AFFIDAVIT

I, hereby certify that this piece of work is original and has not been copied from anywhere. It has been completed with the help of necessary sources that have been appropriately referenced and properly indicated.

Ruchi Jatana

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I, Ruchi Jatana, student of Skyline Business School, Delhi would like to take this opportunity to thank all the people who contributed and helped me out towards making out this project. Their varied knowledge and invaluable inputs have helped immensely to gain a deeper insight into this subject.

Industry professionals

Mr. Christopher Doyle International Director- Sales, Hilton

Mr. Akshay Kumar G.M., Mercury Himalayan Explorations

Mr. Sunil Chadha G.M., Wanderlust Travels Pvt. Ltd.

Ms. Kavita Goel Tour Executive, Snow Leopard

I would also like to especially thank and express my extreme gratitude to the following faculty members from whom I received invaluable guidance and support throughout the course of my dissertation.

Ms. P. Shobha Librarian, Skyline Business School

Ms. Bindu Khosla Faculty, Skyline Business School

Mr. Nirakar Das, Assistant

Also the library members

Thanking you

Ruchi Jatana

SYNOPSIS

Special interest tourism is something that gives the REAL experience i.e. an experience that is Rewarding, Enriching, Adventuresome and that which involves Learning. All this has to be impacted mentally, physically and emotionally. With such specificity Special interest tourism is a very challenging phenomenon comprising of a collection of tourism market segments, which are going smaller and smaller: and products, which are diversifying everyday. This poses a major challenge in this field as providing a "REAL" experience emotionally, mentally and physically has to be done very clearly stating what one is offering and how he is positioning it accordingly, so that the overlapping and generalities are clearly viewed.

Adventure tourism is one of the most neglected forms of tourism in India, though there has been an enormous potential of its growth and development. This is because of the geographical diversity prevalent in the country.

Each state has its own set of problems that hinder the growth of adventure tourism. For instance, Jammu & Kashmir on one hand has the political instability to deal with whereas on the other hand Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh have the infrastructure incompetence and degraded environmental standards etc Vis-à-vis rest of the world, to take care of. Similarly, Delhi, Punjab & Haryana have to look into their states as to what all they can offer for adventure seekers e.g. Delhi offers rock climbing for the beginners.With such developments of Special interest tourism the pressing need would be - visitor management, providing the very basic facilities to the tourists at the destination, and ensure the standards for his/her security and last but not the least- to go beyond the service with a smile. This would be unobstructive and will retain the sense of freedom and spontaneity, yet minimize impact. The call of the time is correct planning, marketing and policy making which involves intense fieldwork and desk research.

LIST OF ANNEXURES

The State for Adventure- Himachal Pradesh, Himachal Tourism, Adventure Tours, Uttar Pradesh. Adventure in the Alpine, Trekking and Mountaineerign in U.P. Hills Travellers Information, Experience it in Nepal, Mt. Everest & More…

OBJECTIVES:

The basic objectives of this dissertation are to:

Critically analyze the significance of adventure tourism as Special Interest Tourism in Northern India.

To look at the problems faced by the tourists at the destination.

To analyze strengths of adventure tourism and overcome the weaknesses by finding viable solutions.

To look at viability and future of this activity.

CHAPTER-1 INTRODUCTION

"From Disneyland to Delhi, from Cairo to coral reefs, from Mauritius to New Zealand or admiring the Sistine chapel or the same old Eiffel Tower and sun baking by the side of five star hotel pools" -- This perception of holiday taking has changed in today's changing environment. Due to the changing travel needs, people are now switching to active holiday taking rather than passive and are looking for more energetic forms of travel I.e. a trend towards experience oriented holidays. In Australian context Frew reported: that today's

sophisticated travelers no longer want to whittle away their wealth in glitzy shopping malls or remain in the hotel.

Special Interest Travel is travel for people who are going somewhere because they have a particular interest that can be pursued in a particular region or at a particular destination. It is the hub around which the total travel experience is planned and developed .

People want to experience a holiday whether it be crossing Kakadu by light aircraft, rafting down the white water rapids of Ganga or Beas, or learning to milk the cows in the farms i.e. the people are looking for a holiday which is more Experiential rather than just Escapism.

The changing needs of people look for benefits such as self-actualization, self-enrichment, recreation, self-expression, belongingness and lasting physical products of the activity out of their busy schedule. Also they have got bored of the existing products such as sun, sea and sand. They want their travel to be a "travel with a purpose".

The Indian government has estimated that it has plans to attract over five million tourists by the year 2005. Now the question is - how are they planning to do it? It's normally felt that mass tourism is no longer a viable crowd puller, as one needs a lot of infrastructure and secondly it is very harmful to the natural environment. The need of the day

therefore is Special Interest Tourism. This is because it basically targets a niche market, thereby attracting:

Only those people who are really interested. Since it is a controlled activity, it helps in maintaining the ecological balance and thus sustainability. It brings in people who are already literate about what they are going to do, thus do not have very high expectations.

