Abstract
Travel and tourism are emergent new service sectors that are likely to shape and drive economic growth and social change. Tourism is one of the major forces for economic, social, and cultural change in any region, and India is no exception. Tourism as a complex multidimensional phenomenon has attracted increasing scholarly attention during the past three decades from a broad range of disciplines: anthropology, sociology, economics, political science, history, development studies, and business/management. It has also commanded the attention of policymakers, planners, and development practitioners in India. However, what has been lacking for many years is a study that reviews and analyzes the intent and opportunities linkage focused on emergent and new forms of tourism as upcoming entrepreneurial opportunities. Focusing on India, this chapter aims to do that, with an in-depth examination of new forms of tourism followed by entrepreneurial aspects in tourism. Though the discussion pertains to India, the lessons drawn could be applicable to all involved in tourism.
TopLiterature Review
Tourism is the world’s largest industry (Scheyvens and Momsen, 2008). The human need and desire to travel has not changed over time however evolution through the ages has provided the tourism industry to grow and develop to meet the demands of tourists (McIntosh, et. al, 1995). Early modern times (1550-1950), particularly in the early 18th century has been revolutionary to the tourism industry. Henry Ford's introduction of the first automobile in 1908 not only saw the demand for better roads but ultimately changed the way and accessibility of travel (McIntosh et. al, 1995). The notion of war also motivated many technological advances that have assisted in the development and growth of the tourism industry (Hall, 2007). As a sector of the economy, tourism is used by many countries to advocate economic development. It is used as a development strategy due to its economic effects such as generating foreign exchange, creating employment and stimulating local economies (Sindiga, 1999). According to McKercher and Du Cros, 2002, few people really understand tourism, but that does not seem to stop them from commenting on it and telling willing audiences how tourism should work. However, one can clearly see that it was started on a very small scale. Most hospitality establishments like inns, motels, restaurants etc., were entirely managed by family members. This is how one of the world’s largest industries today had a humble beginning. Today, travel and tourism has become part of the people’s regular activity, for the economies worldwide the sector generates not only revenues but is also a great provider of employment. Approximately 77 million people are employed in the industry worldwide (Collier, 2006).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Transformation: The act or process of transforming, change in form, appearance, nature, or character or alteration, especially a radical one. A change in position or direction of the reference axes in a coordinate system without an alteration in their relative angle.
Barrier: Anything serving to obstruct, or preventing, access, or progress. Anything or something that limits a quality or achievement or the act of limiting or the condition of being limited or cause delay. Barriers come in many forms and from many sources. They can be temporary or permanent. When evaluating a barrier, it is necessary that one looks at all the activities that precede the delay as well as the activities that follow the delay.
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): Is a term for segmenting businesses and other organizations that are somewhere between the “small office-home office” size and the larger enterprise. Country to country this term may vary, but it is usually based on the criteria of investment, number of employees and turnover, etc. science, and pure science; method for convening resources into goods and services.
Entrepreneurial: Nature or character or personality to organize and manage any enterprise, usually with considerable initiative and risk.
Digital Economy: Is a term for all of those economic processes, transactions, interactions and activities that are based on digital technologies.
Challenges: Something that by its nature or character serves as a call to make special effort, a demand to explain, justify, or difficulty in a undertaking that is stimulating to one engaged in it.
Competitive advantage: An advantage that firms has over its competitors, allowing it to generate greater sales or margins and/or retain more customers than its competition. There can be many types of competitive advantages including the knowledge, skills, structure, product offerings, distribution network, and support.
Value: Relative worth, merit, or importance and the worth of something in terms of the amount of other things, for which it can be exchanged; to consider worthy of respect, excellence, usefulness, regard or esteem highly.
Information technology (IT): The umbrella term that encompasses the entire field of computer based information processing: computer equipment, applications, and services, telecommunication links and networks, digital databases, and the integrated technical specifications that enable these systems to function interactively. IT is study or use of systems (especially computers and telecommunications) for storing, retrieving, and sending information.
Sustainability: The ability to be sustained, supported, upheld, or confirmed to support long-term and the quality of not being harmful to the environment or depleting natural resources.
Business: Pertains broadly to commercial, financial, and industrial activities.
Innovation: Something new or different introduced, it is the act of innovating which includes introduction of new things or methods. Innovation is also introduction of a new idea into the marketplace in the form of a new product or service, or an improvement in organization or process. The process of translating an idea or invention into a good or service that creates value or for which customers will pay.