contribution of tourism in rajasthan economy

Role of Tourism in Economic Development of Rajasthan

Total Page： 16

File Type： pdf , Size： 1020Kb

• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

International Journal of Research ISSN NO: 2236-6124

Seema Choudhary1 , Dr.S. B. Yadav2 1 Assistant professor , Government College Degana, [email protected] 2 Associate Professor, B.S.R. Govt. Arts college, Alwar , [email protected]

Abstract: Rajasthan State is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in India and has a prominent place on the world tourist map. It has varied tourist attraction for both domestic & international tourists. Rajasthan, which is a premier tourist destination attracts tourist for its historical forts, palaces, art and culture. In world scenario also, tourism has emerged as a biggest industry and posses great employment potential. The boost in the tourist arrivals have resulted in the swift growth of tourism sector in Rajasthan. The growth of tourism sector has resulted in employment generation, foreign exchange earnings, development of infrastructure facilities, capital investment, socio-economic growth, increasing in the contribution to GDP and so on. This paper is an effort to understand the perspective of tourism in economic development of Rajasthan and identify the factors influencing the growth of tourism. It also identifies the challenges and opportunities of tourism development in Rajasthan.

Keywords: Rajasthan, Tourism, Economic development, Challenges, Opportunities.

Introduction: Rajasthan being situated in the Northwest part of India, is a land of majestic Aravali Hills, crowned with sand dunes of Jaisalmer and Bikaner , Scenic and serene beauty and warrior princes – the land of regal creatures bird watcher and many more .Rajasthan is also called Rajputana, the land of kings because of the fact that it has been ruled by kings, mostly Rajputas, historically for a very long time during pre-Muslim era. Substantial part of the state is deserted because of prominent presence the Thar Desert. Because of the two reasons, the most famous tourism attractions in Rajasthan are either the forts, palaces or the deserted parts and the associated activities like safari in jeep and on animals in the deserts etc. Delhi , Agra and Jaipur form a tourist circuit called the Golden Triangle . The most visited places in Rajasthan are but not limited to, Jaipur, Udaipur , Jaisalmer, Jodhpur , Ajmer , Pushkar , Bikaner, Neemrana and Mount Abu . Apart from the famous forts, palaces, havelis , desert, Aravalli (hill) Range etc., Rajasthan also has to offer to its tourists the world famous Keoladeo National Park of Bharatpur, Sariska Tiger Reserve of Alwar, Ranthambore National Park of Sawai Madhopur , and Desert National Park of Jaisalmer. The state government of Rajasthan introduces many new tourism products such as eco-tourism, a canal cruise in river Chamble, camel and horse safaris, camp tourism, new package tours at reasonable rates, special tax rebates and exemptions for the tourism sector. Tourism occupies a prominent place in the state’s agenda as a crucial engine for income and employment. Tourism also promotes communal harmony and national unity. Seeing the significance of tourism in the economic development, the Government has taken various policy measures for establishing tourism as a "People's Industry". Though, commercialisation of tourism is necessary in Rajasthan, it is also well understood that tourism promotes culture. The state Government in the recent past has made efforts for the maximum benefit from tourism sector. Public and private sector have been jointly promoting the tourism in the state and have made productive efforts to exploit the vast potential of tourism sector.

Types of tourism in Rajasthan : a) Adventure tourism: It includes visiting places which have a rich diversity in terms of climate and topography providing opportunities like rock climbing, skiing, rafting and tracking etc.

Volume 7, Issue VIII, August/2018 Page No:543 International Journal of Research ISSN NO: 2236-6124

b) Desert tourism: The wealth of their heritage, the people who inhabit them and the magic of their panoramas make deserts very attractive areas for tourism. c) Eco tourism: It is a dimension of tourism related to tourism which promotes activities that do not disturb the environment. It includes travelling to areas to understand the culture and history of the environment simultaneously ensuring that the ecological balance is not altered or disturbed. d) Cultural tourism: It is concerned with communities who have diverse customs and practices that attract tourists. e) Spiritual tourism: spiritual Tourism refers to places where people travel due to their beliefs and faith. Tourists visit such destinations in search of religion and spirituality. f) Heritage tourism: It is a branch of tourism that attracts tourists due to cultural diversity and glorious past of that place.

Objectives of the paper To examine the factors influencing the growth of tourism. To examine the contribution of tourism in Rajasthan economy. To identify the challenges and opportunities of tourism development in Rajasthan.

Research Methodology

The information in the study is collected from secondary sources that are from various online sources, websites, articles, Reports, Books related to tourism in Rajasthan.

Review of Literature

Brian et. al. (1993) in his study Social Impacts of Tourism has concluded that the people dependent on tourism can clearly identify the differences between economic benefits and social costs but even this awareness does not stop the further development of tourism.

Peggy.T, in her study (1994) Assessing socio-cultural impacts: the case of Singapore highlights both positive and negative impacts of tourism. This study examines how far these effects are tilting perceptions of tourism from an acceptable to an unacceptable manner and suggest the ways to reduce negative impacts.

Nazma (2008) in her study “Socio-cultural impacts of Tourism on the rural areas within the world Heritage sites”, has suggested various approaches to protect the local culture from degradation. And also this study focuses on the ways to manage the impacts of socio-cultural change.

Bartwal (2008) in his article discusses that despite numerous efforts through " Incredible India " campaign, India is lacking tourist‟s figures. India is not able to flock a large number of visitors in its beaches, mountains and desert sands but does not talk about the methods to improve the present branding of Incredible India. There are many emerging dimensions in Indian tourism states and the various issues faced by Indian tourism industry, like infrastructure, lack of hygiene, high tariffs etc.

Volume 7, Issue VIII, August/2018 Page No:544 International Journal of Research ISSN NO: 2236-6124

Factors Affecting Tourism Studies reveal that following are the broad categories of factors that affect tourism.