Adventure tourism as a form of SIT

Adventure tourism is categorized by the deliberate seeking of risk and dangers by participants in out-door activities and it intimately related to the field of adventure recreation. People look forward to experience adventure. Earlier, adventure as a form of tourism never really existed and was never catered to as a special segment of holiday taking. But now people look for something different in their holiday and no longer want to waste time during their holiday.

Adventure tourism has become a major player in the travel industry as more and more people look for a change from their everyday lives. The world is becoming more developed and controlled which has caused an increase in the number of people looking to participate in the 90's extreme sport.

ADVENTURE TOURISM ACTIVITIES

Skiing and Heli-skiing: in North-India the two important places are Auli in Gharwal-Uttar Pradesh and Solang Valley in Kullu- Himachal Pradesh. And the Heli-Skiing is carried out only at one place in the entire India- Manali -in Himachal Pradesh.

Trekking the most favorite adventure tourism activity in the North-India. Carried out at various places in Ladakh, Gharwal, Kamaon etc. Rock Climbing Bungee Jumping Camping : 

Watersports :

White Water Rafting: it is carried out on the vital rivers, namely, Indus, Zanskar, Beas, Teesta, Ganga, Bhramaputra. For this particular activity properly trained and experienced guides are needed.

Canoeing and Kayaking: are the other forms of adventure sports. Canoe is carried out in an open boat. Whereas kayak is considered as an improved version of the Eskimo Kayak.

Fishing: is always carried out along the foothills of the Himalayas and also in some of the wildlife areas.

Aerosports :

Hot air ballooning: it is a form of manpowered flight dependent on the spherical fabric container having gas, lighter than air. The container rises carrying the pilot and passenger in a basket beneath it. Hang Gliding

INDIA - THE ADVENTURE PARADISE

India, to the foreign tourist, has long been the ultimate centre for oriental exotica. But that's changing: the country is fast finding favor as an adventure hot spot. The Indian traveler, too, knows that adventure travel is not just for wealthy eccentrics and daredevil bush walkers. Even a cursory look at the geography of our country would reveal that India is adequately endowed for promotion and enhancement of Adventure Tourism which vast, unspoilt and often relatively unexplored areas of breath taking beauty and grandeur. From the lowering heights of Himalayan mountains to the translucent depths of Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal -- the catalysts of adventure tourism. They all available under one roof to support adventure tourism activities.

CHAPTER-2 METHODOLOGY

The research work on the dessertation on the based on field work - primary research as well as the secondary source i.e. the books and the journals were used for this purpose :

The primary sources included : Interviews of the experts of adventure tourism and customers The summer training that was personally under taken with the Mercury Himalayan Explorations, Mercury Travels at Manali (H.P.) that included Direct customer contact - their problems Contact with suppliers - hotels, Travel agencies and Tour Operators

The Secondary sources included. Books, Journals Websites Related to travel and tourism and particularly on adventure tourism were consulted.

CHAPTER -3 JAMMU & KASHMIR

The natural beauty, delicious climate. The snow and pine trees clad mountains, the gushing water. The lush green meadows, the lofty peaks and the scenic panorama. Jammu and Kashmir has accorded to all those who wanted to visit this paradise on earth. It caters to all the tastes. Its appeal is not restricted. It offers enjoyment and inspiration in every nook & corner and especially for adventure seeks, the valley has a lot of offer. But, at the same time it has its own set of problems to deal with. This valley is covered with lofty mountains of stupendous heights ranging from 11000 - 14000 feet. Leh & Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir form an integral part for providing adventurism Types Of Adventure Tourism Activities.

White Water Rafting Heli Skiing Trekking Fishing Snow Skiing Paragliding

Potentials

Trekking Harmukh, Mahadev and kolhari glacier serves as the ideal and provides the thrill of adventure for trekkers and explorers.

The most famous trekking routes in Ladakh are: Kargil - Padan - Lamayuru Leh - Lamayuru - Saspol Markha - Velley Padam - Manali Lamayuru - Padam Likir - Nurla

Table 1 : Category of tourists who visited Suru Valley in 1990 Category of tourists Number % of total Foreigners Indians Trekkers 455 47.3 150 305 Scientists 367 38.2 55 312 Climbers 120 12.5 120 - Others 18 2.0 - 18 Source : Tourism in Ladhakh Himalaya, Tourism Potential, pg. 61.

The table reveals that out of 960 tourists who entered the valley (in 1992) beyond Panikhar were trekkers. They were from countries like UK, France, Australia Canada, United States. Similarly during summer 1992 most of the trekkers were from the European countries who visited Ladakh, Table 2 shows the evidence in this regard

Table 2 : Trekkers of seven selected countries who visited Ladakh during summer 1992 S. No. Country Trekkers % of total tourists 1. America 318 1.98 2. Britain 423 2.64 3. Netherlands 395 2.46 4. France 1138 7.10 5. Germany 1028 6.42 6. Israel 841 5.25 7. Italy 216 1.35 Source : Tourism in Ladhakh Himalaya, Tourism Potential, pg. 62.

