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The Search for
The Authentic Other
(India: As the Authentic Other)
By
Sarvajeet Chandra
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Introduction
1. The ‘Place’ product
2. History of travel and tourism
3. The business of leisure
4. Touristhood
5. The language of tourism
6. India-the ‘other’
a. India : The authentic ‘other’ country
b. India : The lure of Tantrism and Hinduism
c. India: The drawing force of Buddhism
d. India : Himalayas
e. India : The desert and the sea
f. India : Of heritage and events
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• Bibliography
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INTRODUCTION TO
THE AUTHENTIC OTHER
Tourism is the ‘ism’ that drives the largest industry
of the modern world. It forms an integral component
of the fast growing business of leisure. Accounting for
roughly 11% of global GDP, tourism is a major
‘movement’ impacting the world.
The Search for the Authentic Other
A very substantial part of tourism, as we know today,
is the individual’s search for authenticity; of people
travelling away from their home societies to an authentic
(often primitive) other; drawn by myths embedded in
folklore, heritage, religion, literature.
It is this search for the authentic other that has
brought tourism closer to religion, blurring boundaries
between a pilgrim and a tourist. The tourist of the
west, searching for the authentic other, is a pilgrim of
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the modern secular world. His religion is the
individualistic religion of the modern society, as
different from the collective and organised notion of
civil religion. The tourist, fed up of the western secular
materialism, locates his elective centre ‘out there’
away from his home society. The counterpart of the
western tourist is the pilgrim of the east who locates
his elective centre in the holy places of worship.
Thus, there is a great degree of similarity in the
sacred pursuit of authenticity for a western tourist and
an eastern pilgrim. This search for authenticity, in both
cases, is thwarted by the tourism industry and the
religious establishments respectively by setting up of
staged authenticities - fake representations that are
perceived as real by the pilgrim and the tourist.
Tourism for Recreation
The rest of the tourism movement is driven by
recreation; of people whose centres are firmly rooted
in their own societies, who travel to indulge in ‘play’
- a characteristic feature of post-modernistic society.
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These people are lured by the myths created by the
tourism industry; indulge in pleasures - becoming
paupers, kings, visiting miniature ancient Egypt etc.
The most striking example of this kind of tourism is
the concept of theme park, notable Disneyland. The
theme parks ‘recreate reality’ and creates myths
about peoples, countries, concepts, civilisations etc.
The tourist plays with these, often deriving a vicarious
pleasure.
Thus a useful way of looking at tourism is to look at
two major motivations propelling modern tourism
• The search for the authentic other (driving many
tourists of the west and pilgrims of the East).
• The recreation and the concept of ‘play’
This booklet examines tourism in the light of what is
mentioned above. The breadth of this project is
restricted by its focus on ‘ tourism in India’ . However
India, as we shall see, is a good example of the
diversity and the complexity of the issues involved in
the study of tourism.
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CHAPTER 1
Place Product
Tourism is an important component of the big
business of leisure that sells a destination or a place
product.
The characteristics of a place product are:
• Spatial scale: a place is inevitably one component in
the hierarchy of spatial scale, a characteristic
unique to the place product. The potential
holidaymaker buying Goa may be simultaneously
purchasing other levels of hierarchy - the hotel,
India, east etc. A different structured hierarchy may
create a different product.
• Multi sold: The same destination, the same facilities
etc. can be sold to different groups of consumers
for different purposes.
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• The place may be viewed differently in tourist origin
area and tourist destinations inclusive of travel in
the former and exclusive in the latter.
A place product is distinguished by variety of
businesses and experiences obtainable at that place.
Each individual consumes a unique selection of these
products. As a consequence, place product is
marketed by destination agencies without a clear idea
of nature of product being consumed.
A Tourism Product = Place Product + Travel
Segmentation On The Basis Of the Place Product
The segmentation can be product focused and can
therefore be done on the basis of types of
destinations. Destinations can be segmented in
broadly three segments:
1. Locations
a) real
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b) man made( cities , theme parks )
2. Travel as the destination - cruise liners, trains (toy
trains).
3. The stay as the destination - resorts, hotel cum
palace etc.
1. Locations
The real locations will always continue to lure people.
It will be difficult to replicate the experience of visiting
the real thing. However, the most inventive solution is
to shed history and natural environment and create
destinations from a scratch. These artificial locations
can be purpose built and can be altered to suit the
requirements of changing times.
One of the important examples of an artificial location
is the city of Las Vegas. It started from a single
industry-gambling-destination. The secret of success
of Las Vegas did not lie in gambling but its ability to
help people escape to a different world. However, the
secret of continued success of Las Vegas lies in its
continuous innovation. Today, it has become one of
the top convention cities in America.
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Another important area in this field has been the
concept of theme park pioneered by Disneyland. They
have started the process of creating look-alike of the
existing destinations, or new attractions. The
advantage of creating such destinations is that they
can be bigger, more reliable than the existing
destinations. Besides, they can be renovated,
scrapped and modified.
Disneyland theme parks are the biggest tourist draws.
Disney researches the audience's needs and then
creates it. The company's biggest works are
simulation of real things, not inventions. At Disneyland
in Anaheim, for example, the company is building
California Adventure, a microcosm of the state, which
will allow the tourist to visit the state in one day.
America has 600 theme parks and half of the
Americans have visited at least one of them.
2. Travel as a destination
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Increasingly the ship, the railway etc. are not just a
means of travel: they are the destination. With
increasing popularity of cruise liners, cross-country
trains, travel has emerged as an exciting destination.
Besides comfortable stay and reasonable prices,
these options provide a unique environment. They
provide the opportunity of seeing popular locations,
often without passport or visa hassles.
For the operators it is very profitable deal .The
occupancy of cruise liners is higher as compared to
hotels. In addition, cruise passengers, unlike hotel
guests have to take meals in the ship itself,
generating additional revenue.
Modern cruise ships are floating artificial destinations
offering a full resort worth of entertainment. Like the
tourism business, at large, these cruise liners are
divided into two categories: big liners for a
wholesome entertainment and small cruise liners for
niche segments - nature watch, historical sites etc.
In India, the Palace on Wheels has become an ideal
example in which the tourists travel in a train in a style
reminiscent of the maharajas; where travel is the
destination.
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3. The stay as the destination:
With the increasing numbers of palaces converted
into hotels, hotels trying to recreate natural
environments and resorts the stay has become a
destination. The success of Sun City, with massive
promotion through beauty pageants has made people
look as hotels not merely as a place to stay but a
destination. This concept is also represented in the
palace cum hotels and heritage hotels in India. The
hotels themselves have become 'the show'.
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CHAPTER 2
HISTORY OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM
2000 years Before Christ, in India and Mesopotamia.
Travel for trade was an important feature since the
beginning of civilisation. The port at Lothal was an
important centre of trade between the Indus valley
civilisation and the Sumerian civilisation.
600 BC and thereafter
The earliest form of leisure tourism can be traced as
far back as the Babylonian and Egyptian empires. A
museum of historic antiquities was open to the public
in Babylon. The Egyptians held many religious festivals
that attracted the devout and many people who
thronged to cities to see famous works of arts and
buildings.
