INDIA – Can Entice, Encourage and Enchant the World to Return Now!

India is the land of my birth but as Mark Twain said in 1897 “This is indeed India! The land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and great poverty, of splendor and of palaces and simple huts, of genii and giants, of tigers, and elephants and peacocks… “ In this propitious year of Nationhood I salute her.

Growing up in India, being bilingual imbued me with a sense of the great diversity and antiquity of this wonderful subcontinent.?It might as well be a whole continent because of the choice of terrain, heritage, culture, languages, wildlife, music, and art let alone the ancient science, maths, early engineering, organic medicine, and great religions that have originated there.?I have arrived by sea twice but usually by air and the gentle greeting of Namaskar at an Indian airport and smell of the dust and the noise of the hubbub…well that is India!?Follow that with an efficient chauffeured ride into town where one is greeted with warmth and efficiency at a luxury hotel.?Swiftly enjoy a welcome hot shower, and then a nimbu pani from a hovering waiter and the contemplation of a splendid curry lunch…I am home or at least in my second home…beloved Bharat. For me, the year is incomplete unless I return to India.

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In the last twenty odd years India’s tourism has progressed significantly with the rapid increase of infrastructure modernization.?Domestic air travel took off with the advent of low-cost airlines and these days Indian cities and towns are easily reached whereas in my childhood a journey could take days with overnight stops at dak bungalows that owed their origins to administrators long gone who had to make long and wearying visits and needed somewhere safe to rest and indeed work from when not in their Calcutta office or branch.

Whereas for decades Delhi’s IGI Airport was totally underwhelming, the 12-years old Indira Gandhi Airport at Terminal 3 and the Domestic Airport are good, and the other big cities have invested in modern international airports which are excellent too; I think of Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Mumbai, and Kochi.??Personally, I just love arriving at a place like Jodhpur where the airport is still ‘dinky’ and though there is civilian traffic it stands as a bastion of the Indian Air Force to protect the nation’s borders.?Swooping in as the sun sets and one looks down on this fine city of Jodhpur with the great sand coloured palace of Umaid Bhavan and further away the mighty Mehrangarh Fort on its rocky outcrop with the desert glowing gold in the late rays of the sunshine and perhaps a flight of pigeons wheeling beneath the aircraft is just so special.

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I am heartened that India has amongst her entrepreneurs several pioneering resort and hotel owners who are determined only to build or restore eco-sensitive facilities and live alongside tribal people and wildlife or, in the case of vast cities not to contribute significantly to that city’s pollution. We ALL must do our bit to help Save the Planet.

I can think of pioneers, who do everything practicable to ensure their lovely places co-exist with local people and indeed encourage conservation.?Butterfly Gardens are just such a fine example of that aspiration.?The great legendary hotel pioneers have become the epitome of comfort, and great hospitality and some are now international groups.

??In Rajasthan, the distinguished princely and noble houses have restored, and converted palaces, ancient forts and havelis to heritage hotels or home stays, and are committed to conservation as part of their excellent custodianship ethos; they are succeeding admirably. The desert has its own challenges, but I absolutely love Rajasthan and am never happier than waking up for the sunrise and hearing the peacock’s call and the whole sky suffused with pink to crimson colour wash and on a lake the reflection in the water; or indeed watching the sunset from an ancient rampart or in a wildlife setting in the desert – the sun sinks slowly. and the land is bathed in crimson beauty. Anywhere, watching the sunset over a holy river like the Ganga or the Narmada or indeed the Brahmaputra.?Timeless, and with just the sounds of village life around one or a pilgrim’s tinkling bell and simple aarti offerings on the water, India casts her spell.

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India needs a Ministry dedicated to Wildlife Conservation. Only 3 per cent of India is now in a jungle or forest form, whereas over a century ago India’s jungles and grasslands were vast. Tiger tourism keeps the tigers of India alive as an indirect source of income for hundreds of thousands of people in many rural areas.

?Covid restrictions evidently have given rise to tiger poaching this year. Tourism should be doing a lot more for local communities. Their only other source of livelihood is a single annual crop and forest produce.?To restrict tourism to each park’s ‘buffer zones’ would not really work successfully as the big cats - leopards as well - inhabit the ‘core’ area of the forests or jungles and even now tourists are never allowed in many of those core areas. Moreover, there is dissatisfaction that all non-Indians pay a huge fee compared to Indians for park entry but in some of the parks are now restricted to riding in large badly maintained vehicles known as ‘cantors’ instead of the previous conventional jeep which takes four to five people, and without the benefit of a naturalist; this unsatisfactory experience happened to us in Karnataka.

