Home शोध मीमांसा Development of Tourism Industry in Chhattisgarh (Issues and Challenges)

Development of Tourism Industry in Chhattisgarh (Issues and Challenges)

1342
0

Dr. Kirti shrivas

Asst. professor(dept. of commerce)

Govt K.H. College Abhanpur ( (Chhattisgarh)

Kirtisrivas1978@gmail.com

About Dr. Kirti :  Papers had been presented in 15 national seminar ;

6 research papers were published in national/international research journal approved by UGC

15 years experience in teaching.

ABSTRACT

Chattisgarah,with its stunning wildlife sancturies and waterfalls, a fascinating tribal culture and handicrafts tradition is gradually creating a niche for itself in the tourism map of india.while chattisgarh’s remoteness had kept invading armies at bay in the past, the winds of change in receent years have ushered a stable political climate ensuring a participatory approach resulting in definitive,inclusive growth.

Tourism is the world largest industry and one of the objectives of tourism development is economic development. Tourism industry is one of the most profitable industries in country and contribution considerably to foreign exchanged earned. 

The state government keen to create rural employment through cultural and tribal tourism and travel attraction. Chhattisgarh is called rice bowl of India is covered  with 44% area under forest tribal dominant and has rich potential to become one of most promising tourist spot of country. My paper is focused on analysis of government policies for development and commercialization of tourist spots also focused on tourism market and problems of development in various aspects.  The enhanced tourism plans will enable us to develop tourism in the state in a never seen before magnitude. After formation of Chhattisgarh tourism board, it was found that few years expenditure on tourism is 40 crores , which is relatively high. To ensure future growth the budget has to grow and funds should be properly utilized.  Reluctance of common people is the basic problem of tourism is that it has not come up as an industry in Chhattisgarh. People are reluctant about its acceptance as industry because it is not regarded as source of development.

Key words:   Tourism industry, Tourism market, growth of tourism

INTRODUCTION

Chhattisgarh is gifted rich natural beauty and diversity and expectant with affluent heritage. It has various topography, landscape, monument delicately carved temples, wildlife, beautiful waterfalls, ancient caves, Buddhist sites, green forests and tribal villages.

Almost all of these locations serve as a new and alternating tourist destination and provide a riveting experience to the travelers. The distinct cities and towns of Chhattisgarh consist of their own respective unique appeal and charm.  Bastar region has a unique biological and cultural existence that can invigorate the tourists. Dantewada is dominated by the aboriginals or the tribal people who still continue their age old lifestyle. Bhilai on the other hand is a well developed city and forms the central point of industry and economy of the state. Nature Tourism in Chhattisgarh. The stunning and magnificent waterfalls of Teerathgarh ,Chitradhara, Chitrakoot, Mandra, Tamda and many others are popular as family picnic spots.  Chhattisgarh  is a haven for adventurers and nature explorers. The wildlife sanctuaries of Sita Nadi, Barnawapara, Indravati National Park, Badalkhol, Kanger National Park and Sanjay Gandhi National Park provide the chance to observe the diverse wildlife, of the state, in their natural habitat and enjoy the serene and indolent environment. Moreover the various tribal and conventional handicraft villages and several museums also provide the opportunity to get adequate emormabilia and souvenirs. The grand palaces and ancient temples of Kawardhaa and Kanker Palace portray the tales of the ancient period. The various museums and conventional handicraft villages are excellent places to browse and pick up assorted merchandise and paraphernalia as gifts. Along with the support of the private sector, heritage sites and monuments and ethnic villages are being developed and maintained. Some of these are Sheorinarayan, Bhoramdeo, Sirpur, Rajim, Malhar and Tala. Moreover, various festivals and occasions are also being marketed, particularly to attract foreign tourists. The most popular festivals are Madai Dance at Dantewada and Narainpur, Raut Nacha, Dussehra at Bastar and Chakradhar samaroh.