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In India, as elsewhere, kings travelled for empire
building. The Brahmins and the common people
travelled for religious purposes. Thousands of
Brahmins and the common folk thronged Sarnath and
Sravasti to be greeted by the inscrutable smile of the
Enlightened One- the Buddha.
500 BC, the Greek civilisation
The Greek tourists travelled to sites of healing gods.
The Greeks also enjoyed their religious festivals that
increasingly became a pursuit of pleasure, and in
particular, sport. Athens had become an important
site for travellers visiting the major sights such as the
Parthenon. Inns were established in large towns and
seaports to provide for travellers’ needs. Courtesans
were the principal entertainment offered.
This era also saw the birth of travel writing. Herodotus
was the worlds’ first travel writer. Guidebooks also
made their appearance in the fourth century covering
destinations such as Athens, Sparta and Troy.
Advertisements in the way of signs directing people to
inns are also known in this period.
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The Roman Empire
With no foreign borders between England and Syria,
and with safe seas from piracy due to Roman patrols,
the conditions favouring travel had arrived. First class
roads coupled with staging inns (precursors of
modern motels) promoted the growth of travel.
Romans travelled to Sicily, Greece, Rhodes, Troy and
Egypt. From 300 AD travel to the Holy Land also
became very popular. The Romans introduced their
guidebooks (itineraria), listing hotels with symbols to
identify quality.
Second homes were built by the rich near Rome,
occupied primarily during springtime social season.
The most fashionable resorts were found around Bay
of Naples. Naples attracted the retired and the
intellectuals, Cumae attracted the fashionable while
Baiae attracted the down market tourist, becoming
noted for its rowdiness, drunkenness and all- night
singing.
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Travel and Tourism were to never attain a similar
status until the modern times.
In the Middle Ages
Travel became difficult and dangerous as people
travelled for business or for a sense of obligation and
duty.
Adventurers sought fame and fortune through travel.
The Europeans tried to discover a sea route to India
for trade purposes and in this fashion discovered
America and explored parts of Africa. Strolling players
and minstrels made their living by performing as they
travelled. Missionaries, saints, etc. travelled to spread
the sacred word.
Leisure travel in India was introduced by the Mughals.
The Mughal kings built luxurious palaces and
enchanting gardens at places of natural and scenic
beauty (for example Jehangir travelled to Kashmir
drawn by its beauty.
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Travel for empire building and pilgrimage was a
regular feature.
The Grand Tour
From the early seventeenth century, a new form of
tourism was developed as a direct outcome of the
Renaissance. Under the reign of Elizabeth 1, young
men seeking positions at court were encouraged to
travel to continent to finish their education. Later, it
became customary for education of gentleman to be
completed by a ‘Grand Tour’ accompanied by a
tutor and lasting for three or more years. While
ostensibly educational, the pleasure seeking men
travelled to enjoy life and culture of Paris, Venice or
Florence. By the end of eighteenth century, the
custom had become institutionalised in the gentry.
Gradually pleasure travel displaced educational travel.
The advent of Napoleonic wars inhibited travel for
around 30 years and led to the decline of the custom
of the Grand Tour.
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The development of the spas
The spas grew in popularity in the seventeenth
century in Britain and a little later in the European
Continent as awareness about the therapeutic
qualities of mineral water increased. Taking the cure in the
spa rapidly acquired the nature of a status symbol.
The resorts changed in character as pleasure
became the motivation of visits. They became an
important centre of social life for the high society.
In the nineteenth century they were gradually
replaced by the seaside resort.
The sun, sand and sea resorts
The sea water became associated with health
benefits. The earliest visitors therefore drank it and
did not bathe in it. By the early eighteenth century,
small fishing resorts sprung up in England for visitors
who drank and immersed themselves in sea water.
With the overcrowding of inland spas, the new sea
side resorts grew in popularity. The introduction of
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steamboat services in 19th century introduced more
resorts in the circuit. The seaside resort gradually
became a social meeting point
Role of the industrial revolution in promoting travel in the
west
The rapid urbanisation due to industrialisation led to
mass immigration in cities. These people were lured
into travel to escape their environment to places of
natural beauty, often to the countryside they had
come from change of routine from a physically and
psychologically stressful jobs to a leisurely pace in
countryside.
Highlights of travel in the nineteenth century
• Advent of railway initially catalysed business travel
and later leisure travel. Gradually special trains
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were chartered to only take leisure travel to their
destinations.
• Package tours organised by entrepreneurs such as
Thomas Cook.
• The European countries indulged in a lot of business
travel often to their colonies to buy raw material
and sell finished goods.
• The invention of photography acted as a status-
enhancing tool and promoted overseas travel.
• The formation of first hotel chains; pioneered by the
railway companies who established great railway
terminus hotels.
• Seaside resorts began to develop different images
as for day-trippers, elite, for gambling.
• Other types of destinations-ski resorts, hill stations,
mountaineering spots etc.
• The technological development in steamships
promoted travel between North America and
Europe.
• The Suez Canal opened direct sea routes to India
and the Far East.
• The cult of the guidebook followed the development
of photography.
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Tourism in the Twentieth Century
The First World War gave first hand experience of
countries and aroused a sense of curiosity about
international travel among less well off sector for the
first time. The large scale of migration to the US
meant a lot of travel across the Atlantic. Private
motoring began to encourage domestic travel in
Europe and the west. The sea side resort became
annual family holiday destination in Britain and
increased in popularity in other countries of the west.
Hotels proliferated in these destinations.
The birth of air travel and after
The wars increased interest in international travel.
This interest was given the shape of mass tourism by
the aviation industry. The surplus of aircrafts and
growth of private airlines aided the expansion of air
travel. The aircraft had become comfortable, faster
and steadily cheaper for overseas travel. With the
introduction of Boeing 707 jet in 1958, the age of air
travel for the masses had arrived. The beginning of
chartered flights boosted the package tour market
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and led to the establishment of organised mass
tourism. The Boeing 747, a 400 seat craft, brought
the cost of travel down sharply. The seaside resorts in
the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Caribbean
were the initial hot spots of mass tourism.
A corresponding growth in hotel industry led to the
establishment of world-wide chains. Tourism also
began to diversify as people began to flock alternative
destinations in the 70s. Nepal and India received a
throng of tourists lured by Hare Krishna movement
and transcendental meditation. The beginning of
individual travel in a significant volume only occurred
in the 80s. Air travel also led to a continuous growth
in business travel especially with the emergence of
the MNCs.
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CHAPTER 3
THE BUSINESS OF LEISURE.
Leisure is the time available to the individual when
work, sleep and other needs have been met. Leisure as a
construct involves a number of dimensions
• Absorption and concentration of ongoing
experience
• Lessening of focus on self
• Feelings of freedom and lack of restraint
• Enriched perception of objects and events
• Increased intensity of emotions
• Increased sensitivity to feelings
• Decreased sensitivity to passage of time
The Components of Leisure Motivation
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Beard and Ragheb identified four motivational needs
derived from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. These
needs form the components of leisure motivation.
They are –
• Intellectual component
• Social component
• Competence mastery
• Stimulus avoidance
Intellectual component is the extent to which individuals are
motivated by mental activities such as learning,
exploring, discovering, thought, imaging. This can be
a primary high need (a visit to Madurai to study
temple architecture) or a low need triggered by a
specific event or environment.