1. Environmental factors Two main environmental factors that have led to the growth of tourism:

Good climate: Good climate is one of the most important features of attraction for any tourist place. Pleasant climate with warmth and ample of sunshine attracts tourists who come from the temperate and colder regions. In Rajasthan the desert environment in the Western parts of the state is also a major attraction for visitors, particularly for foreign tourist. Rajasthan has emerged as one of the leading state in India and Rajasthan was the third preference of tourist after Goa and Kerala as travel destination in India.

Beautiful scenery: Tourism booms at picnic spots with beautiful sceneries. For example, sunrise and sunset points, long sea beaches, fresh water lakes, waterfalls, etc., often attract large numbers of tourists. There are number of lakes in Rajasthan which are popular for their pilgrimage place and tourist place for its natural surroundings and beauty which attracts tourists to visits these lakes. The famous lakes in Rajasthan are Pushkar Lake, Pichola Lake, Lake Fetch Sagar, Rajasamand Lake at Udaipur and Nakki Lake at Mount Abu.

2. Socio-economic factors

Accessibility: All tourist centers must be easily accessible by various modes of transportation like roads, railways, air and water. To enjoy natures beautiful sites seeing traveling by roads and railways are a better option. In Rajasthan major destinations are already on the rail map. At present, there are many famous trains run by Indian Railway with joint effort of RTDC to provide easy and cheapest convenience by rail to domestic and foreign tourists. The major luxury trains which attract tourists are the Palace on Wheels , the Fairy Queen, the Royal Orient and the Royal Rajasthan on Wheels. For easy conveyance of tourist the state will encourage air taxi service and helicopter service by air taxi operators within the state.

Accommodation: Places of tourists' interest must be capable enough to provide good accommodation and catering facilities. A type of accommodation required by tourists depends on their lives-styles, standard of living, capacity to spend money, nature of services expected, etc. Hotels and motels provide an experience of Rajasthan with safety and security to the traveler. Variety of rooms such as suite, AC and non-AC, standard and tents provide rests to traveler. The hotels and motels are standardized for categorization in three to one star and heritage category. These hotels provide facilities of travel counters, shopping arcades, indoor and outdoor games for children and city sightseeing tours which make the stay in RTDC hotel a complete experience.

Volume 7, Issue VIII, August/2018 Page No:545 International Journal of Research ISSN NO: 2236-6124

Amenities : Growth of tourism at a particular place is also influenced crucial factors like; how well the site is maintained for touring activities like skiing, roping, paragliding, rowing, fishing, surfing, safari adventure, etc. The Rajasthan safari tours are fast becoming the preferred options for most tourists, especially the adventurous. The most popular safaris are camel safari, horse safari, elephant ride and jeep safari.

Ancillary services : If a tour destination is equipped by ancillary (supplementary) services like banking and finance, the Internet and telecom connectivity, hospitals, insurance, so on, then such a place succeeds to hold (retain) more tourists for a longer time. This overall helps to boost the local economy to some extend.

3. Historical and cultural factors Many tourists are attracted to places of historical significance and that which have a legacy of rich cultural heritage. People love and enjoy exploring destinations where there are famous ancient monuments, marvelous forts, castles and palaces of earlier kings and queens, etc. The Royal state of Rajasthan offers many grand forts and palaces, which are part of the heritage of India and attract a large number of tourists from all over the world. The Hawa Mahal , City Palace, Amber Fort, Jaigarh Fort , Nahargarh Fort ,Jantar Mantar, Jaisalmer (Sonar) Fort, Mehrangarh Fort , Umaid Bhavan Palace and Juangarh Fort are the major attractions for tourists to enjoy heritage of Rajasthan. The major cultural things in Rajasthan include dancing, singing, drama, devotional music shows and other community festivities which transform their performance into folk dance.

4. Religious factors People often make pilgrims to places of religious importance to seek inner peace, get blessing of their favorite deities and gurus, attain salvation before death, etc. Here, faiths, beliefs and sentiments of people contribute in booming tourism at holy places. Rajasthan is undoubtedly the most charming and colorful state of the country acknowledged for its lively and colorful traditions, arts, heritage and culture. At the same time, Rajasthan is home to a number of religious communities that reside in peace and harmony here. People of various faiths including Hindus, Muslims, Jains and Christians have lived in perfect communal harmony for many centuries. Some of the famous pilgrimage sites in Rajasthan are Dargah Sharif in Ajmer, Dilwara temple in Mount Abu, Jain temples in Ranakpur , Karnimata temple in Deshnoke, Eklingji temple in Udaipur, Shrinathji temple at Nathdwara , Brahma temple in Pushkar and Govind Devji temple at Jaipur.

5. Other factors Sometimes other factors also contribute toward growth of tourism at unexpected places. Research activities and adventures of deep seas and caves, geological studies of hot-water springs and geysers, seismic analysis of active volcanoes, investigation of paranormal-activities in abandoned ghost towns, etc. also contribute in developing tourism on some scale.

Contribution of tourism in Rajasthan Economy Tourism makes a large contribution to the economy of Rajasthan in India. Recent hike in the figures of tourists to Rajasthan in India has proved that tourism is a vital source of income for the state of Rajasthan. One may not forget that many heritage hotels (old forts and palaces) all over Rajasthan are being run successfully for handsome amount of money and the considerable amount of tax being paid to the state government support the local economy and people of Rajasthan which would have not been possible without the tourists visiting to Rajasthan. Local transporters, hotels, shopkeepers, monuments, museums, guide and tour operators are just a few who survive through tourists. If proper efforts are taken, then 30% of the total population of Rajasthan can live from tourism. Rural tourism of Rajasthan could bring enormous wealth to the villages of Rajasthan.

