TOURISM AND DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA : MYTHS AND REALITIES

Abstract

Every country is involved in promoting tourism in a big way. Tourism has become a top priority of the economic agenda of all the countries. In India, tourism is slowly getting due focus taking into account the countrys rich heritage and cultural tradition. The paper analyses the social, economic and gender context under which tourism development is taking place and provides a critique of the potentials it has as a tool for development in India. Specifically, it aims at analyzing foreign investments in tourism and the fundamental relationship between social life of the populace and the social, economic, gender, cultural and political transformations taking place in areas where tourism has become a major activity. Fundamental issues problematized are those related questions of overcoming exploitation and domination based on gender, class, race, age, and ethnicity. It is admitted fact that promotion of tourism as one of the globalizing elements and the edifice of the euphoria of globalization itself, are based on fetish zed systems.

Keywords: Tourism, culture, India

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