Page 52 - Connect 2024-25

Rural Tourism

Shambhavi Raghuvanshi, PGDM 2

Travelling to rural, less populated areas is known as
rural tourism. An amazing opportunity to get involved
with local communities, provide your assistance, and
experience the local way of life.
Travelling to undeveloped, rural locations such as towns
and cottages, homestays, farms, ranches, or eco-lodges,
that are not heavily populated, frequently depend on
agriculture, and are part of the natural world is known
as rural tourism.
Activities that can be engaged in when going through
rural areas include camping, hiking, outdoor sports, Types of Rural Tourism
and spending time in nature. It has to do with venturing 1. Eco-Tourism: This involves visiting natural
off the beaten road, engaging in outdoor activities and regions in a sustainable, responsible, and
sports, ethical and sustainable tourism, and spending earth-aware manner while keeping an eye
time in nature. It has a great deal of potential to increase on our effects on the local community and the
traveller responsibility and experience richness. environment. Travelers of this kind may choose to stay
in eco-lodges, eco-hotels, or other lodgings powered by
Purpose of Rural Tourism renewable energy sources. Eco-tourism is a great way to
1. Economic Growth: Rural tourism can boost regional go away from the usual route and spend time in natural
economic development by generating jobs, expanding settings like mountains, woods, and waterfronts. It takes
commercial prospects, and boosting GDP. It can also place in non-urban areas like these. For everyone who is
raise living standards and lessen poverty. concerned about the environment and wants to have the
2. Promoting Social Change: Through preserving least detrimental influence possible, this is an excellent
traditional jobs, fostering community empowerment, choice.
and reviving regional art and craft, rural tourism can 2. Community-based Tourism: The main goal of
support social transformation. community tourism is to interact with the locals. This is
3. Preserving Local Culture and Heritage: Art, culture, accomplished by staying in guesthouses in rural areas,
heritage, and indigenous life of rural places can all frequently with impoverished or marginalized families.
be highlighted through rural tourism. Additionally, by This facilitates mutual cultural interaction. For the hosts,
providing distinctive vacation experiences that break up community-based tourism is an excellent idea since it
routine lifestyles, can aid in preventing seasonality. not only gives them the chance to meet people from
4. Sustainable Practices: A subset of ecotourism known around the globe and expand their horizons, but it also
as “rural tourism” emphasizes environmentally friendly generates employment opportunities and encourages
activities and civic engagement. Community ecotourism, people to pick up new languages and skills. In this case,
for instance, emphasizes environmental preservation, tourism-related revenue stays in the area and funds
responsible travel to natural regions, and enhancing the programs and development that will benefit the entire
quality of life for locals community.

52