Volume 7, Issue VIII, August/2018 Page No:546 International Journal of Research ISSN NO: 2236-6124

Tourism accounts for approximately 15 percent of Rajasthan economy and provides economic benefit like foreign exchange earnings, regional development, infrastructure development and promotion of local handicraft. 1. In Rajasthan tourism accounts for 2.7 percent (5.2 percent after adding indirect - tax) in Gross State Domestic product and 1.9 percent (7.2 percent after adding indirect effect) in state employment. 2. In a labour intensive industry such as tourism the greater proportion of income is likely to be derived from wages and salaries paid to those working in jobs either directly serving the needs of tourists or benefitting indirectly from tourists’ spending 3. Tourism has a significant multiplier effect on the state economy. It increases employment opportunities, generating revenue, developing infrastructure, increasing investment opportunities and revival of traditions and heritage conservation and management. It is estimated that every rupee spent by a tourist changes hands 13 times and that every hotel room generates direct employment to three persons and indirect employment to eight persons. 4. The tourism industry aids and supports the foreign exchange reserves. It benefits our state in generating foreign currency. Every year a large number of tourists visit Rajasthan. They visit places; stay and shop in our state. All this contributes to a significant amount of foreign currency generation. 5. In Rajasthan, tourism is the third largest employer after agriculture and textiles sector. 6. Tourism Industry is more gender neutral as compared to other Industries and women account for 65% of the international tourism workforce. For Rajasthan also tourism sector provides enabling platform for increasing labour force participation rate.

Tourism in Rajasthan: Tourism industry in Rajasthan is a vital breath and considered as an apex industry which gives economic benefits like foreign exchange earnings, regional development, infrastructure development and promotion of local handicrafts. The growth rate of tourism in the state of Rajasthan has shown that tourists arrivals both domestic and foreign in the state of Rajasthan is increasing annually and During year 2017, the number of tourists visited in Rajasthan was 475.27 lakh (459.17 lakh domestic and 16.10 lakh foreign).

Volume 7, Issue VIII, August/2018 Page No:547 International Journal of Research ISSN NO: 2236-6124

Challenges of Tourism Industry in Rajasthan Despite its many tourists attractions, tourism has not been developed to its full potential in Rajasthan because of the following challenges: . Poor infrastructure: Deficiencies of basic infrastructure which lies at the root of a series of serious problems, related to the development of tourism. In Rajasthan, most infra-structure development has been concentrated around industrial districts while tourist destinations have been neglected in this respect. The maintenance of link roads other than national and state highways is extremely poor. The absence of intra-city air connectivity has been a major bundle. Connectivity has been a road block in attract tourist visiting Delhi -Agra -Jaipur. Accessibility to reach tribal remote areas is so poor that the tourism is not able to reach these areas. . Lack of innovativeness in marketing: Rajasthan is one of the famous tourist destinations in the world but the tourism marketing is not so developed. There is no such promotional marketing activity about Rajasthan tourist attractions so that tourists can be attract towards Rajasthan. There is also no holding of cultural programmes in other state and countries of the world to make people aware about Rajasthan tourism. . Tourism policies instability: The lack of any comprehensive policy for the development of tourism is one of the major factors responsible for the slow growth of tourism sector in Rajasthan. . Marketing lacunae: Lack of aggressive outline and other marketing facilities on tourist places. There is no target oriented marketing is a planned manner is hampered the tourists. . Language problem: language can be one of the hindrances in tourism. Although Hindi is an official language, but in many parts of Rajasthan people do not understand it. . Trained tourist guide: Availability of trained guide will be a problem. The guide plays a very important role in attracting tourists. The guide should have thorough knowledge about the place and he or she should able to generate interest in the mind of tourist to visit the site. The guide can show the album, video film, brochure to give knowledge about the places. . Legislation Problems-Tourism is a part of entertainment so all hotels, motels and cottage having license are paying high taxes to the government. . Lack of cleanliness at various monuments: Apart from roads tourist visiting Rajasthan have stressed the need to provide basic amenities like clean toilet and other facilities. Udaipur is a very beautiful city an exotic local perfect holiday spot but also deals with dirty interiors of city .IN a recent survey Rajasthan's most well know lakes the Jalmahal - Jaisamand and Udaisagar are in the list of most severely polluted water bodies in the country. . Safety Concerns: The state governments presently have no legal provisions to give protection to the visiting tourists. Several incidents of misbehave, molestation and sexual harassment with foreign tourist have been reported in various parts of the state in the recent past. These kinds of incidents create insecurity in the mind of tourist. . Lack of facilities provided by the government: Tourism has been announced as the exports industry, but the facilities provided by the government to RTDC is not similar to the one provided to the other exports oriented units.

Opportunities of Tourism Industry in Rajasthan Tourism in Rajasthan is one of the fast growing industries. There are many tourism products in the state which attracts tourists such as forts and palaces, shopping, safari tours, wildlife sanctuary parks, heritage and pilgrimage places, lakes in Rajasthan and many more. There are many popular tourist destinations in the state which attract tourists from India and abroad that include historic cities (Jaipur, Udaipur, Bikaner), wildlife centuries (Sariska Ranthambore, Keoladeo) and desert locations (Jodhpur, Jaisalmer). Jaipur and other cities of Rajasthan have developed some unique selling proposition to attract domestic and foreign tourists. Some of the hotels of Rajasthan are providing traditional food in a very traditional style.

Volume 7, Issue VIII, August/2018 Page No:548 International Journal of Research ISSN NO: 2236-6124

The state runs the "Palace on Wheels', 'Heritage on Wheels’ and luxury train 'Royal Rajasthan on Wheels', which is a famous attraction for foreign tourists. The government can promote medical tourism by providing super specialty medical facilities at a cheaper rates the government can also develop infrastructural facilities for promoting camp tourism and eco- friendly nature tourism. If efforts are made by RTDC to promote tourism, by means of adopting better marketing strategy, providing services at a cheaper and reasonable rate compared to that being provided by the other countries, then definitely the inflows of foreign tourists will go up from the present level. If this is achieved than the tourism industry in Rajasthan will be greatly benefitted. Thus it can be said that tourism industry in Rajasthan is a very important economic activity, which has direct and indirect impact on economic, social and cultural life of the people.