White Water Rafting Can be done on Indus in Ladakh, which offers excellent conditions for river rafting.

Heli Skiing & Snow Skiing Skiing is one of the most popular adventure sports. In India erstwhile was associated only with Gulmarg in Kashmir where there is an internationally acclaimed ski - resort. However, uncertain political conditions prevailing in Jammu & kashmir led to ultimately closure of this famed resort. The govt. realized the importance of this sport and this led to the birth of Auli Ski-resort in Gharwal area in Uttar pradesh. Skiing usually starts by the end of end of December - lasts till the end of March.

Fishing The trout fish (which is in abundance) of river Kishen-Ganga is also very famous and one can also fish in river Brengi

Paragliding The much exciting and thrilling adventure is paragliding at Sansar and Jammu. May-Jun and Sep-Oct are suitable months for paragliding at Sansar.

Impediments

Political instability The state Jammu & Kashmir has been marred by political violence. Infiltration of Pakistan supported mercenaries across the line of control in kargil sector is said to have been prompted, besides defence and strategic consideration, with a view of give a body blow to the tourism and hence economy of Jammu & Kashmir. The summer peak tourist season in Srinagar and Leh had been severely affected by report of escalated conflict between India & Pakistan in news media & Internet. Consequently, the economy of the state, which is heavily dependent upon the tourism industry was recovering fast with near normalization of the life after years of insurgency in the valley has once again been pushed into disarray by disturbance of peace of kargil six to seven operators were put out of business in kargil war. The pioneers in adventure tourism - "Mercury Himalayan explorations" - leading tour operators had $150000 of business but ended up with only $15000 of business.

The Kargil engagement has been getting its fair share of attention from the media - both Indian & foreign. In these times, a proper Public Relations system could go a long way in quelling distorted notions of the tourism scenario around these parts. For instance the Line Of Control i.e. the affected area is quite far from the sites for adventure tourism.

The other impediments lay meaningless in front of this major crises, as even if the other factors like lack of infrastructure, environmental disturbance etc. are looked upon, will not be able to increase the number of tourists visiting the state till the political scenario becomes stable.

SWOT analysis

Strengths Geographical location facilitates the state of later to the adventure tourists e.g. mountains support trekking, rivers for rafting etc.

The equipment needed for adventure tourism is easily available on rent.

Govt. of India advertises about Jammu & Kashmir and its different features in European countries through is tourist centers extensively for e.g. BBC telecasts time and again programs on Ladakh adventure sports.

All category of accommodation is available in Jammu & Kashmir Table. 3. Table 3 : A comparitice chart of accommodation of Ladakh during 1984-1992 S. No. Category of accommodation 1984 1992 % increased in 1992 1. A class Hotels 7 10 42.85 2. B class Hotels 6 13 116.66 3. C class Hotels 5 12 140.00 4. D class Hotels 4 10 150.00 5. Upper class Guest Houses 6 15 150.00 6. Medium class Guest Houses 3 4 33.33 7. Economy class Guest Houses 32 46 31.25 Source : Tourism in Ladhakh Himalaya, Tourism Potential, pg. 69. Without accomodation adventure tourism cannot be developed. This is one of the strongest point in the Jammu and Kashmir's Economy.

Information about the different adventure activities is easily available in all tourist offices of Jammu & Kashmir. In addition to this, proper trek maps are also readily available.

Weaknesses

The remote area of Jammu & Kashmir - Ladakh an adventurer's paradise is not easily accessible by air. Air service is not regular even during the summer month. The region, which is open only for 6 months, loses out on the business due to this. The Indian Airlines office generally remains out of order due to lack of technological development.

Jammu & Kashmir have been getting ineffectual volume of funds for the development of adventure tourism. In the year 1993-94 only Rs. 6 lakh were sanctioned for the water sport in Ladakh and out of this figure only Rs. 2 lakh were released, i.e. just 33.3% of the total sanctioned amount. These trends speak that on both the counts i.e. sanction of amount and release of amount trends are of depressing nature for such an upcoming activity.

Opportunities

Demand for adventure tourism can lead to improved infrastructure. New business investments. Foreign exchange earning through adventure tourism in the state. New peak to be opened for tourists.

Threats

Political instability The other countries like Nepal could be more appealing to the tourists due to political stability and better facilities available. High cost of rafting equipment as all the necessary equipment has to be imported that increases the cost of the activity.

The need for the hour is to bring focus to the sharp need for a permanent public relations setup to eliminate the groundless fears among visitors the time of crises.

Also, with indigenous equipment expected to be produced in near future in Indian itself can at least provide the state with competitive advantage in terms of price and river rafting is bound to become very popular in times to come.

