New types of tourism in India. How they are creating entrepreneurship opportunities and boosting Indian economy

This article talks about how tourism has diversified and people from across the world are interested to see India from different angles other than site seeing. We talk about some of them like Social Tourism, Rural Tourism, Agro Tourism, Garden Tourism & Festival tourism and how such types of tourism are creating entrepreneurship opportunities for Indians even in rural parts of the country and positively impacting the Indian economy.

Me and one of my friends had just finished up with the daily chores, which included going out of the house after 11 am to talk of some future business plans. We appreciated the city life, but somehow agreed on the point that the life that is given by Sundarnagar and Kudada, the place we live in, still remains the most serene parts hitherto. The greenery all around, the low number of vehicles, a particularly sweet smell, and light falling from the winter sun not just pleased the eyes, but the metaphysical reality we beheld within us.

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One thing that caught our eye was a small group of people sitting beneath the big tree drinking the local drink called ‘Hadiya’, a booze which made you high enough to consume whatever food was kept in front of you. Legality of the thing remains unknown as the drink is made out of fermented rice and some natural ingredient which makes sure that the drink becomes intoxicated.

But what exactly was unique about it?

The ones who were running this shop weren’t someone who had a permanent shop to serve Hadiya in exchange of money. They were in fact nomadic, who went to places within Sundarnagar, sitting beneath trees in different locations and offering puffed rice with a stew made of grams (kala-chana) along with the local drink. This in fact was a business idea so unique, that neither did people ever think about it within the colony, nor was it popular among the ones who were looking to open small businesses.

This made me think, there must be such different ideas among the locals, which not only attracts tourists, but also gives them a sense of belongingness to the idea of India and the cultural diversity the nation shares.  It was an idea which not only fed them, but were also major pull factors as far as local tourism was concerned.

The following blog will look at certain unique tourism ideas and entrepreneurships that can be made out of the pull factors for the tourism economy of India.

1. Social Tourism

Social tourism deals with the locals encouraging their homes to act as stay destinations for tourists who are unknown to the place and want to experience the local cuisines, and unknown spots in the areas, and explaining to them until now unknown parts of the place you reside in.

How is it different?

Unlike being a local guide, your whole family is being a part of the group who welcomes the guest and treats them with a feast, takes care of them for the whole trip, in exchange of money. Isn’t it a good way to let them feel homely outside their local place, and simultaneously make them appreciate the beauty of the unexplored places in your state?

Places you can visit for such experience – Varanasi, Kochi, Calcutta.

2. Rural Tourism

Imagine you hearing the crackling sound of the flames while the earthen pot is put on fire, the various petrichor mesmerizing you with the unique sounds, the staple curry being prepared and the smell of grounded onion in the frying oil from a house just adjacent to yours, sound of women talking among themselves about how the new kid who has come to visit their village is so tall, and a group of children playing in the ground with a brick made wicket and underarm bowling in the fields.

Ministry of Tourism talks of showcasing the rural art, life, heritage, and culture of the rural locations. Are you someone who is living in a village and doesn’t know how to expand your stay by starting a local business. Well, there are a lot of people who would love to be a part of the village and get some local experience. It is just you who has to organize things for him/her.

Places to visit: Hint – 70 percent of India is villages.

How is it unique?

It is unique in the way we see things. The villagers are just doing their daily chores, while you are making money by being a guide to the tourists. Make them stay at your place, serve them the local cuisine, and take them to rides to the village ground on your bicycle and they will surely love it.

3. Agro-Tourism

Have Goa beaches bored you to death? How about going a bit inland and staying in a jungle for the weekend? Dudhsagar Plantation is one such place, a 50 acre plot where everything grows – from cashews to pineapples. The cashew feni distillery produces feni from March to May, a drink for the boozers. The place is located near the Dudhsagar waterfall, where tourists can go and take a bath.

Similarly, this one place in Nagaland where the headhunters still follow the tradition of flaunting the heads they have killed for with a garland made of the same is unique for tourism. Not only does it have tea plantations to be visited, but also has farmhouses located in the 250 hectare tea estate of the region. You can find farms for orange trees, organic green vegetables, and for activities like milking goats, work with locals in the paddy field, or learn how to start smoking meat with the local Konyak tribe.

What is new?

If you are into agriculture and likes, you can invite travellers from around the world to witness the beauty of the place, and small exciting tours like going ‘head-hunting’ in a metaphorical sense can be an enlightening joy ride for the tourists, which can be utilized monetarily.

4. Garden Tourism

Garden tourism is basically a form of niche tourism which involves exploring places which have botanical garden to be visited. In India, places with Gardens are many. But what we tend to forget is the places that have been visited for the years in the past, continue to be visited and they represent India when it comes to Garden Tourism. Some unique places can and should be utilized not only for sightseeing, but also to let the tourists live within the environment of the Garden.

What is new?

As an entrepreneur, you can utilize your small place to convert it into a garden and build a house within the garden. Generally we do it the other way round, and that is how this would be a unique and exciting journey to a new touristo-preneurial idea.

5. Festival Tourism

I am sure most of the readers have read about Chhath Puja, a pantheistic way of worshipping the Sun God, a ritualistic web with rules so strict, that following them with the same zeal for the three days of fast becomes almost impossible.

But what makes it equally refreshing it how many Indian mothers from East India perform is with ease. This makes not only a festive occasion to be cherished, but a tourism opportunity to be grabbed on.

If you are a local from the place, the one thing which can be done is organizing places where Chhath Puja can be conducted on the banks of the river, with tourists getting an opportunity to witness the rituals being performed to honor both the setting, as well as the rising sun. Many people stay on the bank for the whole night, and spend the night under the glaring light of the moon, only to wake up and offer prayers before the sun rises.

Such an event can attract both tourists, as well as provide the locals with the much needed job opportunities in terms of food, wood, and tents for the tourists.

What do you think of the list? Do you have more such unique ideas to write on, or may be start a local venture upon? Let us know about it in the comment section and we’d love to include it too!

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