Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.20867/thm.22.2.6
Indian reality tourism - a critical perspective
Vishwas Gupta
orcid.org/0000-0002-8176-5034
; School of Business, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, India
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper to find out the tangible potential and opportunities of reality-tourism in India and other parts of the world. Do we expose our nudity, weaknesses and poverty to tourists or can it be used as an unconventional revenue source for local development of such backward areas?
Design – The paper defines the concept of reality-tourism which is prevailing in India at a slow pace and provides a critical analyses about pros and cons of this type of tourism. It also analyses the view of all the stakeholders such as the tourists, the tour operators and the people from slum areas. The paper highlights the various means of reality-tourism, the modus operandi, the various factors affecting reality-tourism through a proposed model, ending up with satisfaction level measurement of the all the players involved.
Methodology – Based on an extensive literature review, the author proposes a model to check the various criticisms against the reality tourism also calculate the impact of reality tourism on the daily life of slum dwellers with a case study approach followed by descriptive analysis.
Findings – The paper finds a positive trend about reality-tourism. Three different case studies reflects three different scenario of reality-tourism in India about their direct and indirect positive impact on daily life routines of slum dwellers, their business, their health and their education. The paper can also serve as a basis for further research to check the authenticity of proposed model and can frame out some better tourism policies for such niche segment of consumers.
“Vasudhaive Kutumbkam”- For a prudent person, the whole earth is one family.
Keywords
Reality tourism; alternative tourism; poverty; local economic development; pro-poor tourism; slum; Dharavi; India
Hrčak ID:
168467
URI
Publication date:
18.11.2016.
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