The granting of permission by the govt. for the Private Airlines to operate in the area would lead to easy access to the place thus, increasing the number. Of people visiting the area in the peak season.

CHAPTER -4 DELHI

A metropolitan city - located at the heart of India. Delhi is a historical city with lot of movements and other historical sites. Delhi is a hub around which the states revolve, as it of the International airport where almost all the international flights land.

Geographical location of Delhi does not allow it to carry out adventure tourism activities. But, still it is not completely deprived of it. Tourism season is at the peak only in summers but with the temperature of nearly 49-degree C, who would like to spend their holidays in a place like this. People rather prefer to go to hill stations.

Adventure tourism activities Rock climbing This activity can be undertaken in remote areas of Delhi - Tuglakabad, Dumdama, and Dauj 52 km from Delhi. These areas have some good & purposeful rocks that are approximately 25 feet high. Also Indian Mountaineering Federation responsible for carrying out mountaineering in India has an artificial wall created for the beginners.

This activity would not be able to draw foreign tourists as a person coming from another land for adventure tourism would not have interest in coming to Delhi for rock climbing and would rather prefer to go to Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh or Jammu & Kashmir where he could find some exiting sites for this sport.

Bungee Jumping

Starts by Wanderlust Tours on December 22 outside Jawaharlal Nehru stadium. A crane was hired for this purpose at Rs.30000/= per day, which was quite exhorbidant considering the returns they were getting from it. This low return of investment leaf to its closure as the jump was priced at Rs. 1000/= per head which was quite a price to pay for a jump which was about 100 feet high and that to in a place like Delhi. People would rather enjoy rafting in Ganga, which is at a distance of 200 kms from Delhi (customer perception when asked)

CHAPTER-5 PUNJAB

Punjab name gives a picture of land of farms and culture that is colorful. To carryout adventure tourism activities the state has to have such a geographical location that can support the Adventure Tourism. The state is not deprived of his geography completely but yes not as exciting as Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh & Jammu & Kashmir.

State lies between the great system of the river Indus & Ganga and the Shiwalik hills rise sharply in the north of the state. There is no Adventure Tourism that is developed in the state. May be the govt. hasn't really realized the need of it as yet. The table clearly indicates the main motivations of people of travel (Table 4).

Table 4 : Distribution of Respondents by Purpose of Visit S. No. Purpose Customers Percentage 1. Pleasure 110 55.00 2. Education 2 1.00 3. Business/ meeting/ official 61 30.40 4. Health 1 00.50 5. Pilgrimage/ Religions 2 1.00 6. Social functions 15 7.50 7. Visitor 5 2.50 8. Any other 4 2.00 Total 200 100 Source : Tourism towards 21st Century, Perception of Customer's towards Tourism Services, pg. 185.

It also indicates that there is no adventure tourism activity that exists in the state.

The water sports can be developed on the banks of Indus & Ganga and Trekking on the Shiwalik hills. People from here could further trek down to the north of the state where Punjab is bordered by Jammu & Kashmir & Himachal Pradesh.

The Govt. has to take initiatives to develop such activities to add to its product line and include this upcoming venture in their tourism policies and benefit by them.

CHAPTER-6 HARYANA

This ancient green land a region rush in historical cultural tradition and also famous for its highways tourism i.e. building resorts on the highways leading to Haryana. Again, for this state the geography of the place is unaffordable for ADVENTURE TOURISM at most of the places.

The only activity one can think of is fishing which is carried out at 2 places - Hathni kund, Suraj Kund but not for real adventure enthusiasts with its southeast bordered by rajsthan - land of deserts, gives way to sandy margins of great India desert. One could think of developing desert safaris. For this the government has to take the necessary actions to divert its tourism product with the growth-oriented ventures.

The main hindrance for all these states is their respective geographical locations. These states should thus develop on whatever little they have on the name of Adventure Tourism but should concentrate more on their existing resources and make efforts for promoting and developing them. For instance if culture is the main resource of Punjab, they should enhance this and extensively promote it.

CHAPTER-7 HIMACHAL PRADESH

The current craze of adventure freaks: But still in a cliff hanger state:-

Himachal Pradesh is a hospitable and potential land for the promotion of adventure tourism. This is an ideal way of developing tourism in an Eco friendly, low impact and low cost way. The state has enormous wealth of natural resources that provide excellent raw material for adventure tourism. Himachal Pradesh lies in the lap of the Himalayas. In the north it is bounded by Kashmir, in the east by Tibet, in the southeast by Garhwal Himalayas of Uttar Pradesh.

Types of adventures activities in Himachal pradesh - White Water Rafting - Jeep Safaris - Angling - Camping - Snow Skiing - Heli Skiing - Para Gliding - Hang Gliding - Trekking - Climbing

Potentials & impediments of adventure tourism

Himachal is a state with immense potential for adventure tourism has made a thrilling beginning by attracting visitors for adventure sports. Adventure Tourism has come to stay and it is very much a growth-oriented venture.