Tourism is a triadic composition of social, natural and the cultural phenomenon, which is emerging as the world’s largest employment generating industry. Tourism in Rajasthan offer many unique products such as forts and palaces, heritage hotels, colorful fairs and festivals, local art and handicrafts. The total number of foreign tourist arrivals in the state has increased. It showed an increasing trend except few years during the study period. No doubt tourism industry in Rajasthan suffers some social and environmental problems. Though it is true that the state government is giving concentration both on the development of the tourism and activities related to tourism industry in Rajasthan.

1. Bartwal (2008) ,Incredible India losing sheen, McClatchy - Tribune Business News [Washington] 2. Dhamwani T. Laveena ( 2013), Tourism in Rajasthan: Challenges and Opportunities, Indian Journal of Applied Research, Volume : 3, Issue – 11. 3. Nazma, A.T (2008),Socio-cultural Impacts of Tourism on the Rural Areas Within the World Heritage Sites- The case of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa, South Asian Journal of Tourism and Heritage, Volume No. 1. 4. King Brian, et, al (1993), Social Impacts of Tourism,Tourism Management, 15(1), pp 53-61. 5. Peggy.T, (1994), Assessing socio-cultural impacts: the case of Singapore, Tourism Management, 15(2). 6. Kapoor,Dr.Bharat and Mr. Parminder Sing Chauhan(2017), Opportunities and Challenges of Rural Tourism in Rajasthan, International Journal of Research in Economics and Social Sciences (IJRESS),Volume 7,Issue 1,PP 1-13. 7. Yadav,Dr. Manju(2017), Rajasthan Tourism: Problems and Government Policies, International Journal of Advanced Research and Development, Volume 2, Issue 3, Page No. 68-72. 8. Rathore,Nisha(2012), Rural Tourism Impact, Challenges and Opportunities,ZENITH International Journal of Business Economics & Management Research, Vol.2, Issue 2. 9. Singh,Dr. Shilpi,Charu Agarwal and Mani Tyagi(2016), Role of Culture and Tradition in Promotion of Tourism,International Journal of Latest Technology in Engineering Management and Applied Science,Volume 5, Issue 2. 10. Kumar,Niraj(2017), Understanding the Socio-Economic Impact of Tourism on Local Communities- A Case Study of Jaisalmer, International Journal of Research,Volume 4,Issue 7. 11. Sharma, Anukrati and Shruti Arora(2015), The Impact of Events on Rajasthan Tourism with 12. Reference to Different Fair & Festivals, International Journal of Economics,Commerce and Research (IJECR),Volume 5,Issue 4,PP 9-22. 13. Mir,Sajad Ahmed(2017), The Impact of Tourism Industry on Gross Domestic Product and Balance of Payments in India, International Journal of Economics and Management Sciences,Volume 7, Issue 1. 14. Rajasthan Economic Review 2017-2018.

Volume 7, Issue VIII, August/2018 Page No:549 International Journal of Research ISSN NO: 2236-6124

15. Rajasthan Development Report. 16. Tourism Annual Report 2017-2018 - Department of Tourism, Rajasthan. 17. www.rajras.in 18. https://www.google.com 19. https://www.tourism-review.com 20. https://www.tourism-of-india.com 21. https://www.blog.getholidays.com 22. https://www.articles-junction.blogspot.in/2013/7/five-main-factors-influcing-growth-of.html 23. https://www.tourismtravelindia.com 24. https://www.tourism.gov.in 25. https://www.shodganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/55457/15/15 26. https://www.shodganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/55457/12/12 27. https://www.shodganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/33056/9/09 28. http://search.proquest.com/docview/465819247?accountid=136238

Volume 7, Issue VIII, August/2018 Page No:550

• Bikaner_district
• Atlas_Maior
• Blaeu_Atlas_of_Scotland
• Brahmasphutasiddhanta
• Agroha_Mound
• Economy_of_Rajasthan
• Jaipur_State
• Alwar_district
• Banswara_district
• Amal_Allana
• Anjolie_Ela_Menon
• Anoli_Perera
• Bhainsrorgarh
• Ranakpur_Jain_temple
• Tourism_in_Rajasthan
• Ajmer_district

Cultural Tourism-Based Regional Development in Rajasthan, India

• First Online: 21 May 2022

Cite this chapter

• R. B. Singh 15 &
• Ajay Kumar 16  

Part of the book series: Advances in 21st Century Human Settlements ((ACHS))

386 Accesses

2 Citations

Tourism at present is considered the largest and fastest growing industry. It is increasingly acquiring organized form and seen as multi-dimensional; hence, viewed as possessing huge potential in terms of future development. The available literature also highlights its role in the promotion of faster, sustainable and inclusive regional development focusing on poor sections and local areas. Though there is a rich typology of tourism today, cultural tourism is considered important across the world as it contributes to the gross tourism income substantially. The cultural potential of a region is therefore crucial in this regard which meaningfully connects the past with the present in a particular geographical setting containing both natural and cultural elements. The present chapter makes an attempt to analyse the status and potential of cultural tourism in the context of regional development of Rajasthan. This western state of India is gifted with a rich and long history and a vast pool of diverse cultural heritage as well as natural resources which could be used to develop the region by promoting it as a globally competitive tourist destination. The Rajasthani culture has two levels—folk and royal—manifested in different forms. The former offers traditional textiles, handicraft, paintings, music, dance, cuisines, and the latter has forts, magnificent palaces, beautiful gardens, etc. to the tourists.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Subscribe and save.

