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Tourism Sector

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Introduction Sunbath, water skiing... palm trees sounds interesting...doesnt it? Beaches

are the right place and who doesnt like to get cozy on a snowy hill top or... get wet and

dampy in the jungles or safari's or getting close to god at pilgrims what all

travelers look for is place away from their... work place to spend leisure time with

their own selves. And family and these places...just give the right vacation...

destinations and as its said a travelers journey never ends The places never

end this world is a maze even if one takes a wrong turn on the roads. he lands

onto a newer destination

Tourism is the act of travel for predominantly recreational or leisure purposes, and

also refers to the provision of services in support of this act. Tourists are people who

"travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for not more than one

consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an

activity remunerated from within the place visited". The distance between a place of origin

and a tourism destination is immaterial to this definition. Tourism has become an

extremely popular, global activity.

A travel experience doesn't begin or end at the destination it embraces activities

ranging from the smallest sea-side hotel; to air-lines, multi-national hotel chains and major

international tour operators. Tourism is a service industry, comprising a number of

tangible and intangible components. The tangible elements include transport systems - air,

rail, road, water and now, space; hospitality services - accommodation, foods and

beverages, tours, souvenirs; and related services such as banking, insurance and safety and

security. The intangible elements include: rest and relaxation, culture, escape, adventure,

new and different experiences.

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Tourism Sector

Many countries depend heavily upon travel expenditures by foreigners as a source

of taxation and as a source of income for the enterprises that sell services to these

travelers. Consequently the development of tourism is often a strategy employed either by

a NGO or a governmental agency to promote a particular region for the purpose of

increasing commerce through exporting goods and services to non-locals.

DEFINITION

One of the earliest definitions of Tourism was given by the Austrian Economist

Hermann Von Schullard in 1910. He defined it as,

"Sum total of operators, mainly of an economic nature,which directly relate to the entry, stay and movement of foreigners inside and outside a certain country, city or a

region."

Hunziker and Krapf, in 1942, defined Tourism as,

"Tourism is the totality of the relationship and

phenomenon arising from the travel and stay of strangers,

provided that the stay does not imply the establishment of a

permanent residence and is not connected with remunerativeactivities."

In 1976, Tourism Society of England defined it as

"Tourism is the temporary, short-term movement of peopleto destination outside the places where they normally liveand work and their activities during the stay at each

destination. It includes movements for all purposes."

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In 1981, International Association of Scientific Experts in Tourism defined

Tourism

In terms of particular activities selected by choice and undertaken outside the home environment.

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Tourism Sector

Tourism industryTourism is an industry that operates on a massively broad scale: it embraces

activities ranging from the smallest sea-side hotel; to air-lines, multi-national hotel chains

and major international tour operators. Originally, non-traditional industries such as

tourism emerged as a solution to strike a balance between ecology and industry. The

tourism industry is now one of the largest sectors earning foreign exchange for the

exchequer. In the face of such benefits, many countries have started assigning due

weightage to the tourism industry in their national development agenda.

The tourism industry comprises of the following main and distinctive sectors:

Transportation

Accommodation

Tour operators

Tourism Destination Operators/ Destination Management

Transportation

Tourism industry is heavily dependent on the transportation industry which

comprises of airlines, cruise and ferry lines, passenger railways, coach and bus travel, car

hire. Thanks to the increase in tourist traffic, over the years, the range of airline services

has considerably, not only in terms of frequency of flights and number of destinations, but

also in terms of different services, and differing levels of service to meet different

passenger needs. This shows the important role marketing plays as competition and

demand intensifies.Passenger rail services have also changed, and their role in tourism is as wide as

with, for example, Euro rail tickets allowing extensive international travel at basic(service)

standard for students and budget tourists, to the luxury of Palace on Wheels where the

train voyage is the holiday. Cruise lines are operating different services tailored to

consumers budgets, and other shipping lines involved in the tourist industry, especially

the ferry operators, are broadening and upgrading their range of services and facilities to

meet consumer expectations, and to remain competitive. Coach and bus companies haveacted in a similar fashion and so have the car rental companies.

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Accommodation

Accommodation includes hotels, ranging from the biggest international

chains recognizable worldwide such as Hilton and Holiday Inn to small independent

establishments. In order to gain recognition in an increasingly competitive marketplace,

many smaller independent hotels have grouped together, adopting a consortium approach.

Under a central brand name, they can offer central reservations services, for e.g. and

present a recognizable identity to consumers which enables them to compete against the

larger, more established chains. Other types of accommodations are also well established

in tourist markets, notably self-catering apartments and club type complexes.With the innumerable dream destinations India offers the best of the

accommodation facilities to the travelers to the land. There are plenty of hotels and resorts

in India that cater to the needs of tourists of all kinds. The hotels and resorts in India

provide high standards of quality of accommodation, facilities and comforts to satisfy the

clients at the most reasonable rates. The variety of hotels and resorts in India ranging

from Luxury Hotels, Standard Hotels, Budget Hotels to the Heritage Hotels In India. Then

there are several Indian & International Hotel Chains in India. The services and thefacilities are such that the hospitability of India gets revealed always. Throughout the

length and the breadth of the country that is dotted with tourist destinations the hotels and

resorts are available to make your experience of India unique. Hotels in India have been

categorized on different parameters all of them taking into account the factors such as

service provided, infrastructure, location, heritage value, and types of guests

accommodated. Like many other countries worldwide, these categorizations help the

common travelers zero down on the accommodation option he can afford or wanted to

stay at during his/her visit.

The incomparable and incredible land of India offers plenty of accommodation

options such that the visit to the wonderland suits all pockets. The country where tradition

and trends fuse to give you the best range of possible accommodations is vast. There are

the exclusive hotels chains that boast of luxurious amenities and world-class dcor.

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Tourism Sector

Tour operatorsTour operators are the firms which specialize in providing the whole holiday

package, incorporating travel and accommodation needs for the consumer. They range

from highly specialized operations such as Indianvisit.com, who customize every kind of

trip that you can dream of, to large operators offering services at all different levels to

cater for budget, family, or singles holidays to near or faraway destinations.

Thomas Cook is one of the best known of such operators; they also offer travel

agency and financial services to their consumers. An independent local coach firm may

also be a tour operator, and many transportation companies also offer holiday packages.

In todays competitive market and with the increased bargaining power of the

consumers there is only one way to survive in the rat race and that is by segmenting the

market and offering different products pertinent to the demand of that segment.

With this in mind, what does a holiday in India symbolizes? This is a question that

every traveler to this vast subcontinent of human beings, dust, chaos, and religion asks

himself at least once. For many of them India is the exotic orient where you can find only

the snake charmers or sadhus. For few who have gone through contemporary literature on

the country, India is an organized chaos (as described one of the renowned writers andsociologists). For the ones who have seen the exploitations of Indian expats in Silicon

Valley might consider the country as a future hub of knowledge economy.

For a quintessential vacationer in India, the country presents itself in the plethora

of colors, hues, and shapes. With its inexhaustible range of culture, traditions, wildlife,

beaches, and mountains India is huge. The country is not only about chaos and ways to

control them; it is about life, the civilization and continuity of it that makes people look

beyond the obvious. But obvious, we believe, is not the choice that you are going to makewhile visiting India. What you need is something different, something that is new, and

something that is exciting. Concept tourism is one exciting option that a few tour operators

like Indianholiday.com believe is worth taking interest in. These operators give you a

number of exciting options categorized according to the interest and concept to tour India.

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Tourism Sector

Tourism Destination Operators/ DestinationManagement

This is new category in many senses, as it is an area of the tourism industry

which has seen a massive growth in the development of theme parks and other types of

artificial tourist destinations in the recent years. However Disneyland and Disneyworld in

America were the forerunners of this development in tourism marketing, and they have

been well established for decades.

