Empowering Local Tourism for Nation's Progress

Tourism is one of the most effective tools a country can use to progress, especially in rural areas. The local communities help by joining hands together to support society's weaker sections by adding a socio-cultural flavour. It becomes essential for the less developed regions to empower themselves to take on what opportunities development will bring. Tourism has become a crucial ally in the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).  

Challenges

Promoting and investing plans in local tourism brings to the forefront that the tourism system is a pyramid-like structure organized hierarchically along the national, regional state and local, i.e. town or municipality levels of responsibility.

The hospitality/service providers from higher to bottom level are somewhat defensive as to their own responsibility for successful tourism development. They do not see themselves as being the ones in a position to play the leading role in the tourism building process since they do not have the finances, the manpower or, the vision and knowledge to do so.  

Moreover, sustainable tourism delivery is considered to be outside their realm because they do not own or manage the facilities and services offered to visitors at various levels and thus, they do not have any real influence over the traveller experiences that drives tourism. In their view, the responsibility for better tourism infrastructure resides with the government at every level.  

In practicality with grand investment plans and for its sustenance, how do we approach a mass level of empowerment? How do we involve travel/service industry workers to contribute beyond their job description?

Local Tourism Benefits All

With a proper emphasis on tourism's importance and careful execution of the plan, tourism can emerge as a potential sector to employ a massive portion of society, generate income, and be an umbrella solution to all the economic marginalization's. Especially rural tourism can enrich and preserve all the local culture, traditions, customs, which at the same time can safeguard the identity of local communities. 

The most rewarding part about uplifting local tourism is that it enhances the natural sites and protects the fauna and flora, keeping the environment intact.  Hence, all we can say is, local tourism can boost the growth of the local communities by offering a plethora of tourists to visit the places and have a look at the natural beauty.  

Enhancement of local tourism also means engaging local talent, which means local actors, singers, dancers, etc., giving them a platform to showcase their hidden talent in the world out there. This overall will help in empowering the local communities and foster their development.  

The Overall Objective of Uplifting Local tourism:

Of course, the aim is to leverage local tourism and its rich culture into the system of economic growth, which will automatically contribute to its development and boost income.  

Objectives:

1. Enhancing Employment in rural areas: By supporting the local SMEs, we contribute to uplifting the local markets and places financial position. The more we visit such sites, which are the hidden treasures, the more need for Employment emerges, which will, in return, increase the revenue. This is a chain, and the chain can only start with us contributing our part to it.  

2. Sustainable Development: This is one factor that can be achieved through robust planning and effective decision making. Local tourism is all about maintaining sustainable development and keeping our nature or environment clean and tidy. This is the whole beauty of local tourism.   

3. Tourist Attraction: Local places are no less when it comes to offering comprehensive services. All that we require is to enhance those services and give them shape. Once this is done, there could be some regional tourist attractions to which people might get attracted to. 

4. Enhancement of the Heritage: With the help of local tourism, we can always support the local festivities, culture and heritage. What the local art wants is a genuine motivation, and they will be ready to put their best foot forward no matter what.

Overall, the entire focus to push local tourism by helping local tourists flourish in the best way possible when the government and the responsible communities position the region as a rural or local heritage tourism destination through an effective marketing and promotion strategy.