Popularising rural tourism

Industry stalwarts and veterans working to promote rural tourism came together to launch the Association for Rural Tourism in India (ARTI) during the three-day international conference on rural tourism in Delhi.

Manas Dwivedi

In an attempt to bring all organisations and individuals engaged in the field of rural tourism under one umbrella, the Association for Rural Tourism in India (ARTI) was unveiled during the International Conference on Rural Tourism Development held at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi. Satyajeet Rajan, Founding Member and Director General (Tourism), Government of India, launched the association amidst the presence of stalwarts and pioneers of rural tourism world over.

On the occasion, Steve Borgia, Founding member and CMD, INDeco Hotels said that ARTI will unite all hoteliers, NGOs and individuals working in the space of rural tourism. “As a task long due, this association is not only meant to hand-hold the tourism initiative, but also share and sustain the efforts. It is also now important that we influence our governments at both the centre and the state, along with NGOs to use rural tourism as a tool to mend the ailing backbone of our villages,” he said.

Other founding members of the association include SK Misra, Chairman, Indian Trust for Rural Heritage and Development and Former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of India; Sujit Banarjee, Secretary General, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC); MP Bezbaruah, Former Secretary, Ministry for Tourism and Honorary Permanent Representative, UNWTO; Jose Dominic, CEO, CGH Earth Group; Supratim Raj Basu, Founder & Director, Help Tourism; Pandurang Taware, Founder/ Director Marketing & Sales — Agri Tourism Development Corporation and Dr Nimit Chowdhary, Professor and Head, Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Jamia Millia Islamia.

Speaking about the objective of the association, Borgia said, “We looked at rural tourism not only as an economic tool to improve the per capita income of the rural communities, but also to protect and preserve their lifestyle, art, culture and cuisine. Looking at rural tourism as an ideal product for inbound tourists, we have made serious inroads, and have now converted the initiative into not only a successful businesses model, but also a lucrative opportunity for local communities, emerging entrepreneurs and hoteliers.”

An initiative to find economic development and growth for the population living in the rural parts of India, ARTI will work in the area of policy making, pollinating good practices, skill development and training. The association will also work for disseminating information and assisting the government and NGOs to look at rural tourism as a tool for rural development in the country.

The three-day international conference on ‘Rurality, Ruralism, and Rural Tourism: Challenges and Coping Strategies’, organised by Jamia Millia Islamia, discussed the contemporary issues in the field of rural tourism as well as future tourism trends, ideas, implications and methodologies and theoretical and practical approaches for rural tourism development.