It is due to the recent growth, and the continuing trends, which make it area which

should be considered separately as a tourism industry. The new EuroDisney theme park in

France is an example of a tourism destination operation. On a smaller scale, heritage parks

which being developed from Britains industrial wasteland such as Wigan Pier, which

attracted over half a million tourists in 1991, and similar attractions now represent a

significant amount of tourism activity.

For a quintessential vacationer in India, the country presents itself in the plethora

of colors, hues, and shapes. With its inexhaustible range of culture, traditions, wildlife,

beaches, and mountains India is huge. The country is not only about chaos and ways to

control them; it is about life, the civilization and continuity of it that makes people look

beyond the obvious. But obvious, we believe, is not the choice that you are going to make

while visiting India. What you need is something different, something that is new, and

something that is exciting. Concept tourism is one exciting option that a few tour operators

like Indianholiday.com believe is worth taking interest in. These operators give you anumber of exciting options categorized according to the interest and concept to tour India.

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Tourism Sector

CLASSIFICATIONTourism may be classified into the following types:

1. INBOUND INTERNATIONAL TOURISM: It means visiting to a country

by non-resident of that country.

2. OUTBOUND INTERNATIONAL TOURISM: It means visiting by the

residents of a country to another country.

3. INTERNAL TOURISM: It means visiting by residents of a country to their

own country.

4. DOMESTIC TOURISM: It consists of inbound international tourism plusinternal tourism.

5. NATIONAL TOURISM: It consists of internal tourists plus outbound

international tourism.

SPECIAL FORMS OF TOURISM For the past few decades many forms of tourism are becoming more popular, particularly:

1. ADVENTURE TOURISM

This type of tourism involves travel in rugged regions, or adventurous sports such

as mountaineering and hiking (tramping).

2. CULTURAL TOURISM

It includes urban tourism, visiting historical or interesting cities, such as Delhi,

Amritsar, Mumbai, Banglore, Chennai, Ahmedabad, etc. and experiencing their cultural

heritages. This type of tourism may also include specialized cultural experiences, such as

art museum tourism where the tourist visits many art museums during the tour, or opera

tourism where the tourist sees many operas or concerts during the tour.

3. EDUCATIONAL TOURISM

It may involve travelling to an education institution, a wooded retreat or some

other destination in order to take personal-interest classes, such as cooking classes with a

famous chef or crafts classes.

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4. HERITAGE TOURISM It is visiting historical (Rome, Athens, Cracow) or industrial sites, such as old

canals, railways, battlegrounds, etc.

5. HEALTH TOURISM

It means usually to escape from cities or relieve stress, perhaps for some 'fun in the

sun', etc. often to "health spas".

6. MEDICAL TOURISM

It is used for advanced care that is not available in one's own country, in the case

that there are long waiting lists in one's own country for use of free or cheap health care

organisations for what is illegal in one's own country, e.g. abortion, euthanasia; for

instance, euthanasia for non-citizens is provided by Dignitas in Switzerland.

7. PILGRIMAGE TOURISM

Pilgrimage tourism refers to ancient holy places (Rome and Santiago de

Compostela for Catholics, Temples and stupas of Nepal for the Hindus and Buddhist,

Mount Athos or Painted churches of northern Moldavia for the Orthodox), religious sites

such as mosques, shrines, etc.

8. SPORT TOURISM

Skiing, golf and scuba diving are popular ways to spend a vacation. Also in this

category is vacationing at the winter home of the tourist's favorite baseball team, and

seeing them play everyday.

9. ECO TOURISM

It means sustainable tourism which has minimal impact on the environment, such

as Safaris (Kenya), Rainforests (Belize) and Hiking (Lapland), or national parks.

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SCENARIO OF INDIAN

TOURISM INDUSTRY India is one of the popular tourist destinations in Asia. Bounded by the Himalayan

ranges in the north, and surrounded on three sides by water (the Arabian Sea, Bay of

Bengal, and the Indian Ocean), with a long history and diverse culture, India offers a wide

array of places to see and things to do. In 2004, foreign tourists visiting India spent 15.4

billion USD - the ninth highest in the world. India is also ranked among the top 3

adventure tourism destinations. One can expect to spend about $1,750 in 2005 dollars for a

two week visit, staying in accommodations equivalent to Western ones.

Commencing with a slow growth at the start of the millennium, the Indian tourism

industry has performed quite well in the last couple of years. The Indian tourism industry

has out performed the global tourism industry in terms of growth in the volume of

international tourists as well in terms of the revenue. The world travel and tourism council

(WTTC) has named India along with China as one of the most fastest growing tourism

industries for the next 10 to 15 years.

The key driver for this growth in the Indian tourism industry has been a fast

growing economy for the last 3-4 years. Despite lagging in the basic infrastructure that

supports the tourism industry, Indian tourism industry has been showing at an impressive

double-digit growth. In order to sustain this growth and meet the expectations, it is

essential for the government of India to invest in infrastructure such as the transport

systems and accommodations.

The expected growth of the industry in future has provided its players with an

opportunity to invest in the new technologies such as CRM tools and latest security

systems and to venture in to the new market segments such as Cruise tourism where India

has negligible share in comparison to world cruise tourism market. On the flip side, the

growth in the Indian tourism sector is accompanied by the imminent destruction of local

ecology and increase in the pollution, which in the long run is going to negatively impact

the tourism industry of India.

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Tourism statistics:

Tourism is one of the world's fastest growing industries at present and

holds the status of the world's no. 1 industry.

The tourism industry as a whole is presently estimated to earn over US$

3.5 trillion worldwide.

The industry creates a job every 2.4 seconds with every one of those direct

jobs creating another 11 indirect ones.

Spending on tourism amounts to 5%-10% of total consumer, spending in a

year worldwide.

India's share of the total market is a pittance at 0.51%. The non-tourist

countries like Malaysia and Indonesia get much more tourists than India.

However, the average duration of stay of foreign tourist in India is one of

the highest in the world. On an average, it exceeds 27 days in the case of non-

package tourists and is 14 days in the case of package tourists.

Tourism has the distinction of being the third largest export industry after

gems and jewellery and readymade garments in India.

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Tourism Sector

The Tourism industry's foreign exchange earnings in India are around $3.2 billion.

Tourism is the highest foreign exchange earner if we consider the fact that net value

addition in Gems & jewellery is less than 30 % whereas, in tourism it is more than 90 %.

India: Tourism Revenues and Expenditures 1990-2010

It also has one of the best employment multipliers when compared with any other

industry in India. It generates maximum job opportunities, as it provides direct

employment to 9.1 million people and indirect employment to another 12.4 million. But

these statistics do not appear so impressive when viewed in the global perspective and

compared with that of other countries shown in the graph below.

Tourists Arrivals and Receipts From Tourism 1996

Source: 1. Report, World Tourism Organization - 1996.

2. Study by Mahajan and Aibara, Consultants to the Tourism and

Hotel Industry, 1997.

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Tourism has been a neglected sector in India. Though it was recognized as a priority

sector in the Seventh Five Year Plan, hardly anything was done to promote this industry.

Though the government has promised to give industry status to tourism, still, budgetary

support for this department is a mere Rs. 379 crore. This is despite a total tax collection of about Rs. 2000 crore in 1996 from this sector.

The tourism industry currently stands 127 th on the list of priorities of the Indian

government. It is true that India has yet to reach the prosperity level where leisure activity

can be included in the priority sector but, if solving the country's unemployment and

foreign exchange problems are on the top of the national agenda, the potential of this

industry cannot be neglected.

THE BOOMING TOURISM INDUSTRY In the service sector, tourism has become the worlds largest employer. This sector

is one of the worlds largest economic forces. Today the Travel & Tourism sector is the

second largest foreign exchange earner for India. Further the domestic travel for business

& leisure is also showing increasing trends. Bellow mentioned table & chart shows the

Foreign Tourist Arrivals & Foreign Exchange Earning from tourism from 1995 2001.

