International Conference and Exhibition on Rural Tourism
September 7-8, 2001, Udaipur, Rajasthan

Strategies for Marketing Rural Tourism in India : paper presented by Mr N K Piplani, General Manager (HRD), ITDC

Shri Vishvash Mehta, Chairman, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen.

Its my proud privi ledge, this afternoon, to be given this opportunity to present my views before the august gathering.

Before I proceed, it is necessary to do some introspection and bring forth some basic premises on " Strategic Marketing of Rural Product of Tourism".

Tourism as a service where an intangible experience is being sold is a combination of several services and intermediaries.

Over the next fifteen minutes or so, through this presentation, let us explore the various facets of evolving a strategy.

Every country, region, city and leisure spot competes within the tourism generating markets to have a larger share. Why?

Well, tourism has been identified as an important avenue for employment and income generation, foreign exchange earnings and at the same time having a multiplier effect on the economy. The expenditure of the tourist circulates at all the three levels of the economy:

• National
• regional, and
• Local

This means that if the tourist expenditure circulates locally and the leakages are low, a significant improvement can be made in the income and living standards of the people of the region or locality. However, a developed region can often divert the benefits towards itself at the cost of the underdeveloped neighbouring regions. Such situations have been experienced in both international as well as domestic tourism.

Further, intense competition can be there within a country between different regions, destinations or leisure spots and among the various suppliers of services. As tourism becomes established as an economic activity, marketing strategies concentrate on increasing the volume of tourists. This, at times, creates a host of unforeseen consequences. Thus, it is necessary that the objectives of tourism development in relation to a region, city or (a rural area) leisure spot be clearly stated. In fact, the developmental role of marketing has to be kept in mind while marketing regions, cities or leisure spots(a rural area). This developmental role is to be further strengthened by socially responsible marketing.

The destination marketing in the international markets includes a variety of aspect say from information gathering to planning, image building, etc.

As far image building exercise on rural exposure I take you down the memory lane: in the year 1985 remember " The Festival of India in the USA" - a grand success - where on the grounds of Smithsonian Institute, Washington this festival was organised in the setting of rural India followed by Festival of India in France, USSR and Germany. During 70s, 80s no International Conference was complete without the taste of Indian Food in Village Theme Dinner. It was in fact an image building exercise - a marketing strategy to develop, in retrospect we can say, Rural Tourism also. Upcoming of replica villages at Chokidhani in Jaipur and at Vaishali in Ahemdabad as also, once existed; Chaupal at Ashok Hotel, New Delhi are also steps towards same direction.

(Nevertheless) when it comes to cities and leisure spots/heritage sites - particularly in the rural areas, marketing becomes a major problem. This is because the local bodies are either not aware about the developmental role of tourism or are constrained by their own politics or lack of funds. Before we go further in dealing with these aspects it must be noted that in the marketing of a destination (region, city or leisure spots) we should consider the following aspects:

• Attractions - like promotion of rural tourism around a heritage site
• Infrastructure (accommodation, cuisine, hygiene, clean water (basic amenities etc.)
• Accessibility (roads, means of transportation)-I gather should not be too far from railhead or airport: 2-21/2 hr.
• Carrying capacity of the destination,
• Environmental issues (Pollution, Eco-fragility, etc.)
• Safety, law and order situation (for both the local population as well as tourists), etc.
  

In India we find different destinations in different stages of what is termed as the product life cycle. For example, a region like Goa, a city like Shimla or a leisure spot like the Badkal Lake have reached a maturity level. They no more require promotion and have similarly exhausted their carrying capacity (infrastructural, environmental or social impacts). Their problem on the contrary is of retaining their image, checking the decline and doing away with the negative impacts of tourism. In marketing jargon what they require is internal marketing, product improvement, checking the decline, proper maintenance, etc.
On the contrary look at a region like Kumaun which is struggling hard to promote its attractions in different cities (other than Nainital) and rural areas and develop its tourism products. If proper questions are not posed and answered, the planners and developers blindly imitate outside concepts and models of development without taking into consideration the local needs, customs, attitudes and constraints. In such a situation the destination may not take off at all or the entire developmental investment may go waste. The questions to be answered and the issues to be resolved would be many but we take a few here for consideration:

1. What type of attractions (nature, adventure or cultural etc.) within the region have to be developed into tourism packages?
2. Whether these attractions have to be packaged and promoted as a mix or as separate attractions?
3. Do we have a market for them?
4. What type of infrastructure is to be created?
5. Is the local population receptive to tourism?
6. If the destination is highly seasonal, should huge investments be made or (we) one should develop alternate and subsidiary accommodation?
7. How to ensure that the ecology and environment at the destination are not damaged by tourism?
8. What type of tourists are to be attracted? Etc.

Having resolved issues submitted for your consideration regarding enhancement of rural tourism, we could have a destination with unique selling preposition e.g.

• Aathiti Devo Bhava is more practiced in rural India than anywhere else
• An experience one cannot have anywhere in the world - equate with west
• Actually living with people
• Diversity of culture, language, food, craft
• Exposure to heritage sites
• Coming back to nature
• Health - physical and mental both: yoga, exposure to local medicine or Indian system of medicine e.g. Ayurveda, Unnani. Then there is yoga, various types of massages
  Tranquillity - away from humdrum, stressless and strain free stay
• Not necessarily though promoting vegetarianism can also be a USP
• Environment friendly
• Freshness in food ingredients when procured locally - may be organically cultivated
• Local crafts and cottage industry can provide unique shopping experience (inexpensive)
  

For investors also, promotion of rural tourism investment could bring in higher returns on comparatively low investments.

India, traditionally, is a long haul destination and provision of rural tourist destinations in its basket of destinations will go a long way in showcasing and marketing India in a better perspective. Further, tourism can also be sold as post-convention destination not only for the conventions held in India but also for neighbouring countries.

Finally, Ladies and gentlemen, views, needs and wants of tourist, international travelers, travel trade be incorporated in the development plans of Rural Tourism.

Thank you