The cities of Chhattisgarh are well developed with modern amenities and city tourism is also being promoted amongst the tourist by the state government of Chhattisgarh. The capital of the state, Raipur is an escalating centre and the hub of economy and industry of the state. Raipur is an ancient city with a picturesque landscape, situated on the banks of the Mahanadi River. There are many sites of historical importance that contain ancient temples. Dudhadhari Monastery, Mahakoshal Art Gallery, Mahant Ghasidas Memorial Museum, Mahamaya Temple, Hatkeswar Mahadev Temple and Budhapara Lake are few of the popular destinations. 
Chhattisgarh is also encouraging private sectors to invest in the state and develop business-cum-recreation centers to cater to business travelers and corporate holidays. Modern and advanced convention centers and seminar halls are being developed around the state. Moreover, improvements in infrastructure like health spas, hotels, amusement parks and shopping malls, golf courses and multiplexes are encouraged by the state authorities to meet the needs of affluent business tourists.  The state government is taking initiatives to improve and enhance tourism in Chhattisgarh as it is a major contributor to the state’s economy. Various developmental plans, like improving infrastructure and encouraging investors, are being undertaken by the authorities to attract domestic and foreign tourist to the state. Chhattisgarh bagged the National Tourism Award 2012-13 for the publication of best tourism literature. The Chhattisgarh Tourism Board (CTB) is aiming to put the tribal-dominated state on the country’s tourism map as the biggest eco-tourism hub by highlighting its beautiful natural beauty.  Chhattisgarh tourism policy was drafted to promote actively tourism in the state. The main objective of the policy is to promote tourism , strength the quality and expertise, to encourage and promote private sector participitaion,  promote new trends of tourism , to increase the countribution of tourism department in economic growth of Chhattisgarh state.

Research methodology:

 The research methodology is based on the secondary data which include compilation of research article of the experts in the field and the information collected from various sources such as report of government of India ministry of tourism and culture, Chhattisgarh tourism board, statically reports, newspapers, magazines and related websites.

 Objectives:

The following are the objectives of the study for this Research paper:-

1. To study the various aspects of tourism market and its evolution.

2. To   analyses the Government policies and scheme for the development and growth of tourism.

3 To find out the cause and measures to safeguard and commercialize the tourist market.

4. To provide observation and suggestions for the sustainable growth of tourism in the State of Chhattisgarh.

The state of Chhattisgarh has been receiving a lot of tourists in the last few years. Home to 80 percent of bio-diversity, the state is known for its lush green environs that add charm to any place travelers .Through adequate promotion and implementation of various projects, the Chhattisgarh Tourism board is trying to make sure that more travelers visit the diversified destinations of the state and take back some soothing memories from the place. Tourism in India has generated 6.4 trillion or 6.6 % of India’s GDP in 2012.It supported 39.5 million jobs or 12.36% of its total employment foreign tourist in India between January to November 2014 were 65.85 lakh with a growth of 7.1% . At the National tourism awards 2013-14 by President Pranab Mukherjee. stated that tourism is an agent of development, engine of growth and employment generation in India. Thus Chhattisgarh is blessed with many indigenous performing arts of unique dance style, melodious folk songs and colorful dance dramas. A visit to this beautiful place will only be complete when one can also experience the uniqueness of the region. Chhattisgarh folk songs hold a prominent place in the state. Tribes like Gond, Kamar, Kanver,Korva perform all festivals and rituals with their folk songs.  Chhattisgarh nurtures some unique kind of handicrafts that are fundamental aspect of the state. The well known varieties are traditional bell metal, bamboo craft and craft items made of wood.

Chhattisgarh is indicating the inflow of the data below is compiled from various sources indicating the inflow of tourists in the state both domestic and foreign which gives some indication of the present status.

Growth in total number of tourists visiting Chhattisgarh [2008 to 2014]

Tourist visits in lakhs 2008 2009 2010
Domestic tourists 4.43 5.12 5.66
Foreign tourists 0.01 0.01 0.02
Total 4.4 5.13 5.68

Source-India Tourism Statistics, Ministry of Tourism, New Delhi.

.

 Compared to average growth rate of 12.5 %, the number of tourists in Chhattisgarh has grown by CAGR of 14.35% during the 2011-2014 periods. The number of tourists, both foreign and national has increased over the period from 143 lakhs to 244 lakhs. This trend is quite encouraging and has shown a positive reaction in response to the incentives offered by state government. However we still need to orient our tourism efforts in a professional manner under various new incentives.

