Rural Tourism : Need, Scope and Challenges in Indian Context

Rural Tourism exhorts tourists to spend quality time in a nuanced fashion by engaging them in different ethnic, indigenous and aesthetic practices in rural areas. The stresses generating from urban life and the detachment and distance from natural environment occasionally provoke the urbanites to escape from their monoculture city life. In such case, rural locations seem to be an ideal place to release stress and also provide an opportunity to be re-engaged in a simpler way of life that offers rest and absolute peace for a certain period of time. Not only that, such form of tourism is widely acknowledged because it can shape up rural society by bringing benefit both in monetary and social terms. Although the concept is relatively new one and has both positive and negative impacts, it has gained immense importance around the world in recent time. A large population in India, staying in rural areas, are still primarily dependent on traditional age old practice i.e. cultivation. But the profit, generating from agriculture is falling down day by day and these villagers are lacking sufficient alternative job scope. This situation is enforcing them to settle down in nearby urban localities in search of better income and better livelihood. If the rural India can be re-developed, rejuvenated and promoted as tourist spots, these villagers will obviously get adequate number of alternative job scope that can possibly reduce the tendency of leaving native villages and in such way the socio-economic condition of rural India can also be improved. In India, Rural Tourism is still an emerging concept and the sector is quite open and untouched for marketing. Now, thrust will be to promote village tourism as the primary tourism product to gain maximum socio-economic benefits from it .In this connection, we need to understand the rural setting, people, social, political and environmental background, local sentiments etc. of any place. In addition, we have to work out an effective plan that will involve the rural people in such form of tourism that can enhance their economic condition towards a positive direction. Marketers and entrepreneurs have already realized the scope and market opportunity and have adopted many effective strategies both for the short-term profits and its success in the long run. But they are also facing a number of challenges while marketing and promoting Rural Tourism. These challenges have to be overcome in coming future to get maximum benefits from Rural Tourism. This paper has highlighted the need, scope and marketing strategy for Rural Tourism in the Indian context. At the end, we have also discussed some of the issues and challenges of Rural Tourism and have suggested few solutions