A Golden Opportunity Squandered

I was reading an article in the Indian Express dated 20/01/2014, on how the Hampi Cultural Festival at Karnataka ended up in a complete disaster and a no-show. The festival organized by the government to promote the cultural heritage and tourism in Hampi could-not take-off at the scheduled time due to lack of audience and it could only begin when people were randomly picked up and forced to fill the empty chairs. The remaining days of the festival were an equal failure. This incident gains significance as it indicates our dismal track record in promoting tourism in our country.

It is a matter of fact and not exaggeration that India is the most unique country in the world in terms of its diversity in various spheres, be it geographical, seasonal, regional, religious, cultural, historical or spiritual. In my opinion, no country in the world has such tremendous potential for developing tourism as an industry as India has. We have all the raw materials in place and extremely favorable natural endowments. With not much genuinely focused and dedicated effort, we can reap the sweet fruits of these favourable conditions and in the process create huge earnings from the development of tourism industry. Unfortunately, this message has hitherto not reached those who are in-charge.

The efforts put-in by the central as well as state governments towards conserving our natural heritage and leveraging it to portray India as a major tourist attraction, have been lackadaisical to say the least. All the governments till date have failed to recognise the tremendous potential that this industry has in store for us. Or might we say that they are too busy with other “important affairs” that they neither have the time nor the inclination to pay attention to this triviality? Whatever the case, a golden opportunity is being squandered here and there is an urgent requirement for course correction.

The path is clearly laid out and fairly easy to follow. It only requires a sincere initiative and sustained support from the government. As is clear from the drastic failure of the Hampi festival, the government should not attempt to control and administer things in this sector. On the contrary, this is the most apt example of an area where it needs to act as a facilitator. Incentives need to be provided to the private sector to contribute towards the growth and development of this industry. New and creative initiatives need to be promoted. The archaeological, cultural and ecological institutes need to be encouraged and supported on a war footing. Preservation of monuments, cultural and heritage sites, ecological parks, etc. needs to be given the utmost priority. The cleanliness and maintenance of the tourist spots needs to be ensured.

Despite all this, all the efforts might still go in vain if another major factor is overlooked. For any destination to become a major tourist attraction, the foremost requirement is the presence of a conducive law and order environment. People need to feel safe in residing and travelling in their surroundings. This is an area where India scores extremely poorly. Maintaining law and order is, otherwise also, the first and the foremost function of any government. It will do a great service to its citizens if it performs this pivotal role efficiently and effectively.

This, in no way means, that we as citizens of this gifted nation have absolutely no responsibilities. The rich heritage handed down to us by our ancestors is our utmost treasure and should be treated and preserved in a befitting manner. The careless and callous attitude, with which we treat our surroundings, defiling and dirtying it with no qualms whatsoever, leaves a lot to be desired. Indian citizens have always been renowned for their hospitality, but the blatant fleecing of tourists and the increasing crime against women (including foreign nationals), are dangerous and growing trends and need to be dealt with appropriately.

It is not too late even now, for all of us to rise from our slumber and make a joint and concerted effort in helping our nation regain its rightful place in the world. Let us all take a pledge that we, as individuals, shall not turn a blind eye to our responsibilities and do whatever we can in our individual capacities, to fulfill our duties as responsible and worthy citizens of this nation.