Social component is the need for friendship, self-esteem
and interpersonal relationship. The holidays are not
only status- or ego- enhancing experiences. There is
also a sense of belonging with the place visited.
People tend to identify with a place visited. This is
higher for people who are more satisfied with their
holidays and for those with three or more visits. The
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relationship not only involves social identification but
also a relationship with the geographical place.
Competence mastery component is in order to achieve,
challenge, master and compete. This is often physical
(i.e. sports) but also includes fine arts and other
intellectual pursuits. Competence mastery is coupled
with other components of leisure motivation. A course
in wind surfing (competence mastery) can also mean
meeting like –minded individuals (social need).
Stimulus avoidance is drive to escape and get away from
over-simulating life experiences. The most obvious
component of leisure motivation, a chance to rest and
unwind.
The components of leisure motivation vary within
holidays and between holidays. On a holiday, a tourist
may rest for few days (stimulus avoidance); thereafter
explore the place (intellectual component). The
holidaymaker may assign different purposes to
holidays. One holiday might be family centred (social
need), the other for playing golf (competence
mastery) etc.
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Changing Nature of Leisure in Western Society: From ordered
recreation to the beginning of individual travel
In the 12th century monarchy there was an ordered
recreation regulated by the state. Sports like archery
was promote by the monarchy for recuperation of
physical efficiency.
The concept of leisure travel in the seventeenth
century was restricted to the rich. Even then, travel
was undertaken as a means of recuperation as
witnessed in the growth of spas and later the seaside
resorts. These became meeting points of the high
society. Young aristocrats on Britain took the Grand
Tour to educate themselves before they took on
aristocratic responsibility .The concept of recreation
was promoted by the western society as something
to be managed for the ethical good of the individual.
In the 19th century the middle class organisations
promoted recreational opportunities to combat the
evils of gambling and drinking. The leisure time of the
youth was provided for through organisations such as
Boy Scouts and Girl Guides which built an ethos of self
sufficiency.
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With growing individualism, wealth, democratisation
and advancements in technology which reduced
modes of social control, individual travel, as we know
today came into being.
Kama and Leisure in Indian Society
The concept of Kama as one of the four principles -
Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha - gives a very
different perspective to Indian concept of leisure, as
rooted in desire. This is different from ordered
recreation in western societies, where leisure was
clothed in acceptable garb of re-creation for the
ethical good of the individual. This continuous tension
was visible in the development of spas and beach
resorts, originally meant for health and well being;
which gradually developed as pleasure resorts.
The ancient India on the other hand accepted
activities of leisure in a forthright manner and
developed it as an art. Institutionalisation of the
concept of ‘ganika’ was one example in which the
role of leisure in the life of the individual was
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recognised and provided for. However, leisure travel
was not an important activity. This concept of Kama
was to fade in the oblivion with the beginning of
Muslim rule.
Leisure Today: An Indian Alternative
Since the past few years leisure has re- emerged as a
thriving business with an Indian face. In the leisure
sector, there is a whole new set of Indian icons
gaining popularity and respect. There is a pride and
confidence in all things Indian. Indians are also
adapting western notions to the requirements of
changing times. This is different from merely aping the
west.
This has led to growth in domestic travel which far
outstrips outbound leisure travel. More Indians are
gradually travelling for recreation or to escape
boredom and not just meet friends and relatives.
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CHAPTER 4
TOURISTHOOD
The process by which a person decides to leave his
ordinary, familiar life and decides to tour and
thereafter his reintegration into his daily life-the
process of Touristhood-can be divided in a few
stages
The Pre-Trip Stage of Tourism Travel
Corporation
The tourist wishes a break from the ordinary life. He
wishes to escape or seek something. He readies
himself mentally and physically for tourism .The tourist
prepares for Touristhood.
The On-Trip Stage of Tourism Travel
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Emancipation
It means a journey from ordinary bounds of his daily
life into unbound realm of the non-ordinary .It
combines
a. Spatial travel
b. Cross beyond home’s socio-cultural
threshold
The cross beyond home’s threshold is aided by
several touristic items, mainly symbolic- suitcase,
camera, travellers’ cheque. The tourist wears a
mask as his real identity is disguised. This mask and
the symbolic signifiers induce an emancipative magic.
The new lifestyle is understood by the tourist and
recognised and understood by others.
Animation
This stage arrives when the tourist is ‘away from it
all’. The tourist enters an illusive state of
detachment, disengagement and spontaneity. The
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tourist peels away the home-bound cultural layers and
enters a new time-space. The tourist may break the
cultural layers. Breaking rules becomes one of the
rules of Touristhood. The tourist assumes or knows in
this non-ordinary playground animated behaviour is
acceptable. The society which hosts the tourist also
understands this behaviour. Many closed doors of the
ordinary open in the land of the non-ordinary; a long
list of tourist S’s (snow, sand, sea, surf, sex etc.) is
expanded to include sin.
Repatriation
In this the tourist experiences a resurrection of former
self as he travels back to his ordinary world. This
implies reaffirmation and yielding to the ordinary
world.
The Post -Trip Stage of Tourism Travel
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Incorporation
Tourist becomes a part of mainstream and
Touristhood is over.
Touristhood and Holiday Making Behaviour
The tourist in the process of touristhood exhibits a
special ‘holiday making behaviour’. Some characteristics
of holiday making behaviour are
• Mindlessness: This is part of optimisation of
experience- we retain that memory which is
sufficient to meet a need. Why is there a need, for
example to recall every detail while we are driving
on a holiday trip?
• Adaptation: As tourists are holiday-makers and not
only holiday takers they adapt to failed
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expectations. They pursue things that give them
satisfaction and avoid things that do not.
• Likes and dislikes: Most satisfactory activities during
holidays relates to Maslow’s higher hierarchy of
needs, while the dislikes stems from perceived
threats to basic needs.
• Multi-motivation: The same holiday may be used to
satisfy various needs.
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CHAPTER 5
THE LANGUAGE OF TOURISM
The language of tourism is the language of modernity,
promotion and consumerism. The semiotics of the
language of tourism is important in the analysis of
tourism advertising with its cultural coded
connotations, in the study of tourism imagery and in
the treatment of tourism communication as a
discourse in myth.
Some of the significant theoretical perspectives that
have significantly contributed to understanding of
contemporary tourism are those based on
perspectives of authenticity, stranger-hood and play.
The Authenticity Perspective
According to MacCanell tourists sought out
‘authentic experiences’ in other times and places.
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This search for meaning was a contemporary version
for pre-modern quest for the sacred. The tourist of
today is the pilgrim of the modern world. This religion
was not as much as the collective and organised
notion of ‘civil religion’ but the concept of implicit or
individual religion of and increasingly individualistic
society. This authenticity is not simply the quality of
the object; it is a struggle, a social process in which
competing interests argue for their own
interpretations of history.
The tourist attempts to penetrate deeper and deeper
into the hidden and real (backstage) regions of these
other times and representations. The tourist industry
thwarts such a quest by covertly staging reality and
authenticity. What the tourist believes is the real thing
-the backstage of the life of others - was the front
stage, set up in advance; manipulated by the tourist
establishment. In perpetuating and creating such a
sense of falsehood, the tourism industry had actually
imbued the tourist with a false sense of
consciousness.
