Thursday 29 December 2011

REPORT OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE ON TOURISM


India Tourism has been a major social phenomenon of the societies all along. It is motivated by the natural urge of every human being for new experience, adventure, education and entertainment. The motivations for tourism also include social, religious and business interests. The spread of education has fostered a desire to know more about different parts of the globe. The basic human thirst for new experience and knowledge has become stronger, as technological advances are overcoming communication barriers. Progress in air transport and development of tourist facilities have encouraged people to venture out to the foreign lands.
India Tourism’s importance, as an instrument for economic development and employment generation, particularly in remote and backward areas, has been well recognized the world over. It is the largest service industry globally in terms of gross revenue as well as foreign exchange earnings. Tourism can play an important and effective role in achieving the growth with equity objectives, which we have set for ourselves. Tourism is one economic sector in India that has the potential to grow at a high rate and can ensure consequential development of the infrastructure at the destinations. It has the capacity to capitalize on the country’s success in the services sector and provide sustainable models of growth.
India Tourism has the potential to stimulate other economic sectors through its backward and forward linkages and cross-sectoral synergies with sectors like agriculture, horticulture, poultry, handicrafts, transport, construction, etc. Expenditure on tourism induces a chain of transactions requiring supply of goods and services from these related sectors. The consumption demand, emanating from tourist expenditure, also induces more employment and generates a multiplier effect on the economy. As a result, additional income and employment opportunities are generated through such linkages. Thus, the expansion of the tourism sector can lead to large-scale employment generation and poverty alleviation. The economic benefits that flow into the economy through growth of tourism in the shape of increased national and State revenues, business receipts, employment, wages and salary, buoyancy in Central, State and local tax receipts can contribute towards overall socio-economic improvement and accelerated growth in the economy.
India Tourism has also become an instrument for sustainable human development including:
  • Poverty elimination.
  • Environmental regeneration.
  • Job creation.
  • Advancement of women and other disadvantaged groups
India Tourism is overwhelmingly an industry of private sector service providers, although the public sector has a significant role to play in infrastructure areas either directly or through Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode. It is a multi-sectoral activity characterized by multiple services provided by a range of suppliers. It is quite similar to manufacturing industry, where the supply chain is as important as the end product. The related sectors include airlines, surface transport, hotels, basic infrastructure and facilitation systems, etc. Thus, the growth of tourism cannot be attained unless the issues related to all the related sectors are addressed simultaneously.

Thursday 1 December 2011

The Taj Mahal: One of The Most Beautiful Architectural Creation of a Love Story


They set stone flowers in the marble. That by their color, if not their perfume, surpasses real flowers. ---Abu Talib Kalim 


If a visit to India is a crown, missing the Taj is as good as missing the crown's finest jewel!

The Taj Mahal is the culmination of architectural achievements of India under the Mughal rule. Arguably the finest piece of architecture in the medieval world, the Taj Mahal is a mausoleum built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan over the tomb of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. Starting from 1632 it took about 20 years to take shape, in the hands of 20,000 of the known world's finest craftsmen.

The Mughal sovereign had several wives, but Mumtaz Mahal was his favorite and most beloved. His companion and confidant on royal matters, she died while giving birth to a daughter. The bereaved emperor wanted to commemorate their love in the form of a stone architecture that will have no parallel in the whole world. He summoned the best brains from far reaches of his expansive empire and beyond to create the incomparable marvel. The Mughal period had seen the creation of brilliant architectural wonders, the Agra Fort, The Red Fort, The Fatehpur Sikri, to name just a few, but nothing compares to the sublime beauty of the Taj Mahal. Created out of the very best quality marble, the pristine white monument when seen against the backdrop of the moonlit sky seems like dream.

The Taj Mahal was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1983 and named among the new Seven Wonders of the World. The masterpiece attracts close to 30 million visitors annually of which more than 200,000 tourists from abroad. One visit to the monument and the experience haunts you for the rest of your life.

The Taj Mahal is in the city of Agra located just 200 km from Delhi, the capital of India. Situated on the west bank of River Yamuna, Agra was once the flourishing capital of the Muslim rulers of India. If you are looking for a one point destination for tourism guidance and great deals for a visit to the Taj Mahal, click on  India Tourism . India Tourism offers a classic blend of modernity with the famed Indian hospitality. We are partners with the most luxurious hotel chains in India; we offer tour packages, the most experienced guides and all this at an astonishing price. Visit India Tourism and plan the sojourn of your lifetime.