Study on Changing Attitude towards Leisure in Hubli-Dharwad: A Service Providers Perspective

Abstract

The Leisure industry has seen the greatest strides of changes in the recent decade. The urban set ups have been enthralling the hosts and the guests by its augmented development as a destination of interest. Leisure activities are no more just an affair of the metropolitan cities and the tier I cities, it has gracefully captured the minds of the next level of cities which were initially not industry oriented. One such case is with the twin city of Hubli-Dharwad. The recent developments in this region has opened the avenues for the more of niche products who strive to give the consumers a quality experience or the quality time rather than the mere services of food and beverage. Once known for the Agro activities and as an educational hub the Region of Hubli Dharwad, also proposed to be a smart city in the Northern region of Karnataka has been an important Commercial hub attracting the major players of the leisure and hospitality industry in terms of Shopping malls and cafes. The studies have backed that the major portion of the pie of the leisure industry has always been consumed by the young lot. What made the service providers to tap this market off late? This development has initiated the interest for the research and thus a descriptive study was conducted to understand the service providers perspective on the present and future scenario of the leisure industry with special reference to shopping malls and cafes as part of an academic requirement of tourism and hospitality studies. The survey attempts to unveil the very purpose of operations, the nature of the consumer market, the growth rate of the business apropos the marketing strategies and the commitment towards the Corporate Social Responsibility.

Keywords: Leisure Industry, Urban Tourism, City-based Tourism, Shopping Malls & Cafes

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