• Get 10 units per month
• Download Article/Chapter or eBook
• 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
• Cancel anytime
• Available as PDF
• Read on any device
• Instant download
• Own it forever
• Available as EPUB and PDF
• Durable hardcover edition
• Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
• Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Evaluation of Iran’s Cultural Tourism Potential from the European Union Perspective: Jolfa Region

Cultural Tourism in Villavicencio Colombia

Sriniketan: The Future Cultural Destination of India

Agarwal RA (1981) History art and architecture of Jaisalmer. Neeraj Publication House, pp 71–78

Google Scholar  

Ahuja DR (1994) Folklore of Rajasthan. National Book Trust, p 76

Chaterjee SK (1948) Rajasthani Bhasa. Rajasthan Cidhyapeeth, Udaipur, p 5

Dharmwani LT (2013) Tourism in Rajasthan: challenges and opportunities. Indian J Appl Res 3(11)

Gahlot JS (1960) Rajasthan Ka Samajik Jeevan. Digital Library of India, p 79

Government of India (2013) Final report on 20 year perspective plan for sustainable tourism in Rajasthan. Department of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism, Art and Culture, New Delhi

Government of Rajasthan (2001) Tourism policy of Rajasthan, Ministry of Tourism, Jaipur

Government of Rajasthan (2014) Pragati Prativedan 2013–14, Department of Tourism, Jaipur

Gupta R, Ojha J (1986) Rajasthan ka Rajmetik avm Sanskritik Itihaas, Hindi Granth Akadmi, Jaipur, p 80

Katewa SS, Galav PK (2005) Traditional herbal medicines from Shekhawati region of Rajasthan. Indian J Tradit Knowl 4(3):237–245

Kluyev B (1981) India, national and language problem. Sterling Publication, India

Mehar I (2010) The rich cultural heritage of western Rajasthan—a major tourist attraction. IJMT 19(2)

Mishra RL (1998) Shekhawati ka itihaas. Kutir Prakashan, Jhunjhunu, p 309

Rathore N (2012) Rural tourism impact, challenges and opportunities. Zenith Int J Bus Econ Manag Res 1(2)

Sharma M, Kumar A (2013) Traditional medicinal plants of Rajasthan used in tribal medicine: a review. Int J Life Sci Pharm Res 2(3)

Sharma A (2013) A SWOT analysis of Rajasthan tourism. Spectr J Multi Res 2(6)

Singh RB (2005) Geographical mosaics of culture, environment and human development. Ann NAGI 25(2):20–32

Singh RB, Hietala R (eds) (2014) Livelihood security in Northwestern Himalaya. Springer, Tokyo

Singh R (2013) Domestic tourism in Rajasthan-SWOT analysis. Pac Bus Rev Int 5(11)

Singh RB (ed) (2014) Urban development challenges, risk and resilience in Asian mega cities-sustainable urban future of emerging Asian mega region. Springer, Tokyo

Download references

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Geography, Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India

R. B. Singh

Department of Geography, Bansur PG College, Bansur, Rajasthan, 301402, India

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and affiliations.

Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Ravi S. Singh

Stellenbosch University, School of Public Leadership, School of Global Studies, Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand, Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa

Bharat Dahiya

Professor of Geography – MMV, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India

Arun K. Singh

Central Department of Geography, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal

Padma C. Poudel

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2022 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this chapter

Singh, R.B., Kumar, A. (2022). Cultural Tourism-Based Regional Development in Rajasthan, India. In: Singh, R.S., Dahiya, B., Singh, A.K., Poudel, P.C. (eds) Practising Cultural Geographies. Advances in 21st Century Human Settlements. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6415-1_18

Download citation

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-6415-1_18

Published : 21 May 2022

Publisher Name : Springer, Singapore

Print ISBN : 978-981-16-6413-7

Online ISBN : 978-981-16-6415-1

eBook Packages : Earth and Environmental Science Earth and Environmental Science (R0)

Share this chapter

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

• Publish with us

Policies and ethics

• Find a journal
• Track your research

• India Today
• Business Today
• Harper's Bazaar
• Brides Today
• Cosmopolitan
• India Today Hindi
• Reader’s Digest
• Aaj Tak Campus

Download App

Get 37% off on an annual Print +Digital subscription of India Today Magazine

How industry status has raised hopes of tourism revival in rajasthan, stakeholders hope the rs 1,000 crore allocation in the budget will be spent innovatively to transform tourism in the state.

Listen to Story

The grant of industry status for tourism means that power tariff and certain taxes would be at par with other industries, as against the current commercial charges, which are way higher. Hoteliers and restaurateurs in the state had to pay hefty power bills even for minimum load through the difficult Covid lockdown periods as they were subjected to commercial rates.

Gehlot said the tariff concessions will bring a financial burden of Rs 700 crore a year on the state exchequer. He also announced the Rajasthan Rural Tourism Scheme, under which transfer of property would be exempted from stamp duty, besides other sops such as reimbursement of SGST for 10 years and loans up to Rs 25 lakh at 9 per cent interest.

To encourage conversion of heritage properties into hotels, Rajasthan will offer concessional stamp duty on purchase and lease agreement for hotels housed in buildings constructed prior to 1950. The land rates for resorts, camping sites, amusement parks and animal safari parks will be kept same as residential rates in the urban areas and agricultural rates in the rural areas.

The state budget has earmarked Rs 1,000 crore for developing tourism. The figure is based on a tourism development fund of Rs 500 crore for 2022-23 and a similar amount allocated in 2021-22. Of this, Rs 600 crore will be spent on infrastructure, including building toilets at places of tourist interest, and the rest on tourism promotion. However, there is apprehension about whether the money will be spent judiciously. “We want an advisory committee or authority to be formed that supervises how this Rs 1,000 crore will be spent. It must yield concrete results,“ says Mandawa.

Diya Kumari, the BJP MP from Rajsamand, says the funds should not be spent on stereotyped ways of tourism promotion. “It’s a huge amount which, if spent properly, can help transform tourism in Rajasthan. So many properties across the state need basic conservation and development to attract tourists,” she says.

Industry stakeholders expect tourism minister Vishvendra Singh and Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) chairman Dharmendra Singh Rathore to bring in innovative changes to the sector. Hoteliers have, meanwhile, started exploring ways to attract tourists. The focus is on young travellers and creating recreational options for them. Arvind Jain of Resort Sawai Vilas in Ranthambore says that while the state government’s initiatives are welcome, the need is to promote sustainable tourism. “It’s bad to turn Ranthambore into a wedding destination that it is fast becoming. Instead, it should have eco-friendly and heritage-friendly tourism in the backdrop of the Ranthambore Fort and Chambal river,” says Jain.