Tourism as a language of authentication
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A tourist attraction is a sign, that it represents
(marker) something (sight) to someone (the tourist).
The marker provides information (name, picture, etc.)
to the sight (signified). The marker is the first contact
the sight seer has with the sight.
Markers are either off sight (e.g. travel books, travel
stories) or on sight (notices). Since off sight markers
anticipate the sight, they are often superior to sight.
Off sight markers play an important role in
stereotyping the sight .An example of this is the must
see features. Therefore sightseers do not ‘see’ Delhi.
They see -the red fort, the Baha’i temple, the
Rashtrapati Bhavan, the old Delhi bazaars. As
elements in the symbolic set called Delhi, each of
these items is a symbolic marker. Most of the off-
sight and some on sight markers are formulated by
the outsiders. The ‘Exotic East’ and ‘the city of
Joy’ are expressions used by the non-indigenous.
Local voices rarely constitute markers in
contemporary tourism.
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The Stranger-Hood Perspective
Cohen believed that the dichotomy of familiarity and
stranger-hood constituted the essential elements of
tourist experience. This led to a classification of
tourism into institutionalised and non-institutionalised
tourism.
Institutionalized tourism
Dealt with by the tourism industry- tour operators,
travel agents, hoteliers etc.
The organised mass tourist: Values familiarity, low on
adventurousness. Anxious to maintain his/ her
‘environment bubble’ on the trip. Purchase ready-
made, often cheap, packages of the shelf. Guided
through destination having little contact with the local
culture or people. Most tourists of the developing
countries like India and first time tourist fall in this
category.
The individual mass tourist: Similar to the organised one
except that there is more flexibility and scope for
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personal choice. The ‘environment bubble’ is very
much there.
Non- institutionalised travel
Consists of independent individual travel shunning
contact with the tourism industry except wherever
necessary.
The explorer: Trip organised independently; gets off the
beaten track. Comfortable accommodation and
reliable transport. Environmental bubble abandoned
on occasions. The bubble is there to step into if things
get tough.
The drifter: Values novelty, high on adventurousness. All
connections with the tourism industry are spurned
and drifter attempts to get as far from home and
familiarity as is possible. With no fixed itinerary, the
drifter lives with the local people, immersing himself in
the local culture.
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Tourism as a language of differentiation
The language of tourism promotes familiarity-
stranger-hood dichotomy by trying to fill the gap
between the tourist and the native. It strikes a
balance between offering novelty and protecting from
the dangers of strangeness. Most of the advertising
that speaks of strangeness speaks of stranger-hood
also speaks about the warm echelons of familiarity
with hotel chains , continental cuisine for the tourist
from the west .In the study of travelogues, for
instance, travel writers ‘manage’ unfamiliarity with
their readers ( e.g. through denigration of locals and
establishing expatriate connections.)
The Play Perspective
Advocated by the sociologist John Urry, this view
advocates the coming of the age of image-a post
modern era- the age in which representation is more
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important than reality; where hyper-reality is claimed
to be superior to reality. The nostalgic construction of
heritage, emphasis on spectacle, concept of theme
park is important elements in the perspective of the
play with reality.
The Disneyland, for example, is an out-of-time, out-of
- place deliberately contrived and artificially staged
concept which authentically represents the condition
of playing with reality.
Tourism as a language of recreation.
The tourist gaze is anticipated and directed by media
which constructs and reinforces the gaze. The gaze is
moulded by professional opinion former (writer,
guides etc. which tell people where to gaze). Tourism
turns culture into consumer items and markets them.
The language of tourism tells them to come out and
play and engage in pleasures.
The Characteristics of Language of Tourism
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1. Structure of the language
The meaning system of the language is located in the
culture of the receiver rather than face value meaning
of the message. The strategy of ‘indexical
transference’ of objects transferred to people and
people converted into objects is very common to the
language of tourism; a discourse which speaks of the
mythical structures in the tourists’ mind. Thus in
promoting nature, for example, what is supplied is the
version of nature worked over by culture and science
to yield the ‘natural’.
2. Tense of language
This accentuation of time is also manifested in the
hyper reverential towards all that is old. Further, there
are the accompanying notions that the new spoils the
old and the anxious feeling that the tourist may have
arrived too late.
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This disenchantment with the present may be
converted into an almost utopian desire for future
transformed by technology. Thus in the scenario
where the present disappear a binary opposition is
established between the past and the future.
One strategy applied in the language of tourism is the
‘denial of time’. It implies emancipation from routine
organised time to an animated state of non-ordinary
time; a symbolic inversion of everyday life where the
weekday becomes a weekend.
The language of tourism avoids the present by
pointing to the future. The past is often sold to the
future. We are told to go where action was.
3. Monologue
Most of the tourism literature is a monologue with
rhetoric of moral superiority by the addresser with
more knowledge and experiences.
4. Euphoria
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The discourse focuses only on the present and
speaks of it in glowing terms.
5. Tautology
The tourist merely confirms the discourse which
persuaded them to take the trip. They assert as true,
what was shown before they departed. The language
of brochure becomes a self fulfilling prophesy.
The Techniques of Language of Tourism
The language of tourism uses many verbal and visual
techniques for effective expression of the language.
The various verbal techniques are: simile, metaphor,
languaging, humour, use of keywords, testimony and
ego-targeting.
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1. Simile and metaphor
Simile and metaphor are often used to manage the
unfamiliarity of the destination for the tourist. The
strangeness of the exotic is minimised by the use of
familiar themes like the ‘Manchester of the east’ for
the city of Ahmedabad, etc. This usage tends to
increase in direct relationship with the strangeness of
destination being promoted.
2. Keywords
The rhetoric of advertising employs images and
symbols from the shared language of the target
audience and the advertiser. The rhetoric employs
‘keywords’ (escape, adventure, road less travelled
etc.) which are derived from the fancies of tourist
generating societies. The keywords relate the search for
the authentic which stems from the condition of anomie in
the home society of the potential tourist. An
advertisement for Kumaon and Garhwal (U.P.
Tourism) talks of these areas as “take the road less
travelled by”, “get there before the crowd” etc.
3. Testimony
The projection of favourable destination images may
not be carried out by recognisable spokespersons
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who can lend support to the advertised images. The
use of Paul Hogan of Crocodile Dundee fame, who
through the film comes to stand for Australia. His
rugged naturalness is ideal for promoting great
outdoors and his happy-go-lucky attitude, emblematic
of the attitude of the people, manages to give
Australia an edge over its more staid down-under
rivals. The testimony may also take the form of a
satisfied customer as in the advertisement of
Kathmandu’s Yak and Yeti hotel where a satisfied
tourist describes his experiences as - “ I almost got
lost in those huge, gorgeous grounds” , “ we went
back to 18th century for dinner” etc. Rounding off
with “I guess that is what makes the Yak and Yeti
Nepal’s finest hotel”.
4. Humour
Humour can be successfully employed in tourism
especially in tourism employed in the use of pun like
the use of Bermuda shorts for promoting Bermuda for
short-break vacations like “ Bermuda shorts as a far
away land close to home” or “ Bermuda shorts .
Bermuda, a short trip to a perfect holiday”.