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Despite the notoriety of Chinese Wet Markets and those in other nations like Vietnam they continue and that predates on all wildlife and India has suffered a huge loss of tigers already this year.?Again, COVID brought this to global attention and the infamy of all that resides firmly on the shoulders of China and Viet Nam and others.

To be up early in the morning before sunrise and in the cold morning air smell the sweet pungent fragrance of the jasmine in the forest, hear the peacocks and the alarm calls, see the sun rise on the horizon….and then see a great big cat or two walking towards us.?Magical.???We have visited 21 wildlife parks and wetlands and the experience is always hugely rewarding and memorable for Graham and me.

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Covid has made the global tourism industry stop and think. Indeed, it is the backbone of some national economies such as Greece. Tourism is the world’s largest industry; the trickle-down effect is vital everywhere, and is THE Employee dominant industry which, for India’s massive Young Population is vital.?Government’s task is to employ those who are committed, enthusiastic and determined to have a methodical approach to help the Tourism Industry from which the whole country would benefit enormously. ?Nor should there be confusion about the frequent return of Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) with genuine tourists.?Punitive taxation within the Hospitality Sector is counter productive and even deters tourists and smacks of greed.

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RESPONSIBLE ?SUSTAINABLE TOURISM

• We are all Custodians of Our National and Global Environment, Fauna and Flora and Man built Architectural heritage.
• Government should educate, innovate, legislate, and enforce – with Government knowledge-sharing is the operative word
• Along with the Community’s Contribution think mentoring and upskilling
• And WITH Private Enterprise and Investment
• Over tourism is the formidable challenge for us globally and India has to face this challenge with Taj Mahal, ancient palaces, big temples like Konarak, etc
• People will search for ‘authentic and unique’ experiences globally and travellers must be encouraged to travel more sensitively and respectfully

?That can lead to SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION ?of both Built and Natural Heritage

Both need three fundamentals MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE and Vigilance

Easily promoted with Social Networking:

?Linked In, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and others.

?My feeling is once Covid diminishes that intelligent travellers will seek worthwhile experiences, wholesome, not ‘hedonistic’; they will look for ‘wellness’ and if nurtured with careful marketing and information, will find enjoyment in the natural as well as the more sophisticated attractions not just the popular glib well known.

Now that the Indian Government has decreed that overseas visitors can return from 14th February 2022 with a PCR test, a Personal Locator Form both sent to the mandatory website and not have further quarantine restrictions that are mandatory many of us will be winging our way back to beloved India.

?Private Hospitality is longing to welcome back the global visitors, as well as domestic tourism which is now hugely promising.?

?INDIA You CAN ENTICE ENCOURAGE AND ENCHANT THE WORLD TO RETURN

?Abandoned cities, forts, great palaces, citadels, temples, mosques, tombs and resting places, Buddhist Stupa, Christian Relics, Jewish heritage, the Edicts of Asoka the Great, Seats of Learning, Natural Wonders, Wildlife, big cats, great flora, insects, plus the Cultural Aspects. Ayurveda, River Cruises, Backwaters, Beaches, Luxury Rail Journeys, Shopping … Diverse Cuisines and certainly, to be factored in, Medical Tourism which is growing with big private hospitals and their expertise.

Birthplace of Four great religions and thus focus of spirituality…. Truly there is no country more diverse.

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Be it mountains, rural countryside, great ‘holy’ rivers, lakes, beaches, jungles, soaring great built heritage, the Tribal People welcoming you to their modest village, or the wetlands providing winter homes for millions of migratory bird life – I urge global travellers visit India, ?be respectful, and you will be made welcome, but keep your heart open - somehow, someone, somewhere will provide a special experience which will remain with you forever.?Believe me, India has the capacity to enter your heart.

?Aline Dobbie

www.thepeacockscall.co.uk

@AlineDobbie

@AlineRoseDobbie

Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn

?Author of India: The Peacock’s Call, India: The Tiger’s Roar, India: The Elephant’s Blessing and Quicklook at India in conventional and e-book form