TOURISM MARKETING IN INDIA

Tourism Marketing In India

[Institute Name]

Tourism Marketing In India

Introduction

This report studies the development of tourism industry in Kerala which is in South India. The study starts with a brief introduction of Kerala, its tourist organisations and their various policies for developing the tourism industry. This is followed by the various attractions and the levels of growth of the tourism industry in Kerala, which is not as successful as in other parts of the country and by using Rose's theory of lesson drawing to identify issues and apply lessons that can be imparted to overcome the issues which is causing an hindrance to the growth of tourism industry in Kerala.

Introduction to Kerala

Kerala is one of states at the southern part of India between the Arabian Sea and Western Ghats. National Geographic Travel after 2 years of research has chosen Kerala, as one of the 50 must see destinations of a lifetime. Kerala has been stated as one of the 10 paradises of the world. Due to its geographical location it has a combination of beaches, hill stations and full of greenery. In Kerala, tourism has emerged as one of the few economic alternatives to develop the state economy. It has been recognised as an important sector for the development on account of its potential for generating income and employment.

The department of tourism functions under the Ministry of Tourism & Culture which is headed by Mr S. Jaipal Reddy .It is the nodal agency for the development and promotion of tourism. Kerala is headed by the tourism minister Mr K.C Venugopal. The tourism ministry controls the local organisations which are: (www.kerala.gov.in/)

Development of Manpower

Like all the other sectors, one of the biggest problems the tourism industry faces is obtaining trained local staff, both skilled and unskilled. This is due to a national labour shortage. A more significant step taken so far is the opening of a Hotel School (now the Institute of Hotel and Catering Services) in August 1987, under aid from the EEC and UNDP. Local employees for the tourism industry are also trained through workshops and short-term courses conducted both at the places of work and abroad. For example, the Ministry of Tourism conducts training courses in tourism under the auspices of the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and UNDP. To compensate the labour shortage, workers are well paid, and expatriates are brought from neighbouring countries.

Tourism and Economic (Infrastructure) Development

With the expansion in tourism, a new phase of aggressive economic development began. Communications, construction, transport (especially sea transportation), banking, several other aspects of business and services, and many other industries expanded and became important contributors to the economy. The government in collaboration with the private companies created excellent transportation systems. Some forgotten cottage industries such as handicraft, lacquer work and mat weaving became major sources of income for rural people. This led to tourist inflow from Europe at a rate of 51.5% while that from Asia grew by 46.2% in the last four years (WTTC). One of the most significant ...