Foreign Tourist Arrival & Foreign Exchange Earning from

Tourism

Source: - India Info line Sector Data base, Indianonfoline.com

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YearForeign Tourist Arrival

(in millions)Foreign Earnings

1995-96 2.19 2,929

1996-97 2.33 3,063

1997-98 2.37 3,173

1998-99 2.39 3,053

1999-00 2.48 2,949

2000-01 2.63 3,300


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Tourism Sector

The year 2004-05 saw tourism emerging as one of the major sectors for growth of

Indian economy, the foreign exchange earnings increased from Rs. 16,429 crore to 21,828

crore up to December. Similarly in the last year, tourism industry registered a growth rate

of 17.3% in foreign tourist arrivals, which has been the highest in last 10 years. Foreign

exchange earnings grew at an even higher rate 30.2%.

India's tourism industry is thriving due to an increase in foreign tourists arrivals

and greater than before travel by Indians to domestic and abroad destinations. The visitors

are pouring in from all over the world: Europe, Africa, Southeast Asia and Australia. At

the same time, the number of Indians traveling has also increased. Some tourists come

from Middle East countries to witness the drenching monsoon rains in India, a

phenomenon never seen in desert climates.

Domestic tourists are also fueling the industry's revival. Many of them escape from

the summer heat on the plains to resorts in the Himalayan Mountains. One of the major

beneficiaries this year is Kashmir, where a cease-fire between India and Pakistan hasreduced violence, if not completely, at least enough to help revive the state's sagging

tourism industry. Among the most favored tourist destinations in India, Kerala for its

scenic beauty, Agra for Taj Mahal, Khujraho for its sculptures and temples, Goa for its

beaches and some pilgrimages are the most important. Interesting feature of this growth is

that it has come even as global tourism has dropped, due to the September 11 terrorist

attacks in the United States, the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in East

Asia, and the Iraq war. Even the disastrous tsunami didn't affect India's tourism industry,as tourist arrivals in India rose 23.5 percent in Dec 2004 and tourist arrivals crossed 3

million marks for the first time in 2004... The disaster was expected to have a negative

impact on India's tourism in terms of large-scale cancellations of tourists to India but

nothing of that sort was seen.

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REASONS FOR THIS BOOM

There could be several reasons for the buoyancy in the Indian tourism industry.

First, the upward trend observed in the growth rate of Indian economy has raised middle

class incomes, prompting more people to spend money on vacations abroad or at home.

Also, India is booming in the information technology industry and has become the IT

center. Aggressive advertising campaign Incredible India" by the government has also

had contribution in changing India's image from that of a land of snake charmers, and

sparking new interest among overseas travelers.

TOURISM CONTRIBUTION TO INDIAN ECONOMY

It is not hidden that tourism is among India's important export industries. Even

with comparatively low levels of international tourist traffic, tourism has already emerged

as an important segment of the Indian economy. Tourism also contributed to the economy

indirectly through its linkages with other sectors like horticulture, agriculture, poultry,

handicrafts and construction. Foreign exchange earnings from tourism during 2003-04

were US $ 3,533 million (Rs 16,429 crore). Besides being an important foreign exchange

earner, tourism industry also provides employment to millions of people in India bothdirectly and indirectly (through its linkage with other sectors of the economy.) It is

estimated that total direct employment in the tourism sector is around 20 million.

MEASURES TAKEN FOR TOURISM

PROMOTION

Recently, Indian government adopted a multi-pronged approach for promotion of tourism, which includes new mechanism for speedy implementation of tourism projects,

development of integrated tourism circuits and rural destinations, special capacity building

in the unorganized hospitality sector and new marketing strategy.

A nation wide campaign, for creating awareness about the effects of tourism and

preservation of our rich heritage & culture, cleanliness and warm hospitality through a

process of training and orientation was launched during 2004-05. The aim was to rebuild

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that sense of responsibility towards tourists among Indians and re-enforces the confidenceof foreign tourist towards India as a preferred holiday destination. More than 6500 taxi

drivers, restaurant owners and guides trained under the programme.

Government also took several other initiatives to promote Indian tourism industry

and increased the plan allocation for tourism i.e. from Rs 325 crore in 2003-04 to Rs. 500

crore in 2004-05. Road shows in key source markets of Europe, Incredible India campaign

on prominent TV channels and in magazines across the world were among the few steps

taken to advertise Indian tourism. In addition a task force was set up to promote India as

prominent health tourism destination. However, in order to attract more visitors, India still

needs to upgrade its airports, roads and other infrastructure to global standards. Even with

the recent surge, tourist arrivals are just a mere percentage of those in such popular Asian

destinations like Bangkok and Thailand.

RECENT DEVELOPMENT IN TOURISM INDUSTRY India Tourism office at Tokyo won two International Awards in Tour Expo held at

Daegu in Korea for excellent tourism promotion. Indian Pavilion won the Best Booth

Design Award as well as Best Folklore Performance Award competing with major players

in tourism such as China, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Canada.

The theme of pavilion was the Buddhist pilgrimage in India. Multi promotional activities

undertaken by Tokyo office drew a large crowd to India Pavilion, which added colors to

the entire travel show. The Koreas leading newspapers published on the front page the

Incredible India booths photographs highlighting various aspects. The live Yoga

performance and Indian traditional snacks at the pavilion were enjoyed very much by the

visitors.

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Tourism Sector

MARKETING MIX Tourism is very complex industry due to its multiple activities that satisfies the

need of the tourist. Tourism industry is also known for its value based expectations i.e.

value for money concept. The marketing mix includes different types of sub-mixes like

product, price, promotion, place, process & physical evidence.

PRODUCT

Product is the combination of tangible and intangible elements. The tourism

product, which is mainly the destination, can only be experienced. The views of the

location travel to the destination, the accommodation and facility as well as the

entertainment at the destination all form the tourism product.

Thus it is a composite product combination of attraction, facilities and

transportation. Each of these components has its own significance in the product mix and

in the absence of even single components, the product mix is incomplete.

The tourism products can be broadly classified into:

Restaurants

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Tourism Products

Accommodation

Attraction

Transportation

Recreation ShoppingRestaurant


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Tourism Sector

BENEFIT MEANINGWITH RESPECT TO THETRAVEL AND TOURISM

INDUSTRY

1. CORE BENEFIT

The fundamental benefit or

service that the customer isbuying

Traveling

2. BASIC PRODUCT Basic, functional attributes Ticketing, hotel reservation

3. EXPECTEDPRODUCT

Set of attributes/conditionsthe buyer normally expects

Customer friendliness, good food

4.AUGMENTED

PRODUCT

That meets the customersdesires beyond expectations

Prompt services, comfortableand convenient trip,

spectacular sights, music

5. POTENTIALPRODUCT

The possible evolution todistinguish the offer

Totally customized tour packages, A grade service at

every stage

Selling a holiday is selling dreams. The way to win the customers heart is

through the peripheral services provided along with the core product. Thus a tourism

product is quite a complex one, including the destination, airline seat, hotel room,

occasional tangible products such as souvenirs, a free bag or bottle of whisky, etc.

Innovation in the tourism industry helps to raise the sensitivity in this regard. There

is nothing fixed or fundamental about the tourism product. The content factor is within the

jurisdiction of the government that undertakes the maintenance, development and

conservation of tourist attractions such as parks, museums, beaches, historical treasures,

etc. Unless these factors are developed in the right fashion, the marketing professionals

would never be successful in making the marketing resources productive.Thus the direct or indirect patronage of the government is essential to get a positive

response. The government and private tourist organizations work together to undertake

activities such as developing infrastructural facilities such as transportation, water,

banking, Medicare facilities, etc., and also developing and maintain hotels, cottages,

havelis, lodges, etc.

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Tourism Sector

PRICEPricing in tourism is a complex process. Pricing includes the prices of other

services like Air travel, Bus, Railways, Hotels, etc. All are included in tourism package.Pricing also depends on the Geographic location of the destination.

