Prospects of Spiritual Tourism in India

 

Prospects of Spiritual Tourism in India

GS-3: Tourism in India (Indian Economy)

(UPSC/State PSC)

Important for preliminary exam:

Spiritual Tourism, Global Tourism Index, World Economic Forum, Pilgrimage Circuit, ‘Swadesh Darshan Scheme’, ‘Hriday’ Scheme and ‘Prasad’ Scheme, Vibrant Village Scheme.

Important for Main Exam:

About Spiritual Tourism, Current Status of Tourism Sector in India, Importance of Spiritual Tourism, Challenges in Spiritual Tourism, Potential of Spiritual Tourism in India, Government Initiatives for Promotion of Spiritual Tourism, Way Forward.

17 February 2024

Why in news:

Union Minister  Smriti Irani said that spiritual tourism has huge potential for increasing the number of tourists and future investment in India.

  • According to the Union Minister, spiritual projects like the Kashi Corridor, Mahakal Corridor across India and the Ram Temple in Ayodhya are attracting a large number of tourists and helping boost the local economy.

About Spiritual Tourism:

  • Spiritual tourism is not related to any particular religion but is a coordination of all religions. This is tourism where a person travels for self-purification and self-improvement. It is related to the personality changed by the environment of a particular place and the activities going on there.

Current status of tourism sector in India:

  • India was ranked 54th in the Global Tourism Index, 2022. Out of the total tourists from all over the world, about 1.64 percent of foreign tourists come to India, which is very less as compared to other countries.
  • It is noteworthy that the World Economic Forum has placed India at 114th position in terms of security in this index.
  • After the renovation of Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, the number of tourists reached more than 7 Crore last year.
  • Kedarnath Valley received 15 lakh pilgrims last year as compared to 4-5 lakh pilgrims who came here before reconstruction.
  • Within a year of the completion of the construction of 'Statue of Unity', 27 lakh tourists have visited here.
  • Eight lakh foreign tourists came to India in January 2023 compared to two lakh tourists in January 2022.
  • Foreign tourists coming to India spend an average of seventeen hundred dollars, while international travelers spend an average of two and a half thousand dollars in America and about five thousand dollars in Australia.

Significance of Spiritual Tourism:

  • Religious/spiritual tourism, a subset of cultural tourism, holds huge unrealized potential for destinations around the world.
  • As a complex interplay between spirituality, history and culture, it offers a unique opportunity to attract a diverse range of travelers seeking meaningful experiences.
  • Diverse Religious Heritage: India is home to many religions, each with its own holy sites, rituals and traditions. This diversity attracts tourists from all over the world.
  • Increase in wellness tourism: India's spiritual traditions, such as yoga and Ayurvedic medicine, can help attract people from neighboring countries to make people healthy.
  • Historical Importance: Many religious places in India have deep historical significance, dating back centuries. These sites give visitors a glimpse of the country's rich past.
  • Pilgrimage Circuits: India is home to many pilgrimage circuits that connect multiple religious sites within a region. Examples include the Char Dham Yatra in the Himalayas, the Golden Temple Circuit in Punjab and the Buddhist Circuit in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Challenges in Spiritual Tourism:

  • Lack of infrastructure: Many religious sites lack adequate infrastructure such as transportation, accommodation and sanitation facilities, which keeps the number of tourists in the country relatively low.
  • Lack of maintenance and conservation arrangements: Historic religious sites require extensive maintenance and conservation efforts due to their importance, which puts pressure on local resources and creates challenges for their conservation.
  • Misconceptions about religious tourism: Many people think of religious tourism as being only for believers, overlooking its appeal to those interested in cultural and historical exploration.
  • Lack of waste management: Increasing tourist activity at religious sites can lead to environmental degradation and waste management challenges. There is a need to implement proper waste management systems to maintain the sanctity of these sites and protect the surrounding environment.
  • Carrying capacity problem: Some religious centers experience short but intense tourist seasons, causing overcrowding and straining local infrastructure.
  • The Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand puts pressure on transport infrastructure and poses safety hazards such as landslides during the monsoon season.

Prospects of spiritual tourism in India:

  • Economic development: A new religious tourism with better infrastructure can create a huge economic impact in the country. Popular religious centers in India attract 10–30 million annual tourist traffic.
  • Employment Generation: The increase in religious tourism creates employment opportunities in various sectors including hospitality, transportation, tour guiding and handicrafts.
  • Cultural exchange: Religious tourism promotes cultural exchange and understanding between visitors and local communities.
  • Better connectivity: Development of new religious tourism centers with better connectivity and infrastructure, like Ayodhya, can have significant economic impact.
  • Conservation of Indian Heritage: Promotion of religious tourism contributes to the preservation of cultural and historical heritage at religious sites.

Government Initiatives for Promotion of Spiritual Tourism:

  • Starting spiritual projects like Kashi Corridor, Mahakal Corridor and Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
  • 'Swadesh Darshan Yojana' for the development of tourism circuit in the country, 'Hriday' scheme for the development of heritage sites and 'Prasad' scheme for the development of religious tourist places have been started.
  • Swadesh Darshan Scheme: The scheme aims to develop sustainable and responsible destinations by following a tourism and destination-centric approach.
  • Thematic circuits including Buddhist Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Ramayana Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Sufi Circuit, Tirthankara Circuit have been identified under the scheme.
  • National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Promotion Campaign (PRASAD): It was launched in 2015 to identify and develop pilgrimage sites across the country to promote religious tourism.
  • Under this scheme, religious cities/sites have been identified in various states such as Kedarnath (Uttarakhand), Dwarka (Gujarat), Amritsar (Punjab), Kamakhya (Assam), Varanasi and Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) etc.
  • Rs 1742 crore has been allocated in the Union Budget 2023-24 for the development of tourism sector infrastructure.
  • The Central Government has launched the ‘Vibrant Village Scheme’ for villages located near the border and the need to provide support to village-friendly businesses like small hotels and restaurants has been emphasized.
  • India sees the entire world as one family through the philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’. This philosophy reflects India's unwavering belief in multilateralism.
  • Keeping in mind the rich heritage and culture of India, an unmatched variety of Cuisine Tourism becomes a medium to enhance India's 'soft power' and attract foreign revenue.
  • To promote tourism, 50 destinations have been selected, where government assistance will be provided. Apart from this, Swadesh Darshan Scheme will be setup for border and village tourism.
  • With an emphasis on simplifying the arrival of foreign tourists, the government has launched e-Visa system for 166 countries.
  • To attract foreigners, the Ministry of Tourism is also developing areas like the North East in such a way that they become accessible, safe and attractive destinations.
  • Through the 'Adopt Heritage' scheme, any heritage has been handed over to the corporate world etc. Its objective is to connect people with their heritage by developing a sense of responsibility towards it.
  • Also, Incredible India Tourist Facilitator Certification & IITFC portal has been launched by the government in this direction.

Way forward:

  • To increase the number of tourists, every state needs to change its tourism policy.
  • Currently, to take tourism in India to new heights, there is a need to think outside the box and plan ahead.
  • According to the latest budget, fifty such tourist destinations will have to be developed, where every tourist of the world will be attracted to visit India.
  • Apps for Indian tourist destinations will also have to be developed in all the languages listed in the United Nations, so that tourists can reach the tourist destinations by getting accurate information through the app.

Source: AIR, PIB

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Mains Exam Question:

Discuss the various challenges facing the Indian tourism sector.

Explain the impact of the major initiatives of the Government of India for the development of tourism sector on the Indian economy.