Recently was celebrated the World Tourism Day. Tourism is truly the trade of the twenty-first century. There are countries whose major source of income is tourism, in addition to the immigrants who make their country of adoption richer by providing better and/or more service at remarkably lower wages.
Right now let us concentrate more on the truly touristy trade, and less on the emigrants because that discussion leads to the inevitable identity issues. These days, it is undeniable that Indians travel tremendously. They tour mostly the "phoren", though actually India itself has all possible varieties, natural wonders and national parks, religious corridors, architectural beauties. You name it, and we have it.
In addition, the tourist who visits India is greeted with all the hullabuloo typical of the chaos every which way overflowing in abundance. The truly touristy feel is rooted in that unique 'method in madness' that terribly touristy places in india comprise.
May be, hence I feel rather strongly that certain places cannot be, and should not be touristy. The Chardham Yatra full of the majesty and grandeur of the Himalayas cannot be tourist spots of the 'done that, been there" variety. The ever winding trek of Yamunotri cannot be a pleasure trip, for instance. Nor is Kedarnath a family trip wherein six months old babies accompany rather ambitious and absolutely fool parents!
The very vibe at Gangotri, Yamunotri and Kedarnath cannot jell with typical touristy trends. These are not LTC driven places of fun- and reel-making. The Kedarnath temple, who could have built it, and how? Such spiritual wonders are these places, not producers of hillocks of garbage of all types
If human vanity and foolish/foolhardy behaviour of the tourists, matched with the avaricious, greedy, rude, corrupt and unruly locals, and (mis)management do not get streamlined, tragedies much worse than the 2013 floods are imminent, and on a much, much larger scale.
Tourists, in brief, must observe the decorum and dignity of the destination, while locals, who indeed depend on tourism, should not fleece them every which way. Otherwise, the internet, its AI insistence on "ask me", its Skype types do allow you to be a couch potato who can experience online all sorts fun in 4-D, 5-D versions!
Pratima@ Tourism should lead to elation and/or enjoyment, and not to either exploitation or excesses. An example can be the natural habitats of wild animals in India. They are not open air zoos! The forests belong to them. Discretion, in brief, is the key to tourism, too!
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