Pricing also depends on Seasonality. Seasonality is the most important factor in

pricing. To match demand and supply tourist managers try to get either discount. E.g. Taj

is the tourist attraction in India. Pricing is also based on competitors pricing. Pricing is

also subject to government regulations. E.g. Air price changes tourism package also

changes, if Hotel charges change then also tourism package changes.

Pricing of the tourist product is a complex matter because of its composite nature.

Geographical location of the destination affects the pricing decision. At the same time,

seasonality factor and varying demand cannot be overruled. The objective of pricing in

any other firms is to fetch a target market share, to prevent competition, and to take care of

the price elasticity of demand.

A very important way, in which the travel and tourism business responded to their

highly complex pricing circumstances, is to operate at two levels. The first level is

corresponds with the marketing strategy, which concerns with the product positioning,

value for the money, long run return on investments etc. The second level corresponds to

the marketing operations or tactics where the prices are manipulated to match the current

demand and competition.

In pricing decisions, the product or the service mix of the tourist organization is

important. They have to set prices in line with the quality of services to be made available

to the customers. Pricing decisions are influenced by internal and external factors. The

tourism professionals are supposed to watch the emerging trends in both the markets. They

are required to think in favour of discounting price. These may include discounts for cash

payments, seasonal discounts, trade discounts etc. But while offering the discounts, it is

not to be forgotten that it may also create image problem since some of the value sensitive

tourists may doubt the quality.

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Tourism Sector

PLACEDifferent distribution strategies can be selected for Tourism marketing. Tourism as

a product is distributed as a travel. Internet is also used widely. There is also small agents

spread all over the town who plays a role of place. Large travel companies like Thomas

Cook, Cox & Kings, SOTC, etc they act as a wholesalers and these wholesalers also act as

a retailer.

The tourism marketer may not have adequate choice of the tourist center, because

in most of the case the tourist destinations many be natural, historical attraction. But,

infrastructure facilities, transportation, communication are important for the development

of the tourist center. The major decision that the tourism marketer takes regarding

distribution is relating to the channel of choice and channel members. The uniqueness of

tourism industry is predominant position of intermediaries. The two major functions

performed by the distribution system in tourism marketing are:

To extend the number of points of sales or access, away form the location

at which services are performed or delivered

To facilitate the purchase of service in advance

Different distribution strategies may be selected to reflect the companys overall

objectives. The middleman may be tour operators, who buy tourism products in bulk and

make them available to travel agents who are retailers. The range of tourist products,

which are bought by the tour operators are airline seats, hotel accommodation, bus for

local sight seeing, etc. they may also sell directly to customers. The latest mode of

reaching the tourist is through Internet. Ticket booking can also be done through the

Internet and payment is made with credit card.

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Tourism Sector

PROMOTION

Creation of awareness has a far reaching impact. The tourist organizations bear theresponsibility of informing, persuading and sensing the potential tourists in a right fashion.

The marketers need to use the various components of promotion optimally so that they

succeed in increasing the number of habitual users. Promotion helps in maximizing the

duration of stay, frequency of visit by offering new tourist products in the same country to

areas which hitherto have remained untapped or partially tapped. The various dimensions

of tourism promotion are as follows:

Advertising: Advertisement helps in furnishing important information to the

actual and potential tourists. Its coverage is wide. Advertising is aimed at the public to

create awareness of the travel offers available on a resort and its attractions to influence

their business decisions. Intangibility can be compensated with the help of visual exposure

of scenes and events. We can project hotel bedrooms, well arranged restaurants and

cafeterias, swimming pools etc.

Publicity: It focuses attention on strengthening the public relations measures by

developing a rapport with media people and getting their personalized support in

publicizing the business. It helps in projecting the positive image of tourists organizations

since the prospects trust on the news items publicized by the media people. Eg.

Kumarakom in Kerala after Prime Minister A B Vajpayees visit. The publicity

programme include regular publicity stories and photographs to the newspapers, travel

editors, contact with magazines on stories etc. There are different groups in publicity, such

as advertising publicity, projected publicity, structural publicity and personal publicity.

Sales promotions: Sales promotion measures are the short term activities seeking

to boost sales at peak demand periods to ensure that the firms obtain its market share and

are used to help launch a new product or support an ailing or modified one. The tool of

sales promotions is designed to appeal particularly to those customers who are price-

sensitive. There are a number of techniques to promote sale and the tourist professional

need to use them in the face of their requirements vis--vis the emerging trends in the

business.

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Word-of-mouth Promotion: In the tourism industry it is found that the word-of-

mouth promoters play the role of a hidden sales force, which instrumentalize the process

of selling. The high magnitude of effectiveness of this tool of promotion is due to high

credibility of the channel, especially in the eyes of the potential tourists. The sensitivity of

this tool makes it clear that tourist organizations need to concentrate on the quality of

services they promise and offer. The marketers or the tourist organizations need to keep

their eyes open, identify the vocal persons or the opinion leaders and take a special care of

them so that they keep on moving the process of stimulating and creating demand.

Personal Selling: Personal Selling is based on the personal skill of an individual.

The oral representation in conversation bears the efficacy of transforming the motivation

into persuasion. The development of travel and tourism has been possible due to well

educated and trained sales personnel. The development of tourism business has been

influenced by the services rendered by the travel agents and travel guides since they work

as information carriers. Personal selling is the personal presentation of a tangible product

or intangible services or ideas to the personal customers. It is important to mention that in

the tourism industry, the personnel who attend tourists form an essential ingredient of the

product, such as sales personnel are found responsible for dealing with customers behind

the counter, the resort representatives cater to the need of tourists when they reach the

destination etc. all of them play a vital role in ensuring that the tourism products satisfy

the tourists. The phrase- the customer is always right applies specifically to the tourism

industry. No reduction in price would compensate for impolite and indecent travel guide, a

solvent waiter and a surly or a haughty coach driver. These facts are testimony to the

proposition that the travel business is linked with the performance and behavior of sales

personnel or travel staff.

Telemarketing: it is a method of selling in which a professionally sound

telemarketer expands the business. The quality of technology and the communicative

ability of the telemarketers determine the magnitude of success of this component. In

tourism, the travel agents, offices of airways, receptionist, secretaries cant work

efficiently if the telephonic services are not up to the mark. This makes a strong advocacy

in favor of recruiting a person considered to be professionally sound, personally-

committed sales personnel having an in-built creativity, innovation and imagination.

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PEOPLEWe cant deny the fact that sophisticated technologies have been successful in

accelerating the pace of development. We also agree with this view that new generation of information technologies have simplified the task of decision makers. At the same time we

also have to accept the fact that the sophisticated technologies cant deliver goods to the

development process if the employees operating and maintaining these technologies are

not of world class. Technologies need due support of human resources who invent,

innovate and develop technologies.

Like other industries, the tourism industry depends substantially on management of

human resources. The tourism industry is an amalgam of the services of a lot of peopleand hence this industry cannot work efficiently if the travel agents, tour operators and

travel guides lack world class professional excellence. Of course the offices of travel

agents depend on the new technology but after all employees and the other staff contribute

significantly to the process. The travel guides need professional excellence since the

projection of a positive image regarding a destination in particular requires their due

cooperation, failing which even the world class services offered by the travel agents are

found meaningless. The tour operators also need to manage human resources efficiently.

In the management of people, the related organizations are required to think in

favor of developing an ongoing training program so that we find a close relation between

the development of technologies and the quality of personnel who are supposed to operate

and maintain the same. They need a lot of credentials to fulfill the expectations of the

customers. The organization has to make the environmental conditions conducive and

focus has to be laid on the incentives to the employees for energizing the process of

performance orientation. Employee orientation requires due weightage to efficiency

generation, value-orientation and perfection.