Adventure Activities in Himachal Pradesh Adventure Sports :

Rafting- The Beas river flowing through Kullu valley is suitable for not only white water rafting but is ideal for canoeing and Kayaking. The Beas river from the Manali to Jhiri near Bajaura in Kullu district has become very popular among the lovers of river rafting and many competitions have been organized in the same. The trip starts from Mohal and covers a total distance 10 kms. The season normally starts from May to mid june and rest depends on the arrival of monsoon. The various clubs provide the basic equipments required for the watersports.

Sking- Near Manali there are some slopes which have been rated the best for skiing in the world. The Solang Nullah, Patalsu, Kothi, Marhi and Rohtang slopes are very good for skiing in the winters as well as in summers. In fact Patalsu and Rohtang slopes are the only places where one can do summer skiing the slopes are being further developed to accommodate more trainees and tourists. The national level skiing competition is held on the slopes of Solang Valley and the winter carnival is organized at Manali. The place has immense potential to offer some world class skiing slopes and they are being developed on the same lines. As for now one has to camp and ski in rugged conditions. There are private organisations who provide training as well as equipment for skiing. The Mountaineering Institute has put up a small ski lift at Solang Valley.

Paragliding- Paragliding is a combination of hang gliding and parachuting. In parachuting one has to jump from an aircraft whereas para-gliding one has to run down hill. The slopes of Solang Nullah provides just the right kind of slopes for paragliding during summers. There are organizations, which offer packages for paragliding. One can hire equipment from the private organizations in Manali and around.

Rock Climbing and Mountainiring:

The state of Himachal is surrounded by four major ranges of Himalaya he peaks of inner Himalaya and the Pir Panjal range are over 6000 meters. These ranges provide an excellent gear for Rock climbing and mountaineering. The area around Manali is a main area of mountaineering in Himachal. The Deo Tibba 6000 meters and hanuman Tibba 5930 meters around Manali are suggested for beginners as well as for professional. The Chandra Bhaga ranges, the Pir Panjal ranges and Dhauladhar ranges are an existing focus. The institute of Mountaineering and Allied Sports at manali and its branch at Dharamshala, offer the activity courses are also available with the institute.

FISHING: An anglers paradise, Katla, rohu, trout and mahaseer are the major game fishes in Himachal's river Trout are to be found in Pabbar river in the Shimla district Baspa river in Sangla valley and river sainj in Kullu velley Chirgaon has the trout hatchery other sites are Seema,Mandil and tikri all are within 5km from Rohru,Trout seeding areas at Patnikuhl in Kullu district fill the river Beas with trout. Further downstreem the beas offer excellent opportunities for mahaseer fishing. The reservoir of the Pong Dam right upto the town of Dehra Gopipur has good sports. One the Giri river at Gaura 30km from Solan on the Rajgarth road and the Dadahu 5km from Renuka Lake and riner Yamuna at Ponta Sahib are alos excellent sports for mahaseer.

SKIING:

Wintertime in Himachal are full of fun in the snow. Himachal offer the best ski slopes at the resorts are populated by adventurous tourists. The Solang Nallah slopes near manali have ski runs of upto 3km approx. Narkanda which is 64km from Shimla also offer good slopes for skier for 3 months during the year. At the slopes of Rohtang pass beyond Manali which permit the skiers till the month of July. The Directorate of Mountaineering and Allied Sports offer a variety of courses and facilities for skiing in winter season. Some private Companies also offer ski courses and facilities.

In the growth and development of Adventure Tourism in Himachal Pradesh there are some very basic constraints that lie ahead. Though it has a great potential and can be a good source of earning of foreign exchange, if regulated and explored proportionately.

Constraints

Absence Of A Regulatory Committee: Promotion of adventure tourism does not provide license for irresponsibility. Twenty Eight cases of accidents in Solang valley during Para-gliding in this season and 4 cases of deaths on river Beas during rafting (1996), have pressed the need for a regulatory agency to ensure minimum safety standards. As a knee jerk reaction the state govt. immediately banned Para gliding in the state and rafting for one year. The govt. realized soon though that the solution was not in banned any adventure sport, and the nine-day ban was lifted. But lifting the ban should not be confused with the positive attitude of the govt. in fact it was because the ban was not effective at all, it was lifted. The present situation has arisen due to the absence of a regulatory authority to keep an eye on the safety norms. There are more than 50 Para gliding operators in Solang valley (Manali), but all of them operated in absence of any regulatory committee, no safety standards is maintained.

The need is to care more about safety than costs. So the reputation of an operator hinges on his adherence to safety guidelines. This often means importing a car since much of it is either not available locally or is substandard. This kind of irresponsibility on the part of govt. could lead to the demise of such activities that could generate revenue.

