September 27 is marked as World Tourism Day to promote awareness among the international community regarding the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value. Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes and it has now become a popular global leisure activity. Tourism is the engine of economic growth. Tourism helps in women empowerment and youth employment. This day helps us to spread the word of both the importance and immense benefits universal accessibility has and can bring to society at large. It is an opportunity to reflect on the importance of tourism to global well-being. We all know that when Tourism has become the continuously growing and developing economic sectors worldwide because of the occurrence of various attractive and new destinations for the tourists, it has become the main source of income for the developing countries. The tourism industry has helped growth in other sectors as diverse as horticulture, handicraft, agriculture, construction and even poultry.
Both directly and indirectly, the increased tourism in India has created jobs in a variety of related sectors. Almost 20 million people are now working in India’s tourism industry.
Tourism today plays a vital role in bringing the world closer as it has been a major social phenomenon of societies all over the world and it is driven by the natural urge of every human being for new experiences, and the desire to be both educated and entertained. Every time we travel, for whatever reason, we are the part of a global movement; a movement that has the power to drive inclusive development, create jobs and build the sustainable societies we want for our future. Perhaps, every citizen can do the role of city ambassador and play courteous hosts. Each one of us is responsible for contributing our bit to protect the natural resources of our planet. India has innumerable attractions for tourists. Throughout the country, there are numerous beauty and scenic spots. Terrorism nowadays has become a global problem. Our country is also not an exception. The terrorist attacks agitations and separatist movements hinder the growth of tourism.
We live in such a country that others dream of visiting and becoming wiser by the experience. Can’t we help them with right directions, authentic fares, uniform pricing and respect for the personal space of tourists while maintaining basic facilities that we ourselves are comfortable using? We must remember that the tourism is an ever-evolving and thriving industry that contributes to the economic well-being of every nation and generates lakhs of employment opportunities besides focusing on environment-friendly measures. As we celebrate the World Tourism Day, let us recall that all of the world’s citizens have the right to experience the incredible diversity this planet has to offer. Tourism in India can become a viable industry if effective and concerted steps are taken. It promotes national integration, international understanding, harmony, friendship and goodwill. Diversity, unity and assimilation have always been the hallmark of eternal India and these make India the ultimate tourist destination.
India has a composite culture. India has fascinated people from all over the world with her secularism and her culture. Let us take adequate steps to protect and preserve the flora and fauna, the historical monuments and heritage sites of this great country.
(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)