In the tourism industry the travel agents and the travel guides are the two most

important people who speak a lot about the industry. Hence it is imperative that they have

to be at their best at all times. Travel guides especially, are expected to have a lot of

patience, good sense of humor, tact to transform the occasional tourists into habitual ones,

thorough knowledge of the places, linguistic skills etc.

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PROCESSThe operation process of the tourism firm will depend on the size of the tourism

firm. The sequential steps involved in the delivery of the tourist products are:

Provision of travel information : The informationregarding the travel is provided at a convenient location where the potential tourist

seeks clarification about his proposed tour.

Preparation of itinerates : It is a composition of series of operations that are required to plan a tour.

Liaison with providers of services : Before any form of travel is sold over the counter to a customer; contracts have to be entered with the

providers of various services including transportation companies, hotel

accommodation, coaches for local sightseeing etc.

Planning and costing tours : Once the contracts andarrangements are entered into, then the task of planning and costing the tour, this will

depend on the tour selected as well as individual requirements.

Ticketing: The computerized reservation system has in recent yearsrevolutionized the reservation system for both rail and air travel.

Provision of foreign currency and insurance : Incase of foreign travel the final task provide foreign currency as well as insurance

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SEGMENTATION

Though there are a number of bases for segmentation of tourists, one of the most

important is Lifestyle. Traveling decisions are fantastically influenced by changing

lifestyles. They are also affected by other factors such as level of income, availability of

leisure time, etc.

BASE OF SEGMENTATION CATEGORIES

Holiday Mass market Popular market Individual market

Demand PrimarySecondaryOpportunity

GeographyInternational On the basis of regions, cities,etc.

Psychography LifestylePersonality motiveKnowledge

DemographyAgeSex Religion

Socio-economicRich, Poor Rural, UrbanLiterate, Illiterate

Purpose Business Travel Cultural TourismCommon Interest Convention

AgeTeensYouthSeniors

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Such segmentation is useful when deciding the offerings to target a particular segment.For example,

The mass market consists of vacationists that travel in large groups and

prefer all-inclusive tours. They are generally conservative.

The popular market consists of smaller groups going on inclusive or semi-

inclusive tours. This group includes pensioners and retired people.

The individual market consists of chairmen, senior executives, etc.

As the lifestyle changes, consumption of services might change. For

example, a newly married couple might prefer romantic holidays, but once they have

children they would prefer family vacations where there are plenty of activities to

entertain kids. Teens and youth might prefer adventure holidays whereas senior

citizens would probably prefer more relaxing vacations.

TYPES OF CUSTOMERS & SEGMENTATION

Users Of Tourism ServicesThe users of tourism services can be categorized in a number of ways.

One of the methods of classifying users of tourism services is on the basis of thefrequency of usage of services.

1. Non-users: They lack the willingness, desire and ability (income & leisure time).

2. Potential Users : They have the willingness but the marketing resources have not been

used optimally to influence their impulse.

3. Actual Users : They are already using the services generated by the tourist organizations

4. Occasional Users : They have not formed the habit of traveling

5. Habitual Travelers: They have formed a habit and avail of the services regularly.

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Another way of classifying the users is by dividing them into categories such as

General, Sex, Region, Education, etc.

Need for SegmentationConsumer behavior can be defined in psychological terms as the whole range of

the generation of wants and their transformation into buying or using decisions. Users

have values, perceptions, preferences and expectations which are the result of

environmental influences. There are a number of factors that influence the behavioral

profile of consumers.

In recent years, the users have become more discriminating in their using habits

and therefore their needs for different services, products and brands change constantly.

This makes it essential that the marketers analyze their behavioral profile and undertake

segmentation so that they know the level of expectations.

In a nutshell, tourist organizations need to undertake segmentation in order to

simplify their task of creating and stimulating demand. In this way they can identify the

potential tourists, transform them into actual tourists and further into habitual tourists.

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Market Segmentation Bases

Geographical

Segmentation

Cities

Provinces

Regions Countries

Demographic

Segmentation

Age

Sex

Occupation Income

Education

Socio-Economic

Segmentation

Middle-Class

Higher-Middle

Class Higher Class


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SWOT ANALYSISSTRENGTHS

Indias geographical location, a culmination of deserts, forests,

mountains and beaches:

India is not only a vast country but also a beautiful country with world famous

natural locations, which attracts lots of foreign tourist everyday. India has all types of

seasons at the same time because of its tropical nature, as you will find the climate hot,

humid, cold and warm all at the same time in different locations. Also its location is

not very out of reach but easy to travel, as there are many modes of transport to reach

here.

Diversity of culture, a blend of various civilizations and their

traditions:

Indias diversity is its greatest strength. There is so much to explore in India. One

cannot be tired of exploring its diverse culture, heritage and locations. The different

languages, dialects and other religious and cultural customs and traditions are all the

sources of attraction in India.

A wealth of archeological sites and historical monuments.

Manpower costs in the Indian hotel industry are one of the lowest in

the world. This provides better margins for the industry .

Wide variety of hotels can fulfill the demand of the tourists:

A very wide variety of hotels is present in the country that can fulfill the demand

of the tourists. There are international players in the market such as Taj and Oberoi.

Thus, the needs of the international tourists and travelers are seen to while they are on

a visit to India.

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WEAKNESSES

Lack of adequate infrastructure:

It is a major drawback. It is not the case of less money but the money is not

being utilized in the right places and in the right manner. The airlines in India, for

example, are inefficient and do not provide basic facilities at airports. The road

condition in India is very bad.

An intolerant attitude among certain sections of people:

This is among the people who do not like the foreigners and their entry into the

Indian Cultures as they feel that they will change the Indian Culture and attitude and

replace it with foreign culture.

No proper marketing of Indias tourism abroad:

Foreigners still think of India as a land of snake, villages, beggars and

elephants. The Indians have not made any efforts to change this image and this has

proved very costly as foreigners still think of Indians as illiterates and narrow-minded.

The case of Plague in Surat in 1994 led to a decrease of 36% in arrival of foreign

tourists in India.

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OPPORTUNITIESMore proactive role from the government of India in

terms of framing policies:

The government is supporting India tourism industry with the recent

appointment of Mrs. Renuka Chaudhary a very intelligent and practical woman who

would like to develop India tourism. The Indian tourism industry should take this as anopportunity and push forward its plans.

Allowing entry of more multinational companies into

the country giving us a global perspective:

This is going to develop and build the confidence in the minds of the foreigners

who would like to explore India.

Growth of domestic tourism:

Indian tourism will only develop if the roots are strong. So if the Indians

themselves travel around India the foreigners will feel confident to come to India. For

e.g.: Thomas Cook says Travel Now Pay Latter. Affordable traveling at leisure,

plenty of job opportunities.

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THREATSEconomic conditions and political turmoil in the other

countries affects tourism:

As a result of this people are afraid to venture outside their own homes for fear

of terrorist attacks and threats to their lives.

Aggressive strategies adopted by other counties likeAustralia, Singapore in promoting tourism:

There are hardly any tourists who confidently come to India and if the other

countries offer better packages and places then there is no reason why the tourists

should visit India

The important task is to get tourism accepted as an instrument of development andnational integration. For this it is necessary to create awareness of Indias charms as a

tourist paradise and simultaneously addressing the important issue of toning up

infrastructure and then getting down to marketing the product in a pragmatic and result

oriented manner. All segments of the tourism trade should get together ands hammer out a

strategy taking into account the ground realities and demands of the future.

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PEST ANALYSISEnvironmental influences can be analyzed by using the PEST analysis.

Political/LegalThe political factors are the main driving force of the industry. The Indian tourism

industry is built on the backbone of Government support and the industry cannot sustain

itself without it. The various archaeological sites and the places of historical importance,

the roads and the railways are all in the hands of the Government. All the support services

like the hotel industry, the airlines industry and the tourist operators to name some areheavily dependent on the support and the cooperation of the Government.