Subscribe to India Today Magazine

• Screen Reader
• Skip to main content
• Text Size A
• Language: English
• Case Studies
• EXIM Procedure

Media & Events

• Image Gallery
• Media Coverage

Other Links

• GI of India
• Experience India
• Indian Trend Fair 2022
• India Organic Biofach 2022
• Gulfood Dubai 2023

Rajasthan ranks first in India in the production of oilseeds, rapeseed, and mustard and is the second largest producer of garlic, nutri-coarse cereals, coriander, and cumin.

Rajasthan State Report

Introduction.

Rajasthan, the largest (area-wise) state in India, is in the northwest part of the subcontinent. It is surrounded on the north and the northeast by Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh, on the east and southeast by Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, and on the southwest by Gujarat.

It is among the largest mineral-producing states in India. Around 81 varieties of minerals are available in the state and 57 minerals are produced on a commercial scale in the state. It also contributes significantly to the production of dimensional and decorative stones, such as marble, sandstone, granite etc.

The Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) of Rajasthan for 2023-24 (at current prices) is projected to be Rs. 15.7 lakh crore (US$ 188.32 billion), amounting to growth of 11.5% over 2022-23.

Between 2015-16 and 2023-24, the state’s GSDP increased at a CAGR (in Rs.) of 11 %. At a CAGR (in Rs.) of 6.13% between 2018-19 and 2022-23, the tertiary sector has been the fastest-growing sector and the largest contributor to Rajasthan’s economy in 2022-23, with a 43.74% share in the state’s GSVA.

The growth was driven by storage, communication & services related to broadcasting, financial services and public administration. According to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows in the state stood at US$ 2,344 million between October 2019-March 2024.

Rajasthan Tourism

The state is one of the leading tourist destinations in India. Historic palaces, especially those in Jaipur and Udaipur, offer opportunities to expand the luxury tourism segment, with an increasing number of tourists visiting wildlife sanctuaries and desert locations. According to the Rajasthan Tourism Department, the state witnessed a remarkable increase in domestic tourism, with over 17.90 crore tourists visiting the desert state in 2023. Home Minister, Mr. Amit Shah, laid the foundation stone and performed Bhoomi Pujan of Shri Tanot Mandir Complex Project under Border Tourism Development Programme in Jaisalmer in September 2022. The Rajasthan cabinet approved the Rajasthan Film Tourism Promotion Policy 2022 with the objective of promoting film production activities in the state..

Agriculture in Rajasthan

The state has an agricultural economy with nine agro-climatic zones and various types of soil that help during the cultivation of crops. As part of the state budget 2023-24, Fasal Beema Yojana has been allocated Rs. 1,400 crore (US$ 167.93 million). In August 2022, Mr. Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare inaugurated four new facilities at the Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CAZRI), which has been rendering excellent services for more than 60 years under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The following are the stats of agricultural production (in lakh tonnes) in the state during 2022-23 - 1) Cereals: 206.57, 2) Pulses: 47.42, 3) Oil Seeds: 99.78, 4) Sugarcane: 2.18 and 5) Cotton (lint): 25.53.

Industries in Rajasthan

The state is the leading producer of cement-grade limestone in India. Production of limestone reached 87,679 (thousand tonnes) during 2021-22. The state has about 26% share in proven limestone reserves in the country. In May 2024, JSW Cement announced to invest Rs. 3,000 crore (US$ 359.84 million) crore on building an integrated manufacturing facility at Nagaur in Rajasthan. Shree Cement, the second largest cement-maker in India, in December 2023, commissioned a new klin at its integrated production facility in Nawalgarh, Rajasthan. The plant, set up at Rs. 3,500 crore (US$ 419.82 million) can produce 3.5 million tonnes of cement per annum.

Recent Developments in Key Sectors

• As of March 2024, Rajasthan had a total installed power generation capacity of 43,417.49 MW, of which 3,761.10 MW was under the central utilities 8,890.35 MW under state utilities and 30,766.04 MW under private sector.
• Under the state budget 2023-24, as part of the Chief Minister’s Free Electricity Scheme, 100 units of free electricity will be provided, up from 50 units earlier.
• As of March 2024, Rajasthan had 66.33 million wireless and 1.13 million wireline subscribers.
• As part of the state budget 2023-24, Rs. 4,122 crore (US$ 494.42 million) has been allocated for grants in aid to Nagar Palika.
• As part of the state budget 2023-24, a Youth Policy will be formulated under which a Youth Development and Welfare Fund will be set up to provide for education, skill development, and employment. Rs. 14,691 crore (US$ 1.76 billion) has been allocated for Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.
• The state is the leading producer of cement-grade limestone in India. Production of limestone reached 87,679 (thousand tonnes) during 2021-22
• Tourism is one of the key sectors in the state. The state is the leading producer of cement-grade limestone in India. Production of limestone reached 87,679 (thousand tonnes) during 2021-22.
• In July 2022, NTPC Renewable Energy Limited signed an MOU with the Government of Rajasthan for the development of 10 GW ultra mega renewable energy power parks.
• As of July 2022, the state was home to six notified Special Economic Zone (SEZs)
• In July 2022, the government approved the construction of the Taranga Hill-Ambaji-Abu Road new rail line to provide connectivity and improve mobility.
• The Rajasthan cabinet approved the Rajasthan Film Tourism Promotion Policy 2022 with the objective of promoting film production activities in the state.
• Total merchandise exports from Rajasthan stood at US$ 10.11 billion in FY24.
• Engineering Goods and Gems and Jewellery accounted for a majority share in the overall exports from the state.
• In FY24, the total exports of Engineering Goods from Rajasthan stood at US$ 3.41 billion.
• Mining and Mineral Processing is another key sector for the state. Export of Zinc and Products made of Zinc reached US$ 367.67 million in FY22.
• In February 2021, value of all minerals produced^ in the state stood at Rs.1,479.95 crore (US$ 202.45 million).
• The policy environment has been favourable for the establishment of industrial units. A single window clearance system (SWCS) for investment approvals is operational in the state and the Bureau of Investment Promotion (BIP) was set up to focus on investment above US$ 2.2 million. Rajasthan stands sixth among Indian states in rankings based on ease of doing business and reforms implementation as per a study by the World Bank and KPMG.

