Cultural heritage tourism in India: growth and recent trends

Abstract

UNESCO has stressed upon the need to preserve the Heritage Monuments without any political interference nor racial disparity as they form the most significant evidences to remember the past incidents and changes that have occurred. Cultural Heritage Tourism is construed as an experimental form of Tourism in which there is an efflorescence of arts, festivals in a preferred place, historical structure or monument which would in turn create encounter and feel the history. Cultural Heritage Tourism further symbolizes their tradition, beliefs, religion, art and other wide ranging features which would attract both domestic and international tourism. India being ruled by different dynasties in the past possesses rich culture and heritage where several fairs, festivals, temples and other architectural sites attract large tourist. In India every State has started attracting tourists towards their heritage sites by developing modules, strategies, brand ambassadors, marketing and promotion with the involvement of international organization to increase the traffic of tourists. In this tourism though the tourist inflow increases the economic prosperity of the region, on the other side the negative effects is the unsustainable development and the negligence of the important stakeholder i.e the local community. The Global Heritage Fund Organizations has predicted that developing countries like India would be in a position to tap $ 100 billion by 2025 when efforts are made to promote, preserve and consciously develop the heritage destinations. This paper attempts to focus on the contours of Cultural Heritage Tourism in India its growth in the recent times and issue there on.