Investment Opportunities in Agri-Tourism in India

Indian tourism industry is growing at the rate of 10 per cent which is 2½ times more than the growth rate at global level. By introducing Agri-tourism concept, not only present growth rate is sustained but also this value addition contributes to further growth. The tourism sector in India had witnessed an increase in employment numbers from 44.7 million to 51.1 million during the period 2004-05 to 2006-07. However, tourism also promotes national integration, international understanding and supports local handicrafts and cultural activities. India's share in the world tourism market during the year 2005 was 0.49 per cent, foreign exchange earnings during the year 2005 were Rs. 25,172 crores. Agri-tourism is the latest concept in the Indian tourism industry, which normally occurs on farms. Agricultural tourism is the Holidays concept of visiting a working farm or any agricultural, horticultural, or agribusiness operations for the purpose of enjoyment, education, or active involvement in the activities of the farm or operation. In general, Agri-tourism is the practice of attracting travelers or visitors to an area or areas used primarily for agricultural purposes. With the introduction of Agri-tourism farmers have reaped the benefit and attracting more tourists to their farms by providing all the basic necessities with hygienic condition. Agri-tourism is all about unraveling various facets of village life. Agri-tourism is now growing in a big way. However, it may take some time before it starts to grab a major share of the revenue generated from tourism-related activities. There is a huge scope of developing various pockets of agri-tourism in the country, as India is a country of extreme diversity.