Page 1 of 12
European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 06 Issue 12
December 2018
Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 411
Rural Development through Promoting Rural Tourism
VIKAS
Research Scholar, Institute of Mgt. Studies and Research, M.D. University, Rohtak
ABSTRACT: In the modern era of development, tourism plays the most vital role for the exchange
of ideas, culture and values throughout the world. It has got greater potential to raise the country’s
economic growth in terms of income generation, entrepreneurial skills and its development. The
spirit of India resides in her villages and those living in cities and towns have their roots in rural
life, which has pastoral beauty and touching simplicity, offer fresh comforting breezes and lavish
openness. Tourism growth potential can be bind as a strategy for Rural Development in specific
and rural tourism in general which definitely useful for a country like India, where almost 74 per
cent of the population resides in rural areas. The tourism sector provides employment to about 50
million people. Even a modest 10 per cent growth in tourism sector would generate 5 million jobs
every year and major beneficiary are weaker sections of society women and rural artisans. Rural
tourism stands for showcasing the ethnic arts, crafts, culture and lifestyle in its traditional
approach.
The present study was conducted with an objective to identify the various forms of rural tourism,
role of government and private sector in enhancing the efficient tourism prerequisite, to study the
problems in rural tourism and to construct the suggestions and recommendations for rural tourism.
The present study is based on the secondary data published in various journals, articles, books and
others sources of information The study reveals that endorsement of village tourism is a competent
device for socio-economic benefits to rural people. It is a multi-sectoral activity and the industry
is affected by many other sectors of the nation’s economy. Therefore, government and private
sectors should ensure healthier linkages and co-ordination. It also has to play a pivotal role in
tourism management and promotion. Further, the study also discloses that rural tourism has the
Page 2 of 12
European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 06 Issue 12
December 2018
Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 412
potential to increase public appreciation of the environment and to spread awareness of
environmental problems when it brings people into closer contact with nature and the environment.
This confrontation may heighten awareness of the value of nature and lead to environmentally
conscious behaviour and activities to preserve the environment.
Key words: Rural tourism, Economic Growth and Role of Tourism.
Introduction
Tourism is an important service and entertainment linked economic activity. The promotion of any
place as a tourist destination leads to the economic development of the area and opens various
kinds of employment avenues for the local people as well. For a developing country like India
which is on the path of modern economic growth through structural transformation of the
economy, tourism is the right vehicle. As Butler et al. (1998) note economic and social forces
operating at the global level are determining both the nature and form of the rural landscape and
how we value and use it. These changes, coupled with new ideas and approaches to leisure and
recreation time are encouraging tourism development in rural areas at an ever increasing pace
(Williams 1998:5). Rural tourism Provide a major thrust to domestic tourism which will act as a
spring board for growth and expansion of international tourism. The development of tourism in a
rural area is not simply a matter of matching tourist demands with local product supply but a matter
of evaluating local suitability and acceptability. India’s tourism industry has witnessed upsurge in
recent years, paying rich dividends to both consumers and producers. The Travel and tourism in
India are expected to generate Rs.1564 billion, making India one of the largest tourism markets in
the world. The magnitude of the tourism industry can be clearly seen from the World Travel and
Tourism Council (WTTC) statistics. The WTTC estimates that in the year 2002, travel, tourism
and related activities will contribute to approximately 10% of the world’s GDP, growing to 10.6%
by 2012. The industry is currently estimated to help generate 1 in every 12.8 jobs, 7.8% of total
employment. This will rise to 8.6% by 2012 (WTTC 2002).
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European Journal of Business &
Social Sciences
Available at https://ejbss.org/
ISSN: 2235-767X
Volume 06 Issue 12
December 2018
Available online: https://ejbss.org/ P a g e | 413
Apart from substantial contributions to the foreign exchange earning of the country, India’s
tourism is also a major source of employment, as a labour-intensive activity in a labour-surplus
economy. With its forward and backward linkages with a host of sectors like transport, hospitality,
education, health, banking etc. India is all set to reap full potential of this vibrant sector. Therefore,
supply efforts are made by the government under the five-year plans by promoting infrastructure
and other policy measures for environmental conservation in rural areas. However, the pressure of
major problems in the Indian economy is mainly transport bottlenecks. Hence, there is a need to
identify the scope of rural tourism which is vast, where 74 per cent of the total population lives in
its more than half million villages. It not only strengthens the tourism sector but also boost the
tertiary sector, in general. In the present situations, trends of industrialization and development
focused mainly urban centric approach; rural tourism is one of the few activities which can provide
an economic growth in rural areas of India. The present study is based on secondary data published
in various journals, articles, books and others sources of information were collected to study the
below mentioned objectives.
In the background, the objectives of the present paper are
1. To identify the various forms of rural tourism
2. To study the Role of the Government and Private sector in rural tourism.
3. To study the Problems in rural tourism
4. To construct Suggestions and Recommendations in rural tourism
Results and Discussion:
Rural tourism stands for showcasing the ethnic arts, crafts, culture and lifestyle in its traditional
setting, and providing a platform for tourist to experience this. It also signifies promoting the
concept of home-stay in the host community. Rural tourism has various forms of tourism such as
