The Impact of Introducing Tourism in Primary Educational Curricula

This paper explores the impact of introducing tourism as a subject for young students at the primary school level. Currently, tourism is taught only at undergraduate and higher levels. The current educational system is unable to counter many of the challenges that the Indian tourism sector currently suffers from. These include the perception of India as a dirty, unhygienic, unsafe, crime ridden place that deters many tourists from visiting the country. This is a tragedy as India has the potential of becoming a tourist destination with 'something for everybody'. The researcher interviewed 100 professors of tourism; most of them agreed that tourism ought to be introduced to primary school students. It was found that the most important impact of such education would be to instill a sense of pride in young children about their country, its history, culture and heritage. From this sense of pride would follow a change in attitude and behaviour. Young people will grow up to be agents of change in society and in the country, who act as advocates of responsible behavior towards the cultural monuments of the country and towards tourists. In the long term, there will be sufficient critical mass of more enlightened young men and women in the country which will lead to a solution to many of the problems confronting the tourism industry today.