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Management of unfamiliarity can also be dealt with
humorously by preparing the would-be visitor for the
strange customs of destinations people as for
example the Tibet yak milk “.....the smell of hot yak
butter , which is a good way to smell , if you like it ..”
5. Languaging
Languaging is the use of real or fictitious foreign
words, of which the user has scant knowledge to
include a manipulation of the vernacular. This use of
particular expressions shared by the writer and the
reader, with their occasional poetic treatment can be
both ego- enhancing and memory sustaining. E.g.
“Yunctan food is totally different from the rest of the
country- instead of tacos and burritos they eat
cochinita pubil, rellenonegro de para, pocchue etc.
6. Ego targeting
It targets the individual, with the dialogue assuming
the form of intimate conversation, often making the
individual feel special, for personalised service. The
individuals buys into the product thinking that the
purchase will make him a bit more like himself,
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someone special etc........perpetrating the myth of self
actualisation An advertisement for Garhwal and
Kumaon by U. P. Tourism says “if you are dying for a
breath of rare oxygen- Pithoragarh, Kausani are
where a deep breath will make you come alive
again!”
Visual techniques like the use of colour, format, visual
cliché etc. also contribute to the language of tourism.
It has been seen that the use of colour in promotional
images has sought to convey specific images. The
use of primitive colours, for example, for promotion of
third world destinations helps build up sensualist
imagery of a noble savage , living close to nature -
pure, innocent and authentic. The predominant
colours of paradise are white and blue signifying
tranquillity and sterilisation of nature.
Visual cliché is also evident in pictures which
accompany the discourse on tourism. The tourists
often see through these cliché, but it is a pleasant
feeling to be seduced by them again and again. .
Visual clichés that can be used are - deep blue ocean,
white sand, palm trees, sunset, happy & colourfully
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dressed locals, untouched landscapes, exciting nights
etc.
The verbal and visual techniques are often employed
by language of tourism, often in combination, to
interact with the tourist and lure him towards staged
authenticities, in his search for the authentic other.
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CHAPTER 6
INDIA - THE ‘OTHER’
An interesting area of study concerning tourist arrivals
in India is the myths that exist in the westerners’
mind when he intends to visit the country. This has to
do primarily with India being perceived as 'the other’.
This 'otherness' has been constructed over a long
span of time, in the numerous contacts the west has
had with this country, over two thousand years.
The first significant contact of India with the west was
with Alexander, who invaded India in 330 BC. He was
the first in the long line of westerners to become a
disciple of an Indian guru. To him, India represented a
different school of thought; a fascinating source of
wisdom. However, the Greek scholars accompanying
Alexander complained that understanding Indian
philosophy was like making mud flow through water.
The east was beginning to be perceived as different
and/or strange. The first seeds of 'otherness' were
sown.
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After the invasion of Alexander there was regular
trade between India and the Romans until 1-2 century
AD. With the decline of the Roman Empire direct
contacts between India and the west ended as the
trade stopped. Thereafter, India entered into the
realms of the myth… as rare Indian spices and
beautifully crafted Indian articles came on the caravan
of Arabic traders to the west.
The search for a sea route to India (to promote direct
trade with India primarily for spices) made India the
magnet of European explorers in the Middle Ages.
Explorations were followed by conquest as the
English, Dutch, Danes and the French colonised India.
In the 18th and the 19th, century India emerged as the
exotic 'other' to the European travellers. Travellers
returned with tales of the fabulous and the fantastic
east. There was very little information on the history
and heritage of the country. It was assumed that like
all other colonies India needed a civilising influence.
Tales of gilded domes, kings, sword swallowing
acrobats, peddlers of reincarnation, widows leaping
into the pyre caused gasps of amazement and
wonder. India was a glorious and glittering circus
-spectacular, exciting but unreal.
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The initial study of Indian history and cultural heritage
was done by the British. It is they, who pieced
together its past and weaved the image of modern
India. From a glorious circus they converted it into a
fascinating museum- full of tombs, temples,
sculptures, study of Hinduism etc.
The Heritage of India
For a foreign tourist the heritage of India can be
divided into the following categories.
• Great places to stay- Palace cum hotels,
houseboats, Clubs of the British era... These places
have become popular because of the nostalgia,
they evoke due to linkages with great kings,
legends, British history. This is one area where
heritage has been constructed to suit the needs of
tourists .E.g. Lake Palace Hotel (Udaipur), Taj Mahal
Intercontinental (Mumbai), House boats (Srinagar)
etc.
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• Places with Indo -European Flavour - Monuments
from the colonial past, primarily British. These
places seem to belong to a far off time and evoke
nostalgia. E.g. Victoria Memorial (Calcutta), Fernhill
Palace (Ooty), Hotel Metropole (Mysore) etc.
• Nostalgia of the Hippie movements: towns with
Tibetan influence, Goa etc. This town were the key
centres for the Hippie movement in the 70s:
symbolising escape from the western civilisation.
E.g. Goa, Dharmsala, countryside near Manali etc.
• Forts and Palaces: Primarily Rajput and Mughal
forts. With legends, personalities, architectural
splendour, the success of such places depend on
how easily the tourist relates to the myths
associated with this place. The Taj Mahal would not
have been so popular but for the love of the
emperor for his wife. E.g. Red Fort, Forts at
Jaiselmer, Chittorgarh etc.
• Deserted cities: Fatehpur Sikri, Hampi. These
places present a haunting reminder of the past. As
a centre of thriving empires, at one time they evoke
a nostalgia from the past; a relic of the progress of
human civilisation.
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• Interesting trips: toy trains, backwater boat rides,
Palace on wheels. They are interesting rides as well
as important representations of heritage. The
Palace On Wheels for example takes back the
tourist in maharaja's times where he indulges in the
vicarious pleasure of living like a maharaja
India Today
Today, there are broadly two images of India held by
the westerners. One of the image is grounded in a
fascination for a rich heritage, a profound
civilisation; whereas the other looks at India as a
place which is poor , inward looking etc. The Indian
reality probably lies in an integration of these two
images. But as far as the westerner is concerned, he
exists in one of these two mythical worlds - of India
being perceived as
1. The authentic other
2. The inauthentic other
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India - The Inauthentic Other
Held by a signification section of westerners, this
point of view holds that though ancient, Indian
civilisation has degenerated into a cultural cull de sac;
that India has made very little contribution to make to
the ongoing civilisation of humanity.
The Indian thought has been dominated by
imagination, a mode of knowing religion. This is
inferior to the rational civilisation of the west. It is this
imagination which has led to generation of myths and
superstitions as opposed to science and rationality of
the west. The west is forceful and masculine while the
east is passive and feminine.
The westerners harbouring this view refrain from
visiting India when one of the Indian cities Mumbai is
attacked on 26/11. Most of them never intend visiting
India- a land ruled by Hindu fundamentalists, poverty
etc.
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India-The Authentic Other
There is a segment in the west which has an idealistic
perception of India, once articulated most vehemently
by Carl Gustav Jung -
'India represents the other way of civilising man, the
way without suppression, without violence, without
rationalism'
This view believes that the intuitive, mystical and
symbolic Indian thinking may provide westerners with
access to that part of themselves that they have
'lost'. This view considers the internal spiritual factors
as decisive. It refuses to see the contradictions in
Indian thinking. This section of people often reacts
against secular materialism of west and seeks to
escape into the authentic 'other' world of Indian
spiritualism.