In terms of market share (market share being defined as total number of Tourists visiting a state as a percentage of total tourists in the country), the top 8 states in the country are as depicted in the table below. The top 6 states combined receive over 70 percent of the tourists visiting different states/UTs in India. The market share of tourist in Chhattisgarh is not ascertained presently but is still meager as compared to other top performing states.  Growing at 36 percent, the rate of growth in the number of Tourists is highest for Madhya Pradesh, closely followed by Maharashtra at 30 percent. The rate of tourism growth in these 2 states is significantly higher than the other states present in the top 8, with Tamil Nadu having the next base tourism growth of CAGR 18%.

Issue and challenges:

There are some problems and challenges faced by Chhattisgarh tourism industry-

1. The transportation problem- There are various connectivity road in Chhattisgarh but roads problem are faced in rural area.

2. Various sector like IT and tourism need big development here, Chhattisgarh has numerous number of tourist places but the good promotion is not done yet.

3. Job opportunities are less here because of low employment income in private sector.

4. Lack of tanning and education:- for the development of tourism the training and education facilities are planned. There is no effect done to develop the interest if local people for tourism and motivate them.

5.  Perceived naxal violence – it is a biggest problem of Chhattisgarh. Not only for the foreign but even domestic tourists also fear to move to certain areas of Chhattisgarh.

6.  Environmental pollution, lack of proper accommodation.

7.  Lack of trained guides, poor brand image, mining division not done in an organized and efficient manner, lack of local people awareness are also big issue for development of tourism. The need of the hour is for the government to address these problems and work with industry to put India on a prominent position on global tourist’s gap. It is still a long way to go for the Indian economy to achieve sustainable tourism.

Suggestion:

  1. . We need to advertise about our cultural and religious place in all over the world and should make transportation available and easy so that people take interest in visiting them. The advertisement and publicity materials should be made attractive so that the potential tourists are motivated and travelling decisions are made possible.
  2. . Our tourism policy should work on advertising such places of India in both international and national level. Government should pay attention in providing security and regulation in tourist place which result that bad activities. we have to promote about Chhattisgarh tourism and places visited keeping in view safety of tourists the work not only ends here we also have to maintain the places like roads buses for tourists places where tourist can stay.
  3. . Tourism will surely reduce the unemployment problem as well as will also help in prosperity of Chhattisgarh. Tourism and hospitality creates diversified employment opportunities in different sectors like accommodation, food, and beverage establishments, transportation services tour operation companies. So it is necessary to pay attention some educational tanning programme, courses related to tourism and hospitality.
  4. The tourism in Chhattisgarh state based on pilgrim, wildlife, natural beauty, unique flora and fauna, waterfalls and rivers vibrant and colorful cultural festivals, but unfortunately, due attention has not been paid to the socio economic development of these state by the state government. Providing sufficient provision for accommodation of the tourist at near the tourist spot.
  5. Planning for sustainable and amenities along with all the tourism facilities in a balanced manner. private sector participation should be increased. 

Conclusion:

The government of India has realized the importance of Tourism development in general and its beneficial impact, due to multiplier effect, on overall socio economic development of the country. Chhattisgarh has a rich socio cultural tribal tradition for tourism development with several unique features, rich history, heritage and natural resources. The state of Chhattisgarh wishes to actively promote Eco and Ethnic tourism in the state. As   the state has too much key point to attract the local as well as foreign tourists. In spite of that the growth is not found as expected as it should be. It is hoped that the government would certainly make a mark in promoting this industry. It  is high time we must utilize fully the tourism potentials of the state and accelerate our efforts both in the public and private sector to perform much better in the year to come.

References:-

  1. Bhatia, A.K.(2001) tourism development principles and practices, sterling publishers Pvt. Ltd. Delhi
  2. International journal of tourism
  3. Journal of tourism in hospitality
  4. www.tourism.gov.in
  5. spc.cg.gov.in
  6. www.mapsindia.com
  7. Tourism policy, ministry of tourism Govt. of India Delhi

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here