Monopoly in Heli Skiing: Heli Skiing has caught up as one of the more famous adventure sports in Manali. Started in 1990, the event has become one of the great attractions for the upper segment of visitors. The guide in this sport is a world class expert, but unfortunately, for the past eight years the monopoly has not been broken because the private operator Mr. Roddy Mackenzie is not ready to provide any adventure tour operator with this expertise. And there is no authoritative body to restrict this practice.

With none of the local persons having been trained in the sport, which has a promising future and has brought Manali on the world map for it. Even the govt. is not able to take advantage of the venture, as US $ 50 per head charged by the state for Heli Skiing has never been realized in absence of any agency and due to the lack of bureaucratic interest.

In 1990, US$ 6900 for seven days, inclusive of air-fare ( Delhi- Kullu-Delhi) and stay was the package deal when there were only about 50 people to undertake this activity. Today, due to increased volume the package cost has reduced to US $ 5750 per person and about 150 enjoyed this sport last to last year (1998) .

The scope of this particular activity is enormous, all the govt. needs to do is realize that this activity could be of great help in attracting foreign visitors source foreign exchange and should therefore, start working towards getting it started.

Infrastructure: The limited means of transport and communication are main hurdles in the way of promotion of adventure tourism in the state. It is well known that the hilly roads are wearying and time consuming. In this connection train services and airlinks have to be strengthened and promoted. The state should arrange direct international charted flights in addition to the regular flights of Indian Airlines. Jet Airways was refused entry, which wanted to ply between Delhi - Manali. The government should look into these matters and thus, plan for the activation of these proposed matters.

There are around thirty luxury buses at present plying under the control of Himachal Pradesh tourism development corporation on different routes in the state but these might be inadequate during the peak season, although they are up to the standards, but still there lies a need to provide adequate transportation in order to generate maximum no of tourists.

Need for effective marketing plan due to seasonality factor

Himachal Pradesh being a hilly tough terrain area and is therefore affected by the seasonal characters of tourist industry. Since a tourism plant is in operation for only half of a year, it is not even possible to earn big profits and meet the fixed and other operational expenditure. The tourist product can not be stored. Sufficient must be earned during the peak season to offset a decline in patronage for the reminder of the year. It isn't viable for an operator to provide only one activity. This is most adventure sports are seasonal. For instance rafting. Aggressive marketing efforts are required to motivate tourists.

This can be done by establishing offices overseas for promotion and to create an awareness of Himachal Pradesh as an importance adventure destination. Besides, the routine functions answering inquiries and providing information, the tourists offices board have to maintain liaison with travel trade & press by means of advertising at travel marts and other important travel trade functions.

Since the domestic tourism any country is more stable than foreign tourism, the conscious efforts have to be made to serve this market very carefully in order to generate revenue. This can again be done by aggressive marketing and providing them with the basic information. E.g. even the detailed maps of Himalayas & basic requirement for expeditions are not available.

Government of any state plays a significant role in the development of tourism. The thrust of the government of Himachal Pradesh is to invite private entrepreneurs from within and outside the country to actively invest to develop and promote adventure tourism in the state. This was one of the major step taken by the government of Himachal Pradesh (by inviting tenders from them to set up the necessary infrastructure) to foster the growth. A master plan was prepared which stated that with the concerted efforts of both the government and private players, this sector would be promoted extensively luring more tourists to the state. It will be developed in such a manner that it does not remain only the luxury of the elite class but also viable for the middle class.

CHAPTER-8 Uttar Pradesh

The hills of UP are blessed with snow- capped maintains, gushing rivers, dense forests and verdant Valleys. If offers unlimited opportunities for adventure sports. Up is, bounded on the North by Tibet & Nepal, on Northwest.The Gharwal, Kumaon, Auli regions of Uttar Pradesh are the most popular for adventure Tourism.

River Rajting: The Ganga, Bhagirati and Alaknanda in the Gharwal regions of Uttar Pradesh offer plentiful opportunities for this sport.

Trekking Mountaineering: Gharwal region in Uttar Pradesh is also very famous and the area is spread over 290 km. It is first known area in the Himalayas for expedition and the highest peak in the mountain which is less than 8000 m high form the sea level and this vital area is Thanked by Tibet in the North, Kumaon in the East, Bijnore in the South and Tebit and Dehradun in the west.

"Nanda devi" is yet another popular peak, which is the most beautiful peak in the country.

Skiing: Auli ski resort in Gharwal area of UP. Crore of rupees have been pumped in by the gvt. Towards this project, as a result of which Auli today can boast of latest state-of art technology. The cable car that connects auli with Joshinath is judged to be the longest of its kind in Asia.

In spite of natural attractions, poor quality of available facilities discoverages adventure tourists form visting a place.

Poor Transportation:

The road transport is not very congenial to the requirements of tourists. Slight rain can hang the tourists on the way for hours without water & food. The roads are narrow and risky, therefore driving at night is prohibited in Gharwal. This fact acts as a barrier to the entry of the tourists.

The airports Panth Nagar at Kumaon and Jolly Grant at Gharwal are both non- functional. The only way to get there is by road and the road conditions are extremely poor.