The Authentic ‘Other’ Country
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The search for the authentic ‘other’ has, broadly
speaking, attracted two kinds of tourists to India.
One of them derives a vicarious pleasure in trying to
identify the ‘authentic other’ from the staged
authenticities set up by tourism industry. He is merely
content in living in a make-belief world of his myths
about the country and refuses to see indicators and
realities which run contrary to his perceptions.
The other is a pilgrim in the real sense who explores
the various dimensions of the country in his bid to find
the ‘authentic’ other. It is this type of pilgrim which
stays in ashrams, attends yoga weeks and pursues a
serious study of the Indian philosophy.
In the Indian context, the search for the authentic
‘other’ has manifested itself
• in the lure of Indian mysticism (Tantrism)
• the drawing forces of Hinduism, Buddhism and New
Age movement
• The myths that surround the Himalayas, the Great
Indian Desert etc.
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The Lure of Indian Mysticism
Tantrism, considered repugnant by mainstream
Hindus, is a tradition that ran parallel to mainstream
Brahminism. It was probably derived from the fertility
cult of the indigenous people. The subject of Tantrism
introduces symbols, ideas and terms exotic to the
western minds. Labelled as pornography by some it
has also engendered strange fascination.
Tantrism is concerned with practical methods and
lays little stress on religious theories, easily
understood by the westerners. It focuses on Shiva
and Shakti; Shakti - the cosmic force which supports
the universe. The act of sexual intercourse is
symbolic union of Shiva-Shakti. The act of intercourse
is considered a yogic exercise which creates a mystic
sense of oneness. The nude female form is the
representation of the goddess. Spiritual progress is
achieved not by avoiding desires but by transforming
them.
The most influential exponent of Tantra among the
western people has been the Osho - Bhagwan
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Rajneesh. His view of sex and mysticism was a
deliberate combination of Tantrism and Jungism. His
interpretation of Tantrism along with a growing
awareness of Kundalini Yoga made for a formidable
combination of sensuality and spiritualism. This
contributed to his immense popularity in the west.
The philosophy of Rajneesh is monistic, which allows
for no evil. He accused Christian ministers of
preaching sin to make people feel guilty and inferior.
He was one of the most influential of the Indian Gurus.
His ashrams continue to be of great tourist interest
and a place of pilgrimage for the Oshoiites.
The Drawing Force of Hinduism
Hinduism has been compared by western scholars to
a jungle - whatever can grow in it grows. It has a
luxuriance of intellectual thought and practical ritual
that compares and contrasts at the same time. This
evokes exotic images in the eyes of the westerner.
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The spread of Hinduism in the west
In 1893, Vivekananda was one of the first Hindu
missionaries to the west. He established a Vedanta
society which had a lot of Christian converts.
However it was only in the 1960s that a widespread
section of the western society came in contact with
Hinduism. Pop musicians invited Indian gurus to
preach their teaching. The ideas of Krishna as a divine
lover and Shiva as an erotic yogi created exotic
images in the eyes of the westerners. These two
gods drew the largest following in the western
masses.
The great paradox of Shiva being both an ascetic and
yogi epitomised the very opposite of western ideas of
god. Shiva is a synthesis of contradictions. The two
aspects of Shaiviite teaching i.e. Yoga and Tantra
spread widely in the west. Krishna, on the other hand,
inspired the Bhakti movement and society of Krishna
consciousness.
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The growing popularity of yoga
The amazing feats of ascetics and yogic practises
narrated by the European travellers to India in the
nineteenth century led to the rise of Sanskrit
scholarship and Indian philosophical studies in the
universities of Europe. In the 1960s young people in
the west started looking up to yoga for mind-
expanding experiences.
The most influential of these movements was the
Transcendental meditation advocated by Mahesh
Yogi. It became very popular with the interest shown
by the Beatles. The Maharishi started the spiritual
regeneration movement and positioned himself as a
psychotherapist and not a Guru.
Yoga has found increasing acceptance as an applied
philosophy in the west. In addition, the increased
popularity of yoga has contributed to the successful
international yoga weeks and yoga spas in areas like
Rishikesh. These places have also become important
centres for study of Hinduism for western
tourists/pilgrims.
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Other Gurus
The Sanskrit scholar Prabhupada was the founder of
the movement of
Krishna consciousness abhorring tenets of western
materialism. The other movements of Sathya Sai
Baba, Swaninarayans also contributed to the
popularity of Hinduism in the west.
This led to increasing number of pilgrimages to holy
religious spots and ashrams of Gurus by believers and
tourists. The ashrams of gurus are important places
of tourist interest like Vrindavan (Hare Krishna
movement), Sai Baba Puttaparthi etc.
The lure of Hinduism has also led tourists to visit the
holy cities like
Varanasi, Haridwar. The temple towns like
Kanchipuram, Mahabalipuram also witness significant
tourist attention.
The new age movement
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As early as 1873, translations of Upanishads
influenced Madame Helena Blavatsky to find the
Theosophical society. This was the beginning of the
new age movement, a movement which tried to
incorporate the best from the East and the West. The
monistic ideas of the Upanishads came as an
intellectual boost to the philosophers of the new age
movement.
In 1893, Annie Besant travelled to India from Britain
leaving behind 'the husk of the outworn creed' for
something more genuine. She provided the stimulus
to the new age movement; as a reaction to the ideas
of western secular materialism. The new age
movement is based on the quest for spirituality as
opposed to religion.
Today, ancient Indian and Chinese thought are being
drawn into western philosophy. In 1991, 1/4 of the
westerners believed in reincarnation. 15% of the
population in Britain meditates which is more than the
one that goes to church regularly. All over the west
spiritual retreat centres are becoming important
destination for tourism and pilgrimage. The various
new age symbols like Yoga acupuncture; new age
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authors like Deepak Chopra are becoming
increasingly popular.
On the west coast of America, new age institutions,
radio stations are being set up. This movement has
led to a greater integration of the East and the West
and has contributed to renewed interest in the east in
a wide section of Westerners.
The Drawing Force of Buddhism
The life of Gautama has assumed a nature of a heroic
myth. His birth is likened to the rising of another sun.
The truth that Buddha awoke to was the law of life
that has existed since time immemorial. He travelled
the length and breadth of this country to preach his
message; areas that form the parts of the Buddhist
trail today.
Buddhism in Asia
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About hundred years after Buddha's death two main
streams of Buddhism developed and spread to South
Asia and East Asia.
Mahayana Buddhism travelled northward through the
Tibet, China, Korea and Japan. This happened over
two thousand years. The Mahayana, the greater
vehicle, stresses on the importance of leading all
people to enlightenment in daily life. It is Mahayana
form which has given Buddhism a world-wide appeal.
The Hinyana Buddhism holds strictly to original
doctrine and ritual. Buddha has been made a God to
be worshipped and favours asked to. The Hinyana
School was influenced by the native religion of the
lands it went to. Therefore it took various forms in the
various countries it went to. This school of teachings
spread south, through Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand.
After about thousand years Buddhism began to be
dogged by ritual and dogma and lost its freshness
and vigour. In India, it was gradually assimilated in
Hinduism to be rediscovered by the British; in the
nineteenth century, with the help of accounts of
Chinese travellers - Fa Hein and Huen Tsang.
