China and India are two emerging nations that appear to be performing very differently in world tourism. China is set to become the world's number one tourism destination while India has been described as the "sleeping giant" of tourism by the World Travel and Tourism Council. Nevertheless there are signs that India is awakening from its slumber as it, along with China, recognises the economic benefits that tourism can bring.
There are some similarities in tourism trends in both countries. Both countries can rely on long histories and a wealth of cultural and historic artifacts. Both countries have a tremendous demand for incoming business travel due to the growth in the economies. Both countries have also seen a growth in domestic tourism brought about by increases in disposable income and extra leisure time. There are also major differences between the two tourism markets. The majority of visitors to China - about 63% come for Asia, whereas the seven leading tourist arrivals to India come from the UK, Bangladesh, the US, Sri Lanka, Germany, Canada and Japan (WTO 2002). There is also a strong market for visiting friends and relatives in India particularly from the UK. There is also an important market for long-stay backpackers to India which is not experienced as much in the Chinese market. The common theme, however is the great potential growth opportunity that exists for both countries.
Q
To meet the global demand for IT professionals, India churns out hundreds of thousands of tech-minded graduates. However, a recent study by Nasscom found only one in four Indian engineering graduates to be employable. Like IT, the booming Indian tourist market has created a demand for colleges that offer special industry-specific training; how well do you think India's travel, tourism and hospitality programs prepare their graduates?
A
One of the major issues facing the Indian hotel sector that underpins tourism development in the country is the need for ambitious marketing plans and branding strategies underpinned by effective human resource strategies. It has been recognised that India faces a weak position in relation to human resources in the sector. There is excess of untrained labour, long working hours and bureaucratic organisation structures. There is also a mismatch of supply and demand in certain areas of the hospitality industry despite the growth in undergraduate courses in a number of renowned colleges and Universities. There are also worries that the curriculum available in India institutions does not meet the requirements of the global hospitality provider (Jauhari, 2006). All of these issues will have to be addressed in future curriculum planning and management training and development programmes. There are some good examples of good practice however in India such as the management development programmes offered by hotel groups such as the Oberoi and Clarks.
Q
You talk about a tourism revolution where tourists coming from the UK and Western Europe will increasingly look to the East rather than to "traditional 'sun, sand and sea' destinations like Spain and the Caribbean." How much of this shift is due to favorable exchange rates and the ability to get more for less – and how much is due to bigger, cultural factors?
A
I think the move to the East rather than the traditional sun sand and sea destinations like Spain and the Caribbean is due to a multitude of factors. The main reason, however is as a result of changing consumer behaviour because as the tourist becomes better educated and more widely travelled they seek out new destinations that can offer them something new. Both India and China offer the tourist a wealth of cultural attractions which are attractive to the new experienced traveller who is seeking new experiences rather than just sitting on the beach. The growth in small specialist holiday companies that offer tailor-made packages to India and China has also opened up new opportunities for travel to these countries.
Q
As countries that have proven to be less popular travel destinations become more popular with travelers, they often seem to lose their character due to the increased volume and a homogenization that inevitably comes when big tour operators and global developers move in. This erases part of what made these countries or areas of certain countries so attractive to the initial wave of travelers. Where do you think people should go or what should they do in India today that might be different – less "Indian" and more commercial – in the near future?
A
India is becoming more popular with mainstream tourists although I think the country has a long way to go to lose its individual and unique identity. The big cities in India are becoming more like big cities anywhere so where should the tourist visit to see the "real" India? The lure of the "golden triangle tour" in the north of the country has still got immense appeal due to the uniqueness of the destination. Beach tourists should think of moving on from Goa to Kerala which has great appeal and is yet largely undiscovered. There are also opportunities for adventure tourism including trekking, mountain climbing and river running. Health tourism and religious tourism in India also offers the tourist unique and different experiences far away from the traditional package holiday. There is also an opportunity for the development of conference and incentive business travel for Europe to India for companies who are wanting to offer new experiences. I think it is true to say the term "Incredible India" really illustrates the many new and unique experiences that India can still offer. The Incredible India campaign has been viewed as being very well designed and much more far sighted than equivalent campaigns for China. The challenge for India now is to get improvements in the tourism infrastructure completed.
Published: November 2007
Susan Horner, Ed D, MBA, BSc, FIH, is a founder of the Centre for International Hospitality Management Research at Sheffield Hallam University and is the Postgraduate Programme Leader for Hospitality and Tourism and International Co-ordinator with a special focus on India. She teaches marketing and marketing communications to undergraduate and postgraduate students and supervises doctoral students at Sheffield Hallam and in Hong Kong; she is also a visiting professor at the Escola Universitaria De Turisme in Barcelona and at the University of Girona, Spain. Dr. Horner has traveled widely in both India and China and has given public lectures in both countries on hospitality and tourism. She has developed courses in India in collaboration with Indian universities and carried out joint research and publication with academics there. An active researcher, Dr. Horner has published articles, papers and conference presentations while her books include Consumer Behaviour in Tourism, Business Travel and Tourism, International Cases in Tourism Management and Leisure Marketing.