This discourages tourists to visit the region because on a holiday he/she expects comfort in contrast to the inaccessibility prevailing at the destination.

Insufficient and Sub Standard Accommodation

Finding proper and safe accommodation in the Himalayas at the trekking routes is also a problem. Old routes like Pundari or Har-Ki-Dun one of the most famous trek can boast of forest rest houses every eight to ten Kilometers distance, but only six to eight trekkers can be accommodated. This is surely inefficient during the peak season.

Poor housekeeping, dirty rooms, dusty floors, shabby bed sheets, scarcity of running water are the common features of the accommodation available.

Bureaucratic Delays.

Treks above 4,900 meters, needs prior premises form the Indian Mountaineering federation, camera permits are also necessary. These permits take about a weeks time, that causes delays and seeking permission becomes an expedition in itself and it discourages the flow of tourist in the region.

Also getting clearance form Ministry of Defense, Government of India, Ministry of Home, Govt. of UP, to enter the inner-line area is another problem for domestic as well as foreign tourists.

Research and Rescue:

There is no official research and rescue system in the region, no provisions are made to look after the accidents on the mountains. One who comes for mountain dimming or trekking knows that any mishap can occur in the mountains. Even if the local authorities go and bring the casualty down there is no provision to airlift the casualty. This lack of search and rescue is also one of the major hindrance that discourages the tourist movement in the area.

On one hand the government of Uttar Pradesh is so negligent towards the kind of facilities it is providing to the tourists. On the other hand the initiatives are being taken by Kamaon Mandal Vikas Nigam-(KVMN,takes care of the tourism in the Kamaon region) to tap the unlimited potentials of adventure tourism by attracting private partnership in tourism to provide better facilities to the tourists in the Kumaon area.

Last year (1999) Kumaon, received 25000 domestic tourist and 5000 forcing tourists who came exclusively for adventure Tourism. However the total no of tourists last was around 2 laksh only. And now to cater to the tourists needs KVMN is taking initiatives boost tourism in the area and are taking are of the problem that are faced by the tourists in their region.

For instance, the Adi, Kailash and Kailash Manasarovar routes hae the worlds most breathtaking views to offer. This popular Kailash Mansarovar trek has been into existence for the past 20 years and is reputed to be the most beautiful on earth.

According to Mr. Umesh Singha, Managing Director of KNMN, no permits are required for this trek. KVMN has already set up a few fiber huts and other facilities for tourists along this route.

If the government continues to encourage such initiatives , then Uttar Pradesh would undeniably be an adventure hot - spot.

For area to develop into a complete adventurer's paradise the govt. of UP needs to be more participative and plan out a strategy to deal with the problems existing in the state and the government should:

Appoint a separate division dealing completely with Adventure tourism. This division should be responsible for taking care of the entry permits, the safety and security of the tourists, accommodation facilities etc.

Regarding permits and restrictions a more liberal views should be taken to encourage visitors - both domestic and foreign. For this purpose an entry fee can be levied at the entry point of each trekking route.

The trekkers should also be told about the streams, rivers, avalanche zone, which they should negotiate carefully or avoid and also about the accommodation available enroute. All entry check-posts should be connected with the district head quarters by wireless so that incase of emergency necessary help can be rushed without delay.

Protection of the environment plays a significant role in the sustainability of Adventure Tourism because nature is the main facilitator of it. Many popular treks are slowly heading towards degradation due to imprudent trekkers who have been mindlessly littering along the trek routes. One such example is Nanda Devi, whose doors were closed in 1982 for the tourists on the pretext of environmental protection. It was faced by problems of deforestation, litter & disturbed animal life.

Simply by declaring an area "prohibited", one cannot solve the problem. In fact such areas need action-oriented programs like afforestation, demarcations of camp areas, strict restrictions on leaving waste and digging of hearths etc, rather than closing the area for nature enthusiasts.

CHAPTER-9 RECOMMENDATIONS & CONCLUSION

For years, India was projected as a land of monuments, ancient temples, holy ghats and varied culture. It is time to redesign many of our tourism packages and explore new areas. It has become imperative because, a loss in tourism traffic is in imminent if there is no qualitative change in the tourism promotional strategies.

Adventure tourism is one such avenue that is gaining significant importance which can infuse blood in the Indian tourism industry, if regulated properly. The geography of country is sufficiently endowed so as to attract tourists with and adventurist's zeal. But at the same time India has to deal with a whole set of problems, that discourages Adventure Tourism. It has to tackle these problems carefully and draft out a strategy to solve them.

Issues that surfaced and which need immediate attention from the government includes the rationalization of peak royalties which at the moment are very high and need to be more competitive than our neighbors like Nepal who take the lion's share of mountaineering expeditions.

One pitfall is the lack of airline capacity and its erratic schedules. Jammu & Kashmir have suffered badly on this account besides the political instability. Summer schedules are not featured on computers well on time because of which Travel agents cannot make reservations. The state govt. had taken up the issue with the concerned authorities hut not much has happened.