The major reason as to why tourists visit India is for the vast and rich heritage that

our country has that is under the control of the Government.. Any policy change that

comes into force can have dramatic effect on the way the industry players perform. There

are many areas where the growth of tourism has not been rapid or has seen dramatic fall

because the political environment has not been conducive. Examples are the North East

for the former and Kashmir for the latter.

Similarly, the political turmoil in the state of Kashmir and now in Gujarat has

caused a virtual decimation of the flourishing tourism industry. However, there has been a

change in many of the policies of the Government with regard to the tourism industry. The

hotel industry has been getting many incentives and many State Governments are

encouraging the growth of major hotels in their states. After years of tight control over

airport infrastructure, Government has finally taken the decision to privatize the airports.

With respect to taxation, the World Travel & Tourism Council observed that:

Tax paid by tourists in India is the highest in the world. Indian hotels charge

about 40% tax compared to other Asian countries where it varies between 3% and 6%".

Such high taxation renders the tourism sector as a whole uncompetitive. Further, there is

considerable disparity between state level taxes, especially on food and beverages. In fact,

the sales tax on imported beverages varies widely, e.g. 63% in Karnataka to 28.75% in

West Bengal.

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Economic:The tourism industry not unlike the other industries grows with the increase in the

spending of the people. The more the people spend the more the industry grows. The

spending power of the people has been increasing in the country and all over the world.Since we are concentrating on the international tourists, the large increase in the spending

power in most developed countries has left a large amount of idle cash in their hands. This

has led to a tourism boom the world over and India has been no exception. There have

been more people coming into the country with more cash than ever before. This has lead

to an increase in the demand for better hotels. People who previously used to come to the

country on a shoestring budget and hunt around for the cheapest accommodation can now

afford to go in for luxury hotels. This has led to an increase in the number of hotels in thecountry. However, an increase in spending does not only limit itself to accommodation.

The increase in the spending is also evident in the increase in the number of people

traveling by air. Even the number domestic tourists traveling by air has dramatically gone

up.

Social:

Tourism was always looked upon as something that led to the destruction of thesocial fabric of a place. The more the amount of outside people coming into a place, the

more the perceived risk of that place losing its identity. A good example is Goa. From the

late 60's to the early 80's when the Hippy culture was at its height, Goa was a haven for

such hippies. Here they came in thousands and changed the whole culture of the state. This

had a ripple effect on the country. People became cautious, especially of the international

tourists. Whenever a certain place became famous, the example of Goa was cited to

discourage the inflow of international tourists.

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However some places such as Kerala and Rajasthan have been able to strike a

balance between their own culture and the demands of the international tourists and have

profited handsomely in the bargain. People are now adopting themselves to the fact that

tourism pays and it can be a major source of income for them.

In addition, tourism as a form of recreation has really caught on. People themselves have

started traveling and are willing to travel to a place that is out of the way and exotic. While

traditionally traveling on a holiday meant going to a hill station or a beach, now people are

willing to go in for adventure tourism and also visit places that might be exotic and cannot

really be called hospitable. For example, now places like Leh and Lakshwadeep are

mentioned in the same breath as Goa or Kashmir.

Technology:Although technology does not seem to be a major influence at

first glance, it plays a major part in the promotion of a place. Better

communication facilities are one of the first prerequisites for growth in

the inflow of tourists. This has been made possible with technology.

Improved technology in the field of communication at cheaper costs has

resulted in many remote and inaccessible areas of the country getting

connected to the rest of the world. This connectivity has made these

places visible to the world. Better communication means access to

media. And that is very important if any place wants to be on the world

tourist map. Similarly better transportation facilities have lead to a

dramatic increase in the number of tourists visiting any particular place.

The presence of an airport and the availability of frequent flights are a

great convenience to any traveler.

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Pilgrimages:

India has a unique and multi-cultural yet harmonious society, a kind of its own in the

world. Home to an over 5,000 years old culture & civilization, India is the birthplace of

some of the world's major religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism.People of almost all faiths of the world such as Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Jain,

Buddhists, Zoroastrianism are living harmoniously in India for many centuries and have

their own pilgrimage sites. The peaceful existence of people of India belonging to

different faiths is an excellent demonstration of its communal harmony. India houses a

significantly large number of religious shrines, visited by thousands of pilgrims from all

around the world. The beautiful and artistically designed Hindu and Jain temples,

mosques, churches, gurudwaras of India are not only places of worship but also show the

architectural richness of the country. On India Pilgrimage Tours, visit the sacred

pilgrimage sites of Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism,

Zoroastrianism, Judaism and even the Bahai Faith.

Ecotourism in India:

India, the land of geographical varieties offers several tourist destinations that not

just de-stress but also rejuvenate you. There are several ways to enjoy Mother Nature in

most pristine way. There are series of eco tours for India that provide the coolest hangouts

to take pleasure in indulging oneself into the God gifted environs.

Beach Holidays:

Has the combination of Sun, Sand, Sea and Surf ever tempted you to take a break

from the daily monotonous chores that you perform so religiously? Then we have just the

right package for you with the sure-shot itinerary to relax you completely. The balmy

beaches of India are perfect escapade for the fun loving holiday tourism seekers. India

with its long coastline of 7500 kms, offers some of the most exotic beach holidays and

beach tourism destinations in the world. The great peninsula with the Indian Ocean in the

middle and accompanied by the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal on each side besides

the two archipelagos of Lakshadweep and Andamans is perfect for beach holidays for

tourists the world over. The young state of Goa certainly happens to be the Beach Capital

of India. It offers the perfect spot for the novice divers. The blaze of glory, the beautiful

waves, the swinging palms and the many hues of the sky, the nature is for sure at its best

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at the beaches. India boasts of many beaches of Goa in the West, Kovalam in the South

and Gopalpur in the East. So you may head towards any direction of the Indian peninsula

and be invited to the sun bathed beaches. The never-ending shores and the untouched

oceanic horizons seem to be mesmerizing. The photogenic dawn and dusks at the beaches

are sure to be repetitive visitor to the shores.

Cultural Holidays:

Ever wondered at the cultural diversity of India? The enticing unity represented by

the people of the country who display a wide range of religions, culture, customs and

languages. The rich and varied heritage happens to be one of the many sources of pride of

the nation. The mysterious ways of the people, their lifestyles and the inseparable culture

cannot be done solved in words but can surely be enjoyed with experience.

Adventure Holidays:

Ever felt the waves of a river on your face, wish to see to the land and everything

on it from a height of 18,000 feet? Fancy trotting from one palace to another riding a

camel or perhaps get a better view of the jungle sitting smart on an elephant? Well if any

of them is an affirmative, the adventure holidays and tourism in India are just for you. Try

out the aerial, aqua or land adventures and enjoy. The quest to do the uncommon, the

desire to meet challenges makes people take up any of the adventure activities and

rejuvenate themselves. India is the land of variety and diversity. The terrain of the sand

dunes and long stretches of barren land is ideal for desert safaris, the queen of rivers, the

fun of watching the wildlife at the Corbett National Park gets multiplied when enjoyed

riding an elephant, the Ganges is irresistible for the water sports and the scenic beauty of

Jammu is picture perfect for the paragliding. You name the adventure and India has the

right spot for it.

Ayurveda and Rejuvenation:

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India adheres to the age-old philosophy of Ayurveda - in a traditional way - that's

what makes India a different locale to visit. Ayurveda recognizes that each individual is

different and so treatment too should be customized. Ayurveda, the traditional Indian

system of medicine holds out to the world the promise of a healthy long life. step into the

world, where healing is a ritual and nurturing life a tradition, i. e. experience the magical

power of Traditional Ayurveda. Ayurveda and Rejuvenation programs include a few

programs combining Ayurveda along with sightseeing and other aspects of tourism in

India. An extensive and well - crafted out Ayurvedic treatment package that would

rejuvenate your body and mind and make you face the hustle and bustle of the city life

again.

