Analysing Promotion and Visitor Expectations of Beach Tourism in Odisha with Special Reference to Puri Beach

Introduction

This study is focused on analysing promotion and Visitor expectations in Puri beach for the development of tourism in Odisha especially in Puri. Whether providing services according to the expectations of the visitors are the major influencing factors to increase tourist inflow in the destination is the key study area. This article starts with the concept and importance of beach Tourism in general and Puri beach in particular. Key issue of this paper is to find out whether the Puri beach, its natural attraction, infrastructure, services and its local product can be an attraction while marketing a destination. What promotional strategy to be taken to attract new potential tourists and retain present tourists, what motivate tourists to visit in Puri? Beach tourism and its products are important parts of the mass and most rapidly growing activity in the international tourism. Tourism products related with beaches are one of the major factors shaping development patterns in the coastal areas of Odisha. All the stakeholders of tourism have to take appropriate positive roles for the promotion of Beach Tourism in the state like Odisha.

The term ‘Beach tourism’ means total tourism, leisure, and recreational activities that take place in the coastal area and the offshore coastal waters. These activities include tourism service providers on the beaches like hotels, resorts, restaurants, food industry etc., and the infrastructure which support beach development like: accessible road, lights, signage, sanitation, retail businesses, marinas, fishing stores, dive shops, recreational boating, beach activities, adventure sports etc. Ecotourism and recreational activities such as recreational boating, scuba diving, cruises, swimming, recreational fishing, snorkeling and diving are also included in beach tourism activities.

Beach tourism and recreation are important parts of the most rapidly growing activity in the international tourism. Tourism recreation and adventure related development is one of the major factors shaping growth patterns in the coastal zones. Beach tourism is becoming a highly competitive and lucrative business as the country actively searches for attracting increased numbers of visitors and earnings of foreign exchanges to their coastal areas. Due to the advantage of communications, as a part of the publicity, the quality of beach and its core and augmented products are quickly communicated among the potential tourists in the tourists generating areas. So the study for promotion and visitor expectations is extremely essential for the development of Beaches in the competitive market.

Odisha beaches like Puri, Konark, Gopalpur and Chandipur are situated on the eastern coastline of India, have wonderful wide white sand, fishing farms, medium to high tide and superb resorts making these sites attractive tourist destinations. Puri is also a part of the famous ‘Golden Triangle’ of tourism destinations in Odisha along with Bhubaneswar and Konark. Beautiful sun dunes and great architecture of Jagannath temple make it an inviting tourist destination in eastern India.