Challenges for Innovative Transformation in Heritage Tourism Development in India and Pakistan

Abstract

In the 21st century, tourism has become a popular economic development strategy adopted by developing countries. Among various facets of tourism, heritage tourism has been observed as the economically and commercially most viable option. Since countries with limited investment resources could invite foreign tourists to enjoy their heritage culture, history, arts, and music. However, heritage tourism in India and Pakistan has been observed as the neglected domain. The reasons for ignoring heritage tourism in India and Pakistan will be analyzed in this chapter with the purpose to identify challenges to preserve, conserve, develop, and promote built heritage tourism. Innovative transformation is suggested as the approach to develop, rejuvenate, and transform the tangible and intangible heritage tourism in India and Pakistan for reuse, social and economic prosperity of locals living around heritage sites, as well as to provide transformational experience to visitors.

Volume 1 - Issue 1

“…International tourist arrivals reached a total of 1.4 billion in 2018, which is around 6% more than the previous year and hence breaks all records (UNWTO, 2019). The present Pakistani Government has shown keen interest in developing national tourism, which Haq and Medhekar (2019) identified as the missing ingredient in its success. Tourism in the world has globally shown continuous growth in arrivals for eight straight years, the growth in 2017 was the highest since 2010, which experienced a rise in arrivals of 8% and 9% (UNWTO, 2018).…”

“…The tourism experience is simply an outcome of physical, emotional, spiritual, and/or intellectual influences, which is individually perceived by tourists since they start planning their trip, while enoying it, and until they are back home (Andrades & Dimanche, 2014;Otto & Ritchie, 1996). The literature on heritage tourism as an experience for tourists is almost nonexistent in Pakistan, motivating this study to highlight various tourism products and services in Pakistan that come under the umbrella of heritage tourism (Haq & Medhekar, 2019). The government and private tourism operators of Pakistan need to recognize the commercial and social benefits of heritage tourism (Haq & Medhekar, 2019;Baloch, 2007).…”

“…The literature on heritage tourism as an experience for tourists is almost nonexistent in Pakistan, motivating this study to highlight various tourism products and services in Pakistan that come under the umbrella of heritage tourism (Haq & Medhekar, 2019). The government and private tourism operators of Pakistan need to recognize the commercial and social benefits of heritage tourism (Haq & Medhekar, 2019;Baloch, 2007). Essential elements that emerged from the triangulation of secondary data sources (from the literature) to be discussed and analyzed as findings of this research are detailed below.…”

“…Hamilton-Smith (1987, p.334) further explained that the existential reality indicates "high levels of satisfaction, freedom, involvement and (intrinsic) reward", while structural reality involves "the extent to which the activity is task oriented and wherein completion is externally reinforced". The experiential heritage tourism is more associated with existential reality since a satisfied heritage tourist seeks more freedom and self-fulfillment rather than a highly organized tourism outcome (Haq & Medhekar, 2019).…”

“…The present Pakistani Government has shifted the focus of its economic and financial capabilities towards tourism (Haq & Medhekar, 2019). Pakistani tourism has been targeting natural, economic, and religious tourists, where heritage tourism has been overlooked for managerial, economic and political reasons (Haq & Medhekar, 2019).…”