8. Database of tourist taxi operators need to be maintained by local police stations
9. More Government agencies should be opened in corporate partnership to help tourists
10. Identification of tourist locations and renovation and maintenance of the same must be done
11. Corporates should be encouraged to adopt a Historic site/ Pilgrim centre for regular maintenance and up keep and development
12. Rural/ UN-employed Youth will be enlisted and trained by Government at free of cost or at low cost as Guides and facilitators to help the Tourists by way of Paid Services
13. Campaigns should be run on TV and all FM Radios regarding the pride of India and the importance of our image that our Tourists take back with them
14. A committee needs to be constituted which in consultation with well-known historians and local people should spot out places having religious and historical importance
15. Having a brand ambassador to link credibility with Incredible India campaign
16. Develop a PPP model wherein the Government joins locals in creating and marketing rural tourism
17. Focused effort towards removal of encroachments from historical sites and sustainment
18. Develop quality lodging facilities at places of religious significance
19. Opening up of more institutions capable of imparting skills needed for hospitality business

State of Tourism in India – Root Causes

1. Lack of complete focus on developing tourism
2. Lack of vision in policy making and non-professional attitude by policy makers
3. Lack of innovative intent by Ministry of Tourism
4. Indians are ignorant about maintaining their heritage
5. India has not reached a stage where it can understand the indirect ways of boosting tourism
6. Road and transport infrastructure is not in a good shape
7. There is a major lack of civic sense among the Indian population
8. Lack of focus on decent sanitation facilities in tourist areas
9. Excessive un-regulated Commercialization of tourist places
10. There are no major laws against harassing tourists
11. No control & regulation of touts , middlemen & self-styled guides in and around tourist places
12. Lack of enough credible Government agencies to help tourists
13. Absence of Tourist Police to ensure the safety of tourists coming to India
14. Lack of respect for other cultures
15. Lack of sensitivity among the local population towards the needs and requirements of tourists
16. People try to make as much money as possible from the tourists as they are unaware about the local systems
17. Every country charges the tourists from other nations more ticket charges than locals
18. The number of people who visit religious sites are very high and it becomes tough to handle them
19. English is not widely spoken/understood outside metros
20. Lack of proper planning by the Ministry – the number of rooms available in major tourist spots are way less than the estimated tourists expected to visit each year
21. Lack of real and reliable information about accommodation availability
22. Access roads are poor and signboards are insufficient

State of Tourism in India – Key Issues

1. Places of tourist interest are very poorly maintained and have poor access
2. Historical sites, history and culture of India from a tourism perspective is grossly underdeveloped
3. Access to many places of tourism is still poor due to lack of direct air/rail connectivity
4. Many tourist spots and cities are dirty and lack public toilet facilities
5. Amenities and infrastructure in general is way below world standards
6. Tourists are fleeced in every possible manner by travel agents, touts, middlemen, thieves, etc.
7. Safety and Security are one of the biggest worries of the tourists coming to India
8. Tourists are teased and misbehaved with
9. Information and facilities provided to tourists are poor
10. Tourists are made to pay very high entry fee in places of archaeological interest
11. Shopkeepers ask tourists to pay hefty amounts for handicraft items and earn huge profits
12. Even domestic tourists are fleeced outside their states
13. Religious tourism is not well organised
14. Almost non-existent tourist helplines
15. Language is a big barrier for tourists
16. It's difficult to find good accommodation in peak tourist season more