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The appeal of Buddhism in the west
Buddhism is an apt solution to the flaws of western
secular materialism and an attractive alternative to
the metaphysical dogmas of Christianity. The form of
Buddhism that is popular in the west is the Mahayana
form. The Mahayana form is based on rationality that
teaches man to free himself from suffering if he
believes in his own Buddhist nature.
The appeal of Buddhism lies in its attack against the
religious systems that inculcate fear and guilt.
• Emphasis on experience: Buddhism takes
experience as the starting point. There are no
prerequisites of metaphysical beliefs. It emphasises
on suffering and the end of suffering, which can be
known from self-experience. This emphasis on self-
experience makes it appealing to the individual in
the west.
• Rationality: The Mahayana school recognises no
divinity or authority, whether religious or political. . It
asks for action only when something makes sense.
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This is in strong contrast to the strong emphasis on
divinity, faith and belief in Christianity.
• Practicality: the religion recommends a diagnosis to
end suffering which depends on the practitioner to
follow or reject .There is no concept of damnation
or sin. This emphasis on choice as an alternative to
blind belief or faith in Christianity has made a
modern religion.
An interesting aspect of tourism in India concerned
with Buddhism is that a majority of the international
tourists it attracts come from Asia-Pacific and Sri
Lanka. The countries of Asia Pacific especially Japan
are a growing market for India. A substantial number
of tourists from Sri Lanka, which is the third most
important market, are drawn by Buddhism.
The tourist attractions which concern themselves with
Buddhism are divided into two categories:
• The Buddhist trail: concerning holy spots relating to
Buddha's life and important monuments. These
spots attract pilgrims/tourists from Asia-Pacific and
Sri Lanka.
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• The rub of Buddhism: these spots bank upon the
lure of Buddhism enmeshed with other myths.
Buddhism forms a background for other myths such
as the story of Shangri La (covered in Himalayas
and Tourism). The emerging destinations in these
areas are Ladakh and Sikkim.
Himalayas and Tourism
Himalayas have possessed a mythic status for people
of India. Most Indians except those who live in
mountains do not have a strong geographical
conception of the mountains.
The Himalayas tend to be mythical rather than actual
mountains.
The concept of Himalayas is based on legends and
myths of the Hindu tradition. Himalayas are home to
the holiest of shrines and the spots in the Hindu
mythology. A pilgrimage to the abode of Gods is a
regular feature of Hindu Bhakti tradition.
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To the west, the same region is influenced to by the
currency of the new myth, articulated in recent times
by the novel of James Hilton- the Lost Horizon.
The novel is built around the fantasy of a paradise in
the Tibetan plateau beyond world's highest mountains
- Shangri La, a valley of the blue moon. The Shangri La
relocated itself - to Tibet, Nepal, Ladakh and Bhutan-
as tourists came in droves, driven by the myth. As the
sanctity of each Forbidden City was violated by mass
tourism, the fantasy moved from a sacred place to
utopia or from 'a symbolic concentration' to ' a
geographic abstraction'
The tale at a profound level is the author's reaction to
the shortcomings of the western civilisation. It is a tale
of liberation from the thrall of time and western
materialism. Life at Shangri La is extraordinarily long;
none of its inhabitants hurries or exerts pressure on
fellow beings. Life proceeds in the pursuit of aesthetic
and intellectual pursuits with no conflict and
competition. By association, the popular western
conception of the countries in the Himalayan region is
of romantic, mystic realms and this image is
perpetuated in literature and promotion of tourism.
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To quote a young Frenchman -
“Ladakh is the last place where you can see what
Tibet must have been ..... If you felt anything in these
hours we have been together; any intensity, any trust,
think that it was not just from me or from us, but from
Ladakh.\"
The extent to which a Himalayan region remains a
reminiscent of Shangri La depends on the retention of
unchanged elements of the lost Tibetan authenticity.
This aspect was capitalised upon by the tourism
department of Nepal to promote itself since 70s.
Today, the government of Bhutan has gone to great
extent to preserve the myth of the Shangri La. It has
done so by restricting development, making people
wear national costume on prescribed occasions,
banning television and restricting entry to the very
rich.
Trekking through the Himalayan region and walks are
not only important for their scenic beauty but also
constitute small explorations in search for the
authentic other.
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The Desert and The Sea
The desert and tourism
The magnetic fascination for the deserts in some
segments of the western society lies in great empty
spaces - the ultimate in escape from the western
society .The lure of the desert also stems from the
mythical structures created in the western mind in
their contact with Arabian people and their literature.
The gossip of the desert was magic, with tales of
blood and feuds. It was promoted by the spread of
the tales of the Arabian nights-of Ali Baba and forty
thieves etc.-and works of Omar Khayyam and others.
The tale of the Great Indian Desert
The myth of the Thar is linked intricately to Rajputs-
their valour, battles for honour, the majestic palaces
and the impregnable forts. It is similar to the magic
evoked by tales of the Arabian Desert - of kings dying
for honour, of wealthy maharajas with many wives, of
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women throwing themselves to Johar, the legend of
Padmavati. And the myth lives on; consumed by the
tourists in the form of travelling on the palace of
wheels, in consumption of heritage at increasingly
popular heritage hotels and palace-cum-hotels. The
MacCanell's tourist finds in these an authentic
another- full of virtue, grandeur, and honour and
heritage.
The camel safari, for example, in the desert with
forts, ruins, deserted villages, fertile oasis exercises a
magical spell on the tourist- the ultimate in space
from the western civilisation. The desert festival at
Jaiselmer and the camel fair at Pushkar are events
which add revelry, enthusiasm and colour to an
already romantic mythical structures -created by the
Rajput valour and the emptiness of the desert.
Heritage of the Rajputanas
The success of painted havelis in Shekawati, of
heritage hotels and palace on wheels indicates a very
lucrative market for heritage tourism in Rajasthan: the
success of which in the future will depend upon the
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interpretation of history to suit the needs of changing
times and the tastes of tourists. It is essential to build
on the mythical structures in the tourist’s mind and
stage authenticities like fairs, heritage sites etc.
Desert will forever remain an ultimate in escape; and
heritage, if constructed and staged in a relevant
fashion will interweave with it to become a formidable
attraction. Heritage when weaved with desert gives a
meaning to the empty desert. This allows the tourist
to escape into an authentic ‘other’ world where time
moves slowly, people die for honour, and the culture
is full of liveliness, simplicity and honesty.
The Sea and Tourism
For centuries, the sea has fascinated human beings.
The coastlines have represented the fringe between
the known and the frighteningly unknown.
The Romans were the first ones to build villas by the
sea. However, the seaside as a tourist destination is
comparatively modern. In the eighteenth century, the
seaside was first promoted, in England, as a place for
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recuperation. Today, it has become a place of
relaxation, fun and idleness.
The beach: Margins of experience
Beaches are marginal littoral strips; of neither land nor
the sea. They are margins of experience. This
marginality is not only geographical but also social
and physiological. Therefore as society changes so
does the meaning and use of the beach...
