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Tourism-
Policies and Schemes
National Tourism Policy
In order to develop tourism in India in a systematic
manner, position it as a major engine of economic
growth and to harness its direct and multiplier
effects for employment and poverty eradication
in an environmentally sustainable manner, the
National Tourism Policy was formulated in the
year 2002. Broadly, the “Policy” attempts
to:-
- Position tourism as a major engine of economic
growth;
- Harness the direct and multiplier effects
of tourism for employment generation, economic
development and providing impetus to rural tourism;
- Focus on domestic tourism as a major driver
of tourism growth.
- Position India as a global brand to take advantage
of the burgeoning global travel trade and the
vast untapped potential of India as a destination;
- Acknowledges the critical role of private
sector with government working as a pro-active
facilitator and catalyst;
- Create and develop integrated tourism circuits
based on India’s unique civilization, heritage,
and culture in partnership with States, private
sector and other agencies; and
- Ensure that the tourist to India gets physically
invigorated, mentally rejuvenated, culturally
enriched, spiritually elevated and “feel
India from within”.
Full
text of the policy
Scheme for Product/Infrastructure and Destination
Development
The focus under this scheme is on improving the
existing products and developing new tourism products
to world class standards. For infrastructure and
product development, the Ministry of Tourism has
been providing Central Financial Assistance to
the State Governments during the 9th Five Year
Plan which resulted in strengthening of the infrastructure
and product development in the country. The scheme
has been restructured during the 10th Five Year
Plan to meet the present day infrastructure requirements.
The past experience had been that a large number
of small projects had been funded under the Scheme,
spreading the resources very thinly, which at
times had not created the desired impact. The
focus in the Tenth Plan has been to fund large
projects of infrastructure or product development
in an integrated manner.
Under the revised scheme, the destinations are
carefully selected based on the tourism potential.
Master planning of these destinations is undertaken
so as to develop them in an integrated holistic
manner. The master plan is suppose to tie up all
backward and forward linkages, including environmental
considerations. Realizing the importance of destination
development, the total outlay for this sector
has been increased substantially. Important tourist
destinations in each State, in consultation with
the State Governments, are taken up for development.
This include activities ranging from preparation
of master plans to implementation of the master
plans. The destinations are selected in consultation
with the State/UT Governments.
Full
text of the policy
Scheme for Integrated Development of Tourist
Circuits
Under this Central Financial Assistance scheme
the Ministry of Tourism Government of India has
been extending assistance to States for development
of tourism infrastructure. Experience has shown
that in the past funds under the CFA have been
used to fund a large number of small isolated
projects, spread throughout the length and breadth
of the country resulting in the resources being
spread very thinly. Therefore, in order to provide
quick and substantial impact, during the 10th
Five Year Plan, this new scheme of Integrated
Development of Tourist Circuits have been taken
up. The objective of the scheme is to identify
tourist circuits in the country on an annual basis,
and develop them to international standards. The
aim is to provide all infrastructure facilities
required by the tourists within these circuits.
The Ministry of Tourism aim at convergence of
resources and expertise through coordinated action
with States/UTs and private sector.
Full
text of the policy
Scheme of Assistance for Large Revenue Generating
Projects
It is recognized that the development of tourism
infrastructure projects requires very large investment
that may not be possible out of the budgetary
resources of the Government of India alone. In
order to remove these shortcomings and to bring
in private sector, corporate and institutional
resources as well as techno-managerial efficiencies,
it is proposed to promote large revenue generating
projects for development of tourism infrastructure
in public private partnerships and in partnerships
with other Government / Semi-Government agencies.
Large revenue generating project, which can be
admissible for assistance under this scheme, should
be a project, which is also a tourist attraction,
or used by tourists and generates revenue through
a levy of fee or user charges on the visitors.
Projects like Tourist trains, Cruise vessels,
Cruise Terminals, Convention Centres, Golf Courses
etc. would qualify for assistance. However, this
is only an illustrative list.
Hotel & Restaurant component will not be
eligible for assistance under the scheme either
on a stand-alone basis or as an integral part
of some other project. Besides hotel & restaurants,
procurement of vehicles and sports facilities
like stadiums will also not be eligible for assistance
under the scheme.
Full
text of the policy
Scheme for Rural Tourism
Tourism growth potential can be harnessed as
a strategy for Rural Development. The development
of a strong platform around the concept of Rural
tourism is definitely useful for a country like
India, where almost 74% of the population resides
in its 7 million villages. Across the world the
trends of industrialization and development have
had an urban centric approach. Alongside, the
stresses of urban lifestyles have led to a “counter-urbanization”
syndrome. This has led to growing interest in
the rural areas. At the same time this trend of
urbanization has led to falling income levels,
lesser job opportunities in the rural areas leading
to an urbanization syndrome in the rural areas.
Rural Tourism is one of the few activities which
can provide a solution to these problems. Besides,
there are other factors which are shifting the
trend towards rural tourism like increasing levels
of awareness, growing interest in heritage and
culture and improved accessibility, and environmental
consciousness. In the developed countries, this
has resulted in a new style of tourism of visiting
village settings to experience and live a relaxed
and healthy lifestyle. This concept has taken
the shape of a formal kind of Rural Tourism. Under
this Scheme, thrust is to promote village tourism
as the primary tourism product to spread tourism
and its socio-economic benefits to rural and its
new geographic regions. Key geographic regions
are identified for development and promotion of
Rural Tourism. The implementation is done through
a Convergence Committee headed by the District
Collector. Activities like improving the environment,
hygiene, infrastructure etc. are covered for assistance.
Apart from providing financial assistance, the
focus is to tap the resources available under
different schemes of Department. of Rural Development,
State Governments and other concerned Departments
of the Government of India.
Full
text of the policy
Scheme for Support to Public Private Partnerships
in Infrastructure (Viability Gap Funding)
Development of infrastructure require large
investments that cannot be undertaken out of public
financing alone. Thus, in order to attract private
capital as well as techno-managerial efficiencies
associated with it, the government is committed
to promoting Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
in infrastructure development. This scheme has
been put into effect for providing financial support
to bridge the viability gap of infrastructure
projects undertaken through Public Private Partnerships.
Full
text of the policy
Scheme for Market Development Assistance (MDA)
The Marketing Development Assistance Scheme (MDA),
administered by the Ministry of Tourism, Government
of India, provides financial support to approved
tourism service providers (i.e. hoteliers, travel
agents, tour operators, tourist transport operators
etc., whose turnover include foreign exchange
earnings also) for undertaking the following tourism
promotional activities abroad:
(a) Sales-cum-study tour
(b) Participation in fairs/exhibitions
(c) Publicity through printed material
Full
text of the policy
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