South Asian heritage tourism!

1. South Asian Heritage
Tourism
Conflict, colonialism & Cooperation
Nayeem Uddin
Id – 17
9th Batch

2. Introduction
• Indian subcontinent, also known as Greater India.
• More accepted nomenclature among other south Asian countries.
• No clear geographical boundary between South Asia and other Asian
regions.
• Second poorest region according to UNDP 2006 in terms of GNP.
• Combined gross national income (GNI) is 2.14% and population
growth rate is 1.7% Annually.
• The region is mainly shaped by religion and politics.
• Hinduism and Buddhism are rooted here.
• Hinduism is worlds oldest & third largest religion which history can
be traced back to approximately 5000 BCE, was first practiced here.
• Buddhism, founded more than 2500 years ago and exported to
other parts of the world.

3. • Shaped by colonialism. British, French and Dutch colonial rule
left behind a cultural and historical legacy.
• Rich and varied cultural heritage includes temples,
monasteries, monuments, forts. Tombs, palace and a thriving
and ever changing living culture.
• South Asian association for Regional Cooperation's (SAARC)
encompasses Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India,
Maldives, Nepal & Sri Lanka.
• 49 UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites (WHS), 27 in India, 7 in Sri
Lanka, 6 in Pakistan, 4 in Nepal 3 in Bangladesh, 2 in
Afghanistan and no WHS in Bhutan or Maldives. 36 are
cultural and rest are natural.
Introduction(Cont.)

4. Religious and Political
Legacies
Religion
• Hinduism dominates mostly in India and Nepal.
• Buddhism is major religion in Sri Lanka and Bhutan.
• Islam is dominant in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives & Afghanistan.
• Christianity introduced by European merchants and traders.
Regional Politics
• India, Pakistan and Bangladesh were under British rule.
• In 1947, British India divided in Hindustan & Pakistan.
• In 1971, east Pakistan separated from Pakistan as Bangladesh.
Colonization
• British, Portuguese and French rule.
• Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh were colonized by great Britain.
• Nepal & Bhutan were never colonized by Europeans.

5. Heritage & Tourism in South
Asian Countries
Afghanistan
• Tourism industry suffered the most because of civil wars and external
invasions.
• In 1919, won independence from the British. In 1996, civil war erupted &
Afghanistan fell under the extremist Taliban leaders.
• Have been able to draw tourist since the day of the Silk Road.
• Tourism begun a slow recovery since 2001, with adventure tour from
Europe.
Pakistan
• Has been unsuccessful in tourism despite of natural & cultural resource
potential.
• Mount K2, The Indus Valley ruins, Arabian sea beaches, historic forts.
• Traveling to Pakistan from neighboring country has been difficult.
• Most of the tourist are from India, Visiting friends and family.
• In 2007, faces a 606 percent decrease in tourist from previous year.

6. Bangladesh
• Home the world largest mangrove forest & Royal Bengal Tiger.
• Holds tremendous potential for ecotourism and beach.
• Natural calamity affects international arrivals.
• Established national tourism policy in 1992.
• In early 1990s, international tourist arrival begun to increase.
• Planned development of tourism depended on socioeconomic
conditions of the country.
Sri Lanka
• In 1970s, economic reforms & tourism strategy by government make
it attractive to international tourist.
• By 1992, tourism increased at an average rate of 22% annually.
• In 2004, a large tsunami devastated Sri Lanka’s tourism
infrastructures and many tourist and locals lost their lives.
Heritage & Tourism in South Asian
Countries (cont.)

7. Maldives
• Till 1972, Maldives was not a popular destination among
international tourist.
• Regions smallest country, economically dependent on tourism.
• 30 percent of countries GDP & 40% of total tax revenue comes
from tourism industry.
India
• Largest & most populous country in the region.
• Diverse history, geography and cultural landscapes.
• In 1958, ministry of tourism was created.
• Declared 2000 as the Explore India Millennium & launch
Incredible India campaign in 2002.
• Impacted by sporadic religious, political violence, Poor image.
Heritage & Tourism in South Asian
Countries (cont.)

8. Nepal
• Was ruled by an autocratic regime till 1951.
• 4% of country's GDP generates for tourism sector.
• Most tourist vising Nepal are from Asia, about 51.9%.
• Growth of tourism was interrupted in the early 2000s.
• Nepal's tourism is going through a fast recovery.
Bhutan
• Unique tourism industry with high yield and low impact.
• Tourism is the largest foreign exchange earner and the largest
revenue generator.
• Travellers can only undertake package tour, for which
government charges a minimum $200 day tariff for a person.
• Gross National Happiness (GNP)
Heritage & Tourism in South Asian
Countries (cont.)

9. More Information
• South Asia is experiencing one of the highest average annual
growth rates of arrivals in recent years.
• Indians do not require travel documents to visit Nepal, Bhutan
or Bangladesh and vice versa.
• Domestic and intraregional tourism in south Asia is still
predominantly for pilgrimage rather than for leisure.
• Other forms of heritage attractions that are even more varied
and unique to the region are living cultures.
• Participation in religious events and heritage sites is increasing
in South Asia.
Heritage & Tourism in South Asian
Countries (cont.)

10. Heritage & Tourism Issues
• South Asia only receives 1% of the 846 million international
trips from the worlds international tourist market.
• Fro people struggling to survive, heritage conservation is not a
high priority.
• South Asia is one of the most fragile regions because of
domestic political unrest and conflicts with neighbouring
countries.
• Many heritage sites are surrounded by those for home these
sites have little meaning.
• As of 24 June 2008. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal & Sri Lanka
were in the US state departments travel warning list.
• Internationalization of heritage through external forces such
as globalization.

11. • Conversion of local and national heritage into global heritage.
• Sometimes, tourism products ignore the unique
characteristics of the destination & replace them with the
image as conceived by Western tourist.
• Heritage belongings to several groups results in congested
meanings and conflicts.
• Important heritage sites are ignore by the locals.
• Major issue faced by South Asian countries is the lack of local
community involvement in heritage conservation.
Heritage & Tourism Issues
(cont.)

12. Opportunities
Economic Opportunities
• Cultural heritage tourism market is one of the fastest growing
sectors within the tourism industry.
• Tourism is consumed at the point of production.
• Visits to heritage & cultural settings generate employment &
income for communities.
• Tourism provide flexible & par time job opportunities.
• Unique source of employment in the countries that have high
populations & low levels of literacy.
• The infrastructures required by tourism benefits all all sectors
of the society.

13. Other Opportunities
• Increase cross border and cultural understanding among
tourist and destination communities.
• India & Pakistan launched a train service between two
countries allowing the first people-to-people contact.
• SAARC established with seven countries and includes
Afghanistan in 2001.
• SAARC declared the year 2005 “South Asia Tourism Year.”
Opportunities (cont.)

14. Conclusions
• Heritage tourism is an important economic development tool
for South Asia.
• Some of the cultural heritage of South Asia were destroyed for
different reasons.
• South Asia in inherently very rich in cultural & ethnic diversity,
which has unfortunately been a source of religious and ethnic
conflict.
• The region needs to upgrade its tourism amenities to draw
more attention of the international tourist.
• The government and the tourism industry of this region must
work together to plan and promote sustainable cultural &
heritage tourism.