In the Victorian age, it was a place of flesh and bodily
exposure, rarely tolerated elsewhere. Today it has a
different kind of marginality associated with it. Some
beaches offer a sanctioned ‘escape route’ and
regression into childhood for the adults; as adults play
child games and eat child foods. Other beaches
provide opportunities for the young to pass through
passages of rites; without the presence of younger
and older generation.
The scenario in India
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The conventional sun-sand -sea resort (primarily
located in the Mediterranean and tropical islands) has
witnessed a decrease in tourist traffic due to
overcrowding and an increasing preference for other
forms of tourism by western tourists. There is an
increasing section of western tourists which is
looking for a resort with sun-sand -sea and a flavour /
meaning attached to it .It is this category of tourists
which is attracted to seaside resorts in India .
In India, a few good beaches attract tourists who
come for leisure travel. The beaches in India are
roughly divided into few categories:
Beaches with Indo-European flavour: Found in Goa, Diu etc.
these beaches attract tourists looking for a good
beach and those who wish to revisit their past. They
have an Indo – European flavour, which evokes
nostalgia in a European tourists’ mind.
A conventional sun- sand- sea resort: These beaches are typical
resorts with a local cultural flavour thrown in to add to
the attraction like Kovalam, Gopalpur-on-sea,
Ahmedpur Mandvi etc. The primary attraction of these
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centres is the relatively un-crowded beach woven
with the excitement of a different culture...
Beaches and religion: These beaches become the epitome
of escape from the western secular materialism. This
attracts the MacCannell’s tourist. They combine the
familiarity of beach experience with the lure of
religion. They are also good attractions for domestic
tourist, who lured by religion, also happen to visit the
beach .These include locations like Puri, Konark,
Mahabalipuram etc.
The Island
The islands are characterised by their smallness and
insularity. The islands are not only geographical
identities, they are is-lands; locations of the present
freed from the concerns of the future. In doing so they
represent an escape in which time stands still and
future looks far away.
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Most islands have limited tourism resources. The
island ,as a tourist attraction, lacks diversity .It
depends overwhelmingly on sun, sand and the sea
often with an additional attraction thrown in to
differentiate it from an another island .
The Indian scenario
The islands with an enormous tourist potential are the
Andamans and the Nicobar islands. These islands
represent the epitome of escape- far away from the
mainland and civilisation. Besides, the beaches of
Andamans and Nicobar islands have an attractive
Caribbean flavour: white coral sand, gin clear water
and multi-coloured fish and coral.
Indian Heritage & Events
Heritage and history
Heritage and history are social constructs. Any age
can reassemble and rearrange the inheritance of
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people and places. They are truths that are held to be
known about the past. However, the past is subject to
interpretations and heritage is a three-way
relationship between a site, its presenter and
audience. Heritage therefore needs to be realigned to
the needs of the times, to the taste of the present
audience. A relevant realignment of heritage to the
trends of the recent times creates a successful tourist
attraction.
The telling of history involves a conveyance of
untruths. The act of interpretation changes it. The
heritage of the Ram, for example, manifested in the
interpretation of the concept of Ram Rajya is a part of
reactionary revivalism, for a generation of Indians who
feel imaginatively deprived in the present
The development of Disneyland, which led to
production of history and manufacture of heritage, is
an important lesson in understanding the perception
and marketing of heritage. The Disney spectacle is a
themed and montage display of simulations and hyper
reality; to a point where truth and fiction become
indistinguishable.
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In Britain, a new development in heritage called
industrial heritage has emerged. This concept
celebrates the industrial sites, mining sites etc.
Ironbridge, the foundation of industrial revolution, has
become an important heritage site. Other heritage
sites like deserted soviet army bases, Spanish castles
cum hotels, secret armaments factory are becoming
popular. In India heritage is being staged through the
development of heritage hotels, heritage festivals,
Palace on wheels, etc. India offers tremendous
opportunity for development and staging of heritage.
The success of Disneyland has an important lesson. It
indicates that plural interpretations of heritage will
become commonplace. The scope for multiple truths
will continue to widen.
Special events
Special events (festivals, sport and cultural events)
have deep cultural meanings and involve unique
behaviours. Licence and revelry are closely
associated with events. Attendance at events is a
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leisure experience that is freely chosen for its intrinsic
rewards.
Events have to compete with various attractions and
activities; hence events can be packaged and
substituted. The strong competitive advantage of
events is the social benefit of attending ‘in groups’.
Events are participative in nature. Hence, their
success to some extent depends upon the
participants. Thus what people bring to the events is
as important as what they find there. Special events
are characterised by their uniqueness, atmosphere
and quality.
All over the world various events –rooted in ancient
and modern heritage have been a big tourist draw.
Some events like the Olympic Games, Soccer world
cup etc. provide excellent opportunity to the host
state to boost tourism and construct and stage
heritage. Various events rooted in the past still
continue to be major draws for their uniqueness and
atmosphere like the Spanish bullfights.
Indian Events – an embarrassment of riches.
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Indian events range from the modern to the ancient.
They fulfil various purposes from recreation to
religion. Most of the heritage fairs are rooted in the
religious tradition or meant to be a market for
business. Basically, the Indian events can be
classified in a few categories:
The modern festivals – the republic day parade,
Independence Day etc. These provide ample
opportunities for staged authenticities. The various
Jhankis of states for example are representations of
states and their heritage.The religious festivals - the
car festival (Puri), the festival of gods (Kulu), Dusshera
(Mysore), and the Kumbh melas provide opportunities
for domestic tourists to indulge in a religious activity
.These festivals attract the MacCanell’s tourists: the
Heritage festivals – snake boat race (Alappuzha),
desert festival (Jaiselmer), camel fair (Pushkar) etc.
Many of these festivals are rooted in tradition and are
a tremendous draw for the foreign tourist. Many of
these like the Jhansi Mahotsav (Jhansi) or the festival
of Lucknow are staged versions of authenticities
constructed by the tourism departments.
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There is an enormous opportunity for staging
authenticity and interpreting heritage through events.
Events are gradually becoming very important in
itineraries of the tourists. Due to their strong
participative nature and social exuberance they are a
unique attraction.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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1. Chasing the Indian monsoon - Alexander Frater.
2. Critical issues in tourism - Gareth Shaw and Alan M.
Williams.
3. Encyclopaedia of hospitality in tourism - Michael
Olsen and Mahmood Khan.
4. Hinduism in Great Britain - Edited by Richard
Burghart.
5. Hospitality and travel marketing - Alastair Morrison
6. India file - Trevor Fishcock
7. Marketing tourism places- Edited by Gregory
Ashworth and Brian Goodall.
8. Northern India and Southern India - Nelles Verg
9. Portrait of India - Ved Mehta
10.The business of tourism - J. Christopher Holloway.
11.The desert and the sown-Gertrude Bell
12.The development and marketing of visitor
attractions- John Swarbrooke.
13.The spirit of Hinduism - David Burnett
14.The theory and practise of tourism- Keith
Waterhouse.
15.The tourist business- Donald E. Lundberg
16.The tourist experience- Edited by Chris Ryan
17.The tourist image - Edited by Tom Selwyn
18.Travel industry yearbook- Somerset R. Waters
19.Tourism, principles and practise- Chris Cooper, J.
Fletcher, D. Gilbert and S. Wanhill.
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20.Tourism today : A geographical analysis- Douglas
Pearce
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