Golf Tours:

If Golf, is what you are passionate about and you happen to be an avid traveler then the 21 day Golf Holidays package of India being offered is something you cannot

refuse to go ahead with. The perfect break from the stressful routine religiously followed

otherwise. Just catch up with the Golf fever that has caught the entire country in a big

way. Add that extra touch of versatility in you by playing the different surfaces in the

various golf clubs developed in several cities of India. The turfs, the mounds, the climate,

the yards of green all make golf better than ever before.

Railway Tours:

Kuuuuu& Chuk Chuk !!! Doesn't the whistle of the luxury train. Be onboard theluxury trains of India, the Palace on Wheels, the Royal Orient and the Toy Trains are the

pride of Indian Railways, the largest passenger train service in the world seem to invite

you. The Palace on Wheels lives by its name and is no less than a fort on the swing. The

lavish lifestyle, the facilities, the dcor, the comfort and the style have made the first

tourist train of India the most sought after. The marvelous train that today is a joint effort

of the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation and the Indian Railways. During this

excursion, the tourists are overwhelmed with the beauty at the major stations of Jaipur,

Chittaurgarh, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Bharatpur, and Agra chugging through the

culturally colorful states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. You may even opt for a voyage

onboard the Royal Orient, the train offering both style and comfort. It is a project of the

Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited along with the Indian Railways. The rainbow of

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cities trotted by the royal extravagance of the bygone era include Delhi, Chittaurgarh,

Junagarh/Veraval, Somnath/Sasan, Gir/Ahmedpur, Mandvi/Palitana/ Sarkhej, Ahmedabad

and Jaipur. Besides the Royal trains, the toy trains of India have attracted many a tourists.

The ride on the train with a 4500 kilometers track chugs through the popular hill stations

of the country like Shimal, Darjeeling, Ooty/ Udagamandalam or Ootacamund and

Matheran. The toy trains are called so because of the narrow gauge railway lines they ride

on. The wondrous miniature of rail engineering that offers the most scenic beauties of the

Himalayas from Kalka to Shimla and another from Jal Pai Guri to Darjeeling.

Yoga Tours in India:

India has been the land of saints and sages who meditated and practiced yoga. Thespiritual city of Rishikesh happens to be the Yoga capital of India. Tourists and travelers

flock to contemplate and practice Yoga and meditation in the lap of Himalayas. The city

hosts the International Yoga Week every year in the month of February attracting several

experts and participants.

Backwater Tours in India:

Cruising along the backwaters of Kerala is an ideal way to discover the real Kerala.

The placid backwaters that stretch for over fifteen hundred kilometers are covered with

swinging palm trees. The tourists are left spell bound by the tranquility of the backwaters

while riding the Houseboats, it's the most authentic and unexplored way to explore the

beauty of the backwaters. The Houseboats that float on the backwaters are the improved

version of the Kettuvalloms. The frequently visited tourist destinations amongst the

backwaters in Kerala comprise of Kovalam, Alappuzha, Kottayam and Ernakulam. The

tourists may indulge into tourism activities like boating, fishing and sightseeing while

exploring the backwaters of Kerala. The backwater cuisine, which comprises of delectable

fresh fish like pearl spotted fish, barramundi, crabs, mussels and prawns is finger licking

good.

All these tours have been designed keeping in mind the requirements of travelers coming

from different parts of the world. Apart from these, there are some organizations which

specialize in custom made tours. Some of these tours offered are:

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Special theme parties : Under these the following options areavailable

Moonlight Boat Cruise on the Backwater of Kerala:

Guests are ferried aboard a spacious, specially decorated boat for a delightfulmoonlight cruise on the backwater of Cochin. South Indian culinary surprises are served.

There is also a thrilling firework display.

Rajput Wedding:

A traditional Rajput wedding ceremony where the group members participate as

'Baraati' (the bridegroom's family and friends who form the wedding party) and the bridal

party.

Bollywood: Guests in garish costumes, some posing as directors, some as action heroes,

romantic leading ladies, and ruffians live their dreams of becoming a star.

Corporate incentive tours:

In today's world incentive travel is one of the most effective marketing and

motivational tools especially in the corporate sector. After all those long hours at work let

the corporate employee gets the much-deserved break in the form of an incentive. The

various corporate incentive tours that are offered have been planned in a manner torejuvenate and refresh the employees for the forthcoming assignments. Along with the

corporate incentives tours arrangements can be made for conferences, conventions,

seminars, board meetings, client presentations, training programs, workshops, dealers

meet or any other relationship building activity in any destination in India.

Dream Marriages:

Tie the knot with your knight in shining armor in the most royal way. Celebrate the

biggest and the best occasion of your life - Marriage- in the most beautiful style. Get

married at any of the captivating castles, pulsating palaces or the happening hotels and

make your dream come true. At your dream marriage there will be fun and festivity all

around backed by the music of your choice and decorations with your favorite flowers.

The feast to your eyes and ears will be equaled by the sumptuous food that will treat the

taste buds at the dream marriage. From champagne bottles and confetti to photographers

we can arrange it all for the special you and the very special occasion of your dream

marriage. The setting for the realization of your dream will be splendid and the

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arrangements will be spectacular for your marriage that will bring smiles on every face

and heart!

Wildlife HolidaysIndia is unique in the richness and diversity of its vegetation and wildlife. Almost

350 mammal species, over a thousand and two hundred species of birds in nearly 2100

forms and more than 30,000 species of insects - provide evidence to the wealthiness of

wildlife in India. Besides, there are a number of species of fish, amphibians and reptiles.

With over 4.5% its geographical area covered by more than 75 national parks and 425

sanctuaries, the range and diversity of India's wildlife heritage matches the grandeur and

magnificence of her civilization.

India's national parks and wild life sanctuaries (including bird sanctuaries) from

Laddakh in Himalayas to Southern tip of TamilNadu. These parks, reserves, sanctuaries

and forests are vital to the conservation of endangered species, such as Bengal tiger, the

Asiatic Elephant, Lion, the Snow Leopard and Siberian Crane. India's first national park,

the Corbett was established in the foothills of Himalayas. It supports a great variety of

mammals and over 585 species of birds. The Wild Elephant population is on the increase

and both tiger and leopard are regularly seen.

Other tourism in India are :

Heritage Holidays

Handicrafts Tours:

Festival Tours

Museum Tours

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As its said a travelers journey never ends The places never end this

world is a maze even if one takes a wrong turn on the roads. he lands onto a

newer destination And if your confused in choosing the places then.Welcome to

India!! A full package of the entire possible tourist spots...

Some of the popular tourists places in India are as

follows:

Perhaps India's best-known site is the Taj Mahal , one of the world's greatest

architectural achievements. It was built between 1631 and 1653 by Emperor Shah Jahan in

honor of his wife, Arjumand Banu, more popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj

Mahal serves as her tomb.

One of the popular tourist circuits is called the Golden Triangle : the cities Delhi;

Agra (site of the Taj Mahal); and Jaipur. Delhi is approximately 200 kilometers away fromAgra, and 250 kilometers from Jaipur.

India also has a large variety of protected wildlife. The country's protected

wilderness consists of 75 National Parks of India and 421 Sanctuaries, of which 19 fall

under the purview of Project Tiger. Its climatic and geographic diversity makes it the

home of over 350 mammals and 1200 bird species, many of which are unique to the

subcontinent. Some well known national wildlife sanctuaries include Corbett, Kanha,

Sariska, Periyar, Ranthambore, and Bharatpur.

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JAMMU AND KASHMIR-THE

LAND OF HEAVENSThe misty morning sprawls over the vivacious valleys, the flushing meadows wrap

the hillsides like a cloak. The sunlight softly caresses the leaves, the dew drops sparkle

like diamonds to welcome the new day. The rustle of the fallen leaves adds to the music of

the place and the sweet fragrance of flowers lingers on...