Note : ^Excluding Fuel, Atomic and Minor Minerals

Geographical Area (sq km)

State language, literacy rate, key industries:, it and ites, handicrafts, related sites, related news.

APEDA's inaugural consignment of Indian pomegranates from Mumbai to Melbourne highlights India’s global quality standards and opens new revenue streams for farmers.

Amazon's Global Selling will surpass US$ 13 billion in Indian e-commerce exports by 2024, with a target of US$ 20 billion by 2025, driven by a 20% increase in sellers

India aims to increase global exports of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to US$ 952.9 million (Rs. 8,000 crore) in a few years. APEDA highlights significant growth potential from its current 40th place in global rankings.

As of August 29, 2024, water storage has surged to 144.333 BCM, which accounts to 80% of total capacity, reflecting a 126% increase YoY.

India is set for transformation with US$ 3.41 billion (Rs. 28,602 crore) approved for 12 projects under NICDP, creating a network of industrial smart cities across 10 states.

Not a member

Government Initiatives to promote Tourism in Rajasthan

Government of Rajasthan has vision of doubling (present 1.5 million to 3.0 million tourists) the footfall of International Tourists traffic by the year 2020. In the same period, the Government also aims to increasing the Domestic Tourist traffic from the present 33 million to 50 million tourists. Consequently, various initiatives have been taken by Rajasthan Government to improve state of tourism in Rajasthan, including:

Recent Activities undertaken by State Departments:

• In October, 2019, Tourism Department has signed an agreement with UNESCO for the Project Promoting Intangible Cultural Heritage and Developing Cultural Tourism in Jodhpur, Barmer, Jaisalmer and Bikaner districts in Rajasthan. Under this project 10 Cultural Spots will be developed.
• Tourism Department is advertising its activities at national & international levels through various media for effective marketing of the state tourism.
• A project for development of Ecological Park has been Sanction at a total cost of 15 crore in Laxmangarh (Sikar).
• A project of Light and Sound with an outlay of 890 lakh has been sanctioned to make the people acquainted with the life of Swami Vivekananda. This project is being developed at Ajit Museum, Fateh Vilas, Khetari (Jhunjhunu).
• To disseminate the knowledge of historical places to tourists, Sound and Light show would be developed at 9 historical places, namely, Sambhar Salt Complex, Jai Niwas Garden (Jaipur), Machkund (Dholpur), Sanwaliya Seth (Chittorgarh), Kumbhalgarh Fort (Rajsamand), Chittorgarh Fort, Meera Bai Smarak (Merta), Pratap Gaurav Kendra (Udaipur) and Gadisar Talab (Jaisalmer).
• A proposal for development of wildlife circuit project in the state with an estimated cost of 248.03 crore is under consideration with Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
• For tourism development of the tribal areas tribal circuits project amounting to 61.35 crore has been sent to Ministry of Tourism, Government of India for consideration under Swadesh Darshan Scheme. The tribal circuit includes Udaipur, Pratapgarh, Banswara and Dungarpur districts.

Recent Awards:

• Lonely Planet Magazine India Award in category of “Lonely Planet Travel Award for Best Destination-Culture (Indian) for 2019″ at Mumbai on 7” May, 2019.
• Lonely Planet Magazine India Award in category of “Best Destination for Indulgence (Indian) for 2019” at Mumbai on 7 May, 2019.
• “Best Decorated award” in Travel and Tourism Fair-2019 (TTF-2019) organized at Hyderabad on 6 July, 2019
• “Best Marketing Campaign award” in FICCI Travel and Tourism Excellence -2019 organized at New Delhi on 23 August, 2019.
• “Best Destination Award” by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association (PATWA) on 30 August, 2019 in New Delhi.
• “Best wedding Destination” in India was awarded to Rajasthan by Travel and Leisure India 2019.

Some Other Important Initiatives:

1. ppp in tourism sector:.

Rajasthan Government has identified various projects to be developed in public private participation mode in tourism sector.

• Water based activities like cruise and boating in Chambal and other water bodies.
• ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) in sand dunes of Jaisalmer / Barmer / Bikaner
• Mountaineering and Trekking activities in Mount Abu/Jaipur
• Establishment of Golf Resorts and Convention centers.
• Night viewing of monuments at Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Bharatpur, Chittorgarh.
• Development of eco-tourism in various places in state.
• Development of tourism at Sambhar & Jaisamand lake

2. Promotion of Agri-tourism

• Read in Detail

3. Promotion of Eco-tourism in Rajasthan

The Government of Rajasthan notified Rajasthan’s Eco-tourism policy in 2010. This policy has been framed with a view to sensitize the public , government departments, NGOs and others about eco-tourism and for laying down the framework for its growth in the State in a sustainable manner. Sunda Mata temple in Jalore district, Bassi in Chittorgarh district, Kumbhalgarh in Rajsamand district, Hamirgarh and Menal, both in Bhilwara district have been developed as per guidelines of eco-tourism.

• Potential Eco-tourism Sites in Rajasthan

4. Government to Government partnerships 

• Rajasthan Government engagement with Singapore has led to a direct flight and a skill development centre for hospitality.

