In Focus

Adventure India

Adventure tourism is one of the themes to be showcased at ITB Berlin 2007. Still at a nascent stage in India it has been identified as a segment with great potential and the Ministry of Tourism and various state governments are making it their thrust area, finds Express TravelWorld.

Activity based tourism is gaining prominence worldwide, and increasingly travellers are deciding what activities they want to do and choosing their destinations accordingly. The `push' (personal motivation) factor is getting stronger than the `pull' (destination attraction) factor. Adventure travel or tourism, a major part of activity-based tourism globally has been segmented into extreme adventure and soft adventure activities.

Adventure tourism in India is still at a nascent stage of development but the country has huge potential and the segment is now becoming a point of focus with the Ministry of Tourism and various state tourism boards. Adventure tourism is one of the themes, which will be stressed upon by India at ITB Berlin 2007, where India is the partner country. Soft adventure is rapidly gaining popularity in India and is valued at approximately Rs 300 crore according to the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOI). There are a number of tour operators who have made this niche segment as their sole business and their numbers are proliferating by the day.

According to an analysis by industry chamber, PHDCII, adventure tourism is growing at 20 per cent and will emerge as one of the biggest foreign exchange earners generating US $20 billion by 2010, provided proper policy initiatives are undertaken by state governments. The analysis further underlined that with improved and enhanced infrastructure and connectivity at adventurous spots, India could achieve the target of 5,000,000 tourists arrivals per year in the coming years.

The adventure tour operators in India are offering a wide range of activities like white water river rafting, trekking and mountaineering, wildlife safari and desert safari, skiing, hot air ballooning, paragliding, scuba diving etc. Adventure tourism is a profitable option for these tour operators as clients are willing to live under the most basic conditions but end up paying top dollar for the tour operator's expertise and the activity. According to Akshay Kumar, general manager, operations, Mercury Himalayan Explorations (MHE), while Indians are slowly taking to adventure activities, the segment has a huge potential in inbound travel. Though seasonal and not high volume, it is a segment with high yield.

Even tourism boards of established states like Rajasthan, Kerala, Goa is looking at adventure tourism to add on to the bouquet of offerings and attract more international and domestic tourists.

Traditional and emerging states

A number of northern states like Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttaranchal have been very active in marketing adventure tourism. These states have managed to carve a market share with destinations offering adventure activities. Himachal Pradesh has emerged as a destination synonymous with adventure tourism in the country.

Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) organises the pre-World Cup for paragliding at the Bir and Billing area of Kangra district. The Himalayan range cutting through the state offers a number of trekking trails of various grades and peaks for mountaineering enthusiasts. The world-renowned Western Himalayan Mountaineering and Allied Sports Institute is located in Manali, which works under the direct guidance and supervision of the Department of Tourism and Sports. HPTDC also promotes white water rafting, trekking, horse riding, and water sports at the Maharana Ranjit Sagar Dam and the Pong Dam. The department also supports motor sports as well as the event "Raid de Himalaya." Apart from this it has set up and promoting biking trails along the state. Religious tourism and adventure tourism is the mainstay of Uttarakhand and Jammu and Kashmir.

Similarly states like Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and even Goa (adventure water sports) are focusing on adventure tourism. Madhya Pradesh has got international recognition for its National Parks and wildlife sanctuaries, especially the Kanha and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserves, and is now also focusing on promoting adventure water sports in the state. Northeastern states and emerging state of Jharkhand also offer great potential for adventure tourism. Rajasthan is also tapping into the niche adventure tourism segment to add to its product portfolio and is promoting wildlife sanctuaries, desert camel and jeep safaris, hot air ballooning etc. Rajasthan has taken various adventure tourism initiatives to further consolidate its position as the leading state for tourism.

"Rajasthan has been the destination of choice for both foreign and domestic tourists and by offering them more choices on how to spend their getaways, we hope to further increase the inflow of tourists to our beautiful state," stated Vinod Zutshi, secretary, tourism government of Rajasthan. He further added, "All this while, people have been coming to visit Rajasthan to see its heritage - from its beautiful palaces to its haunting forts - but now we will give them another reason to come and that will be as the destination of choice for adventure tourism in India. Adventure tourism is not new to Rajasthan as we already have facilities existing for various activities like camel safaris, jeep safaris, horse and elephant polo etc. But now we want to establish Rajasthan as a hub for hot air ballooning. We have got enquiries from various quarters and people have shown a keen interest in promoting desert sports and water sports in various places across the state." Rajasthan recently organised a 12-day hot air ballooning fiesta in which 50 balloonists from 11 countries participated. Bikaner and Churu are the proposed hubs for desert sports while the lakes in Bhoondi and Udaipur would be used for water sports. The state is also actively considering the idea of promoting river cruises and water sports in Chambal.

The future

According to Kumar in the early days adventure in India was limited to trekking or climbing in the Himalayas. However, today the industry has come of age and offers a variety of adventure travel options. "India, in that context is a 'one stop adventure shop'. Only in India can a person indulge in a camel safari in the deserts of Rajasthan, heli-ski in the Himalayas, raft down the mighty Ganges and trek in the Garhwal Himalayas, all in the same month. In addition, there are various other activities that widen our scope of adventure travel. These include luxury camping, wildlife trips, outdoor corporate training programmes, aero-sports including hot air ballooning and paragliding, bungee jumping, alpine skiing and ski-touring, kayaking and canoeing, jeep, camel and elephant safaris - the list is actually quite exhaustive," states Kumar. "Destinations in India are more economical. There is more awareness now and hence people are visiting places within the country in large numbers," said Sachin Rampal, senior manager, Thomas Cook. Thomas Cook offers domestic destinations for adventure travel in India. It also offers ‘Thomas Cook's 100 per cent Holidays plan’, in which travellers can opt for various international adventure destinations.

Even the hospitality sector has realised the potential of adventure tourism, especially wildlife tourism and building jungle lodges and resorts. India has about 80 National Parks, 441 Sanctuaries and 15 Project Tiger Reserves, which showcase a rich and diverse flora, fauna and wildlife. It is also one of the few countries where one can view the majestic tigers in their natural habitat. Sarovar Hotels Resorts are among the major players, which recently made a foray into this segment and have opened a wildlife resort near Corbett National Park. Taj Group with its a tie-up with Conservation Corporation Africa (CC Africa) and Cigen Corporation, a part of the Chaudhury group, have expanded into this segment. CC Africa is a leading eco-tourism company operating 38 high-end game lodges in South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana while the Nepal-based Chaudhary Group has interests in food and beverages, financial services, infrastructure and the hospitality sector. Jungle Lodges & Resorts (JLR), a unit of Karnataka Government's tourism department set up in 1980 with a joint venture with the private sector has taken lead in wildlife tourism and has established ten resorts in the state.