The Manasbal Lake near Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir is 2000 meters above sea

level.Tourist destinations in Jammu and Kashmir include:

1. Srinagar

2. Jammu

3. Amarnath

4. Leh

5. Vaishnav Devi

Other cities of interest in Northern India include Gwalior, Khajuraho, Varanasi,

Mathura, and Haridwar.

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DELHI

Delhi,known in India as the "Lotus Temple" , the Bah' House of Worship is one

of the most famous landmarks in the Delhi. Delhi, the capital of the vast, mysticsubcontinent that is India. A fine blend of old and new, ancient and modern in every

stream of life is the soul of Delhi. A melting pot of cultures and traditions, religions and

castes Delhi is true to its democratic nature. Delhi has ruled always from the mythological

days to the present, the Aravali ridges and the Yamuna river stand a mute witness to it.

The rulers left behind their trade marks in the architecture. Tughlakabad fort and the Qutab

Minar, the Jama Masjid and the Lotus temple, The Humayun's tomb and the Red Fort, and

India Gate and the Magnificent President's house. Delhi is famous for its wide roads and

crisp winters. One of the few places in India where colours of nature changes with the

seasons. Kerala to Kashmir and from Gujarat to Assam all the mouth watering delicacies

and shopping goods are found in Delhi. The cosmopolitan nature of the city has only

added to the beauty and glory of it. Big gardens, wide roads, ancient structures, and power

of politics is what Delhi is all about.

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GOA

The sunny beaches of Goa attracts millions of tourists every year.Goa is another

popular destination, famous for its excellent beaches, churches, and temples.Goa, a tiny

emerald land on the west coast of India situated between the borders of Maharastra and

Karnataka, is better known to the world at large as the former Portuguese enclave on the

Indian soil. With the rule of the Portuguese for over 450 years and the consequential

influence of the Latin culture, Goa presents a somewhat different picture to the foreign

visitor than any other part of the country. Not only the proportion of Christians (almost all

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of whom are Catholics) in the total population of Goa much higher than that obtaining in

most of the other States; the general way of living is also markedly different. Western

influence is evident in the dress and food habits, and the general life of the people is quiet

and peaceful. A striking feature of Goa is the harmonious relationship between the two

principal religious communities, the Hindus and the Catholics, who have lived together

peacefully for generations.

RAJASTHAN-THE LAND OFKINGS

Rajasthan has a rich history and culture making it one of the most popular tourist

destinations in India. Shown here is the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur, Rajathan.Rajasthan, the"Land of the Kings", is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Northern India.

The vast sand dunes of the Thar Desert attract millions of tourists from around the globe

every year. Major visitor attractions in Rajathan include:

1. Jaipur - The capital of Rajasthan, famous for its rich history and royal

architecture.

2. Jodhpur, fortress-city at the edge of the Thar Desert, famous for its blue

homes and architecture.

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3. Jaisalmer is famous for its golden fortress.

4. Barmer and surrounding areas offer perfect picture of typical Rajasthani

villages.

5. Bikaner is famous for its medieval history as a trade route outpost.

6. Mount Abu is also one of the world famous tourist place.

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MAHARASHTRA

Maharashtra with its diverse geographical features provides a range of tourist

centres. The state has a 720-km coastline dotted by rugs standing as mute witnesses down

the ages to the march of warrior kings, foreign trading vessels and invaders from across

the seas.

The beauty of Maharashtra is in its forts, caves and temples, so much so that it is

called 'Dagd-Ancha Desh', meaning the Land of Rocks. It has a lot to offer to a visitor, its

features are such that any tourist will definitely find something of his interest from among

its beaches, forts, caves, temples, cities, wildlife sanctuaries, bird sanctuaries etc. The

intricately carved caves of Ajanta, Ellora and Elephanta highlight the Indian heritage and

the spellbinding Indian Culture. Religious places like Pandharpur, Nashik, Shirdi,

Trimbakeshwar, Tuljapur, Ganapatipule, Bhimashankar etc are a refreshing experience

and make a fascinating whole.

Mumbai, the capital, can well claim to be (after Kolkata) the second cultural centre

of India. Also known as the First city of India, it is one of the world's truly great

cosmopolitan metropolises. Being the economic powerhouse of India Mumbai is the most

affluent and industrialised city in the country today. Its tradition of glamour and showbiz

makes it the city of dreams. Lively and pulsating, Mumbai is India's answer to Hollywood,

producing more films each year than any other county in the world. It is also the centre of

a healthy theatre culture.

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ORISSA-SPIRIT OF BuddhismOrissa has been a preferred destination from ancient days for people having interest in

spirituality, religion, culture, art and beauty of the nature. Ancient and medieval

architecture, pristine sea beaches, nature at her beautiful best, the classical and ethnicdance forms and a variety of festivals, all in combine attract tourists from far off places to

explore this state to a have a divine exposure of love and hospitality.

Orissa has kept alive Buddhism and the Buddha in its ancient womb. The spirit of

Buddhism still haunts the very air of Orissa. Rock-edicts that have challenged time stand

huge and over-powering by the banks of the river Daya. The silent stones sing out songs

of peace and non-violence. The torch of Buddhism is still ablaze in the sublime triangle at

Udayagiri, Lalitgiri & Ratanagiri, on the banks of river Birupa. The surrounding hills of

Langudi and Kayama stand as mute witness to the quirks and twists of history. Precious

fragments of a glorious past come alive in the shape of stupas, rock-cut caves, rock-edicts,

excavated monastries, viharas, chaityas and sacred relics in caskets. Rock-edicts of

Ashoka are a bonus for your eyes.

TAMIL NADU

Tamil Nadu has a rich culture and offers a wide selection of temples famed for

their architectural beauty. Some of the more popular temple tour destinations include:

1. Chennai: The capital of Tamil Nadu has the second

longest beach in the world, the Marina Beach.

2. Madurai is known for the beautiful Meenakshi

temple.

3. Rameshwaram is famous for the longest corridor inthe world.

4. Kanyakumari, located at the tip of India, is at the

confluence of the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and

the Indian Ocean. Recently a massive statue of

Thiruvalluvar has been installed here.

5. Kumbakonam, known for the no. of temples in town.

The Mahamaham festival is held here once in every

12 years & attracts millions of devotees to the place.

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Geographic traveller. The government of Kerala offers tourism packages related to

Ayurveda also. The major attractions in Kerala include:

1. Backwaters, lagoons, tropical beaches and spice farms.

2. Hill stations at Thekady and Munnar

3. Enchanting waterfalls at Athirapilly and Vazhachal

4. An exquisite flora and fauna at its wildlife santuries.

5. Its historical monuments.

6. The housboats of Alapuzha.

MAJOR PLAYERS IN

TOURISM

Some of these players mentioned in the above graph can be explained as follows:

Govt. of India TouristOffice (GOITO)

The Govt. is the most important player since the land is owned by the Govt. and

they also have a lot of resources at their disposal in comparison to pvt. players.

Goito was found in mid 1940s. The main function of Goito is giving information

and promoting tourism. It collects information from various travel related suppliers like

hotels, resorts, parks, sightseeing places regarding the various facilities they offer, their

location, their rates etc. by sending them letters. This work is done around August

September. In October it updates its existing information.

Goito along with promoting tourism also funds ITDC (Indian Tourist Development

Corporation) and MTDC (Maharashtra Tourist Development Corporation). Thus, Goito

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encourages ITDC and MTDC to built more hotels and improve infrastructure by funding

them. Goito does not build and sell hotels; it only funds to build them.

Initially Goito had only 5 main regional offices: Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai

and Guwahati. Later many sub- offices were opened. At present there are 22 sub-offices in

India and plenty of them overseas.

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Departments of Goito

1. Updating Information: 1 person is just in charge of updating information related

to travel suppliers.

2. Hospitality: This section deals with media and journalists. It also writes articles

about promoting rare Indian destination

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