Also, the airports at Uttar Pradesh should be made functional as soon as possible for the easy access of the tourists.

Roadside amenities such as petrol pumps, automobile repair centers, hospitals, hot water and toilets should be provided for the convenience of the tourists.

Proper and safe accommodation should be provided for adventure tourists and the best possible arrangement would be small wooden lodging houses, like those in Nepal.

Time has come for the govt. of India Tourism department to take realistic view of the prevailing situation and draw a time-bound plan to upgrade the infrastructural facilities.

The rafting community continues to face problems in having to renew their licenses every year. The community should be constantly examined every year and should be provided with a five-year license.

The international boundaries should be opened for Adventure Tourism activities as this would relieve the pressure from traditionally visited places and also extend the product line i.e. It will provide more variety to the real adventure enthusiasts.

The tour operators should call more about safety than cost so, that the reputation of an operator is not hinged on his adherence to the safety guidelines. This would after mean an importing gear, since much of it is either not available locally or is sub-standard.

Marketing: Like creating awareness at home, we also need to create awareness abroad for what India has to offer in terms of adventure. It is an extremely complex product, and needs the combined efforts of numerous agencies to create marketing to tools for the industry's special needs. We should concentrate on researched and identified source markets.

Eco-tourism: need of the hour

The Himalayan Environment Trust, based in Delhi, has complied a Code of Conduct for visitors to the Himalayas. Some of these are:

Campsite: Remember that another party will be using the same campsite after you have vacated it. Therefore, leave the campsite cleaner than you found it. Limit deforestation: Make no open fires and discourage others from doing so. You will help the cause greatly by taking some saplings with you and planting these on your trail. In a safe place burn dry paper and packets. Bury other waste paper and biodegradable material including food. Carry back all non-biodegradable litter. Keep local water clean and avoid using pollutants: If no toilet facilities are available, make sure you are at least 30 m away from water sources and bury or cover wastes. Respect for local etiquette earns you respect: Loose clothes are preferable to revealing shorts and skimpy tops.

All these guidelines should be strictly followed that the Himalayan region is protected.

The govt. has to give serious consideration to the issues related to Adventure Tourism and in order to promote it, the path of modernization and expansion has to be initiated by the all the authorities related to it!

CHAPTER-10 LIMITATIONS OF THE DISSERTATION

Data for the number of tourists' visiting Northern India for Adventure tourism was not available at any state Tourism office therefore the data analysis could not be done.

There is no adventure tourism activity in Punjab and limited in Haryana & Delhi therefore there is no room for analysis and the more emphasis is laid on Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh & Jammu & Kashmir.

Only a few at activities have been deal with, in the states due to the back of complete information available on them e.g. Paragliding. There is hardly any information on it.

Since just a few operators deal with Adventure Tourism, who are based at Delhi. Only ten Tour operators have been interviewed during the research.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Books Bisht Harshwanti, Tourism in Gharwal Himalayas Edition 1994, Indus Publishing Company, New Delhi. Seth P.N., Successful Tourism Management Edition 1995 Sterling Publishers, New Delhi. Mitchell C.M. Tourism Marketing Edition 1989, Van Nastran Reinhold, New York. Weiler Betty and Hall Collin Michael Special Interest Tourism Edition 1992 Belhaven Press Lon and Halsted Press New York, Toronto. Dangwal R.C. and Batra G.S., Tourism Promotion and Development Edition 1999 Deep & Deep Publication Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi. Bexd Westtal and Stasch, Marketing Research - Text and Cases, Edition 1985 Rishard B. Irwin Inc. Victor T.C. Middleton, Marketing in Travel and Tourism Hienemann Professional Publishing. Batra G.S. Management of Tourism Edition 1996 Deep & Deep Publications, New Delhi Kamra Kishan K., Tourism - Theory Planning and Practice, Edition 1997 Indus Publiching Co. New delhi. Lanfant Marie Francoise Allcock John B and Burner Edward M, International Tourism - Identity and Change Edition 1995 Sage Publications Ltd.

Journals Kumar Sanjay, "Kumaon The Hot Spot Adventure Tour", Travel Trends Tabloid, January 2000, pp. 3. Negi S.C., "New Vistas of Adveture Tourism", Yojana, August 1999, pp. 43. Bakhshi S.K., "Auli- Fun destination for winter sports", Feb, 16-28, 1999, pp. 15. Chakravarti Ilika, "Tourism in the New Millennium - Hype or Reality?", Express Hotelier Ceterer, Jan. 31, 2000, pp. 12. Dr. Yadava, J.S., "Tourism and Role of Media, Yojana, Aug. 1999.

Websites www.ecploreindia.com www.hptdc.com www.tourismindia.com/themes/adventure.htm www.travel.indiamart.com/adventures www.plannetindia.net/altavista www.ibexexpeditions.com

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