5. Holding fairs and festivals:

Department of Tourism, Rajasthan is engaged in organization of various fairs and festivals to promote tourism in state. Fairs organized in Rajasthan include:

• Nagaur Fair, Nagaur (Jan-Feb.)
• Kite Festival (held on 14th Jan of every year)
• Desert Festival, Jaisalmer (Jan-Feb.)
• Baneshwar Fair, Baneshwar (Jan-Feb.)
• Gangaur Festival, Jaipur (March-April)
• Mewar Festival, Udaipur (March-April)
• Elephant Festival, Jaipur (March-April)
• Urs Ajmer Sharif, Ajmer (According to Lunar Calendar)
• Summer Festival, Mt.Abu (June)
• Teej Festival, Jaipur (July-August)
• Kajli Teej, Bundi (July-August)
• Dussehra Festival, Kota (October)
• Marwar Festival, Jodhpur (October)
• Bundi Festival, Bundi (November)
• Pushkar Fair, Ajmer (November)
• Matsya Utsav, Alwar (November)
• Kumbhalgarh Festival, Rajasamand (December)
• Winter Festival, Mt. Aby (December)
• Camel Festival, Bikaner (January)

6. Policy incentives:

Rajasthan Government also provides various policy incentives for development of tourist infrastructure including hotels, convention centers, tourist places.

• Incentives available for establishment of Hotels in Rajasthan (Read more: here )
• Regional Connectivity Scheme to improve intra-state air connectivity. (Read Post: here )
• Development of a ‘Mega Desert Tourist Circuit’ comprising Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Pali, Mount Abu and Sambhar.

7. Rajasthan Tourism 3.0

Rajasthan tourism 3.0  is a multiyear, multi-modal, multi narrative and multi-crore global campaign to galvanize tourism in the state. Rajasthan Tourism 1.0 lasted from Independence till the early 80s and was powered by Rajasthan’s landscape. Rajasthan Tourism 2.0 began in the 1980s with heritage hotels that married historical narrative with commercial hardware. But Rajasthan Tourism 3.0 ­ is government’s goal of 50 million foreign and domestic tourists ­ based on enhancement of Rajasthan’s current literature, music and folk festivals with new museums, exhibits and events, strong enough for tourists to plan itineraries around them.

8. Marketing Campaign:

Successive Rajasthan Governments have been constantly revamping the marketing campaigns to project state as preferred tourist destination. In 2019, the government has revert to the state’s old tourism slogan ‘ Padharo Mhare Desh ’. The state Tourism Department has also added ‘Rajasthan – The incredible state of India’ in the department logo, along with ‘Padharo Mhare Desh.’

9. Promotion of Religious Tourism:

• Rajasthan Government has decided to renovate 11 religious sites to promote religious tourism in state.

10. Rajasthan Tourism Policy

• In a bid to attract more tourists and ease the setting up of tourism-related projects, Rajasthan  revamped its tourism unit policy in 2015.
• Now in September 2020 , Rajasthan Cabinet has approved Rajasthan Tourism Policy 2020 to to reposition Rajasthan as a preferred tourism destination for both domestic as well as international tourists by offering tourists a high quality experience.

11. Development of Ajmer under  Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive ( PRASAD ) & Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana ( HRIDAY ) Scheme

Rajasthan continues to face challenges that impede its growth as a tourist destination. The state needs to improve on the sanitation of its public spaces and the ease of travel around the state so as to add to its international appeal. The state should also consider providing more online payment and reservation services as more tourists are resorting to using the internet to plan and book their holidays in India.

Further Reading:

• Rajasthan Tourism Government initiatives ( PDF )
• Rajasthan tourism unit policy ( PDF )

Related Posts

Rajasthan Ecotourism Policy 2010

Why Jawai Bandh is famous for jungle safari?

Why choose Jawai leopard Safari Camp for luxury stay?

Contribution of Tourism in Rajasthan economy

We use cookies to ensure best experience for you

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalize content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audience is coming from. You can also read our privacy policy , We use cookies to ensure the best experience for you on our website.

• Leaders Speak
• Brand Solutions
• Industry status benefits to give Rajasthan tourism a new lease of life

• P Krishna Kumar ,
• ETHospitalityWorld
• Published On Feb 25, 2022 at 03:00 PM IST

• By P Krishna Kumar ,
• Updated On Feb 25, 2022 at 03:00 PM IST

All Comments

By commenting, you agree to the Prohibited Content Policy

Find this Comment Offensive?

• Foul Language
• Inciting hatred against a certain community
• Out of Context / Spam

Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals

Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis., download ethospitalityworld app.

• Get Realtime updates
• Save your favourite articles

• hospitality news
• rajasthan tourism
• tourism industry
• ashok gehlot
• state assembly
• hotel umaid haveli
• hotels jaipur
• industry status
• service exports promotion council
• rajasthan investment promotion scheme

We use cookies to ensure best experience for you

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalize content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audience is coming from. You can also read our privacy policy , We use cookies to ensure the best experience for you on our website.

• Leaders Speak
• Brand Solutions
• "Confident that Rajasthan will become $350 billion economy in 5 years": CM Bhajan Lal Sharma

• Online Bureau ,
• Updated On Aug 31, 2024 at 08:24 AM IST

• By Online Bureau ,
• Published On Aug 31, 2024 at 08:24 AM IST

All Comments

By commenting, you agree to the Prohibited Content Policy

Find this Comment Offensive?

• Foul Language
• Inciting hatred against a certain community
• Out of Context / Spam

Join the community of 2M+ industry professionals

Subscribe to our newsletter to get latest insights & analysis., download etgovernment app.

• Get Realtime updates
• Save your favourite articles

• Rising Rajasthan Global Investment Summit 2024
• Rajasthan economy
• Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma
• investment summit
• Adani Group
• bhajan lal sharma
• swati salgaocar
• Viksit Rajasthan
• Sudhansh Pant IAS Chief Secretary Rajasthan
• Rising Rajasthan

Rajasthan CM promises economic boom: 5-year plan to boost state economy to $350 billion

About the Author

The TOI News Desk comprises a dedicated and tireless team of journalists who operate around the clock to deliver the most current and comprehensive news and updates to the readers of The Times of India worldwide. With an unwavering commitment to excellence in journalism, our team is at the forefront of gathering, verifying, and presenting breaking news, in-depth analysis, and insightful reports on a wide range of topics. The TOI News Desk is your trusted source for staying informed and connected to the ever-evolving global landscape, ensuring that our readers are equipped with the latest developments that matter most." Read More

Visual Stories