The word culture means many things. It ranges from the culture that a child learns at home to the culture of an era. Many civilizations have gone up and down the sands of time. Only a few have managed to stand the test of time and be elevated to the state of greatness. Tourism is an international phenomenon. This has become an industry only in recent times thanks to man’s endless thirst for travel. Whether for business or pleasure, travel and tourism is here to stay and has achieved the status of the largest provider of employment.
Kerala is a unique destination that has gained an international reputation for its rich diversity in places of natural beauty. The depth of Kerala’s cultural heritage has significantly strengthened tourism in the state. The theme of this year’s Tourism Day, which is celebrated every year on September 27, is ‘Tourism that unites cultures’. This theme is particularly true in the Kerala setting.
There is no doubt that the super brand Kerala, ‘God’s Own Country’, has received recognition far and wide as a highly sought after ‘must see place in life’. Cultural tourism will further contribute to these achievements by linking people from all over the world. With the term global village becoming a reality, cultural exchanges have resulted in the exchange of ideas, feelings and the creation of camaraderie between nations. In this sense, the concept of linking cultures through tourism is of immense importance.
It can be seen that Kashmir is slowly recovering from the threat of terrorism through its tourism based campaign. Even people who were terrorists have shed their association with terrorism and turned to tourism for a living. The fact that Rajasthan has joined Kerala in promoting tourism through a win-win situation is a shining example. This is evident in the slogan Rajasthan uses to promote tourism: “Kerala is God’s own country, but God is on vacation in Rajasthan.” Therefore, both on the national and international stage, Kerala benefits through tourism, using cultural interactions.
In this age of technology-based exchanges, understanding other cultures is of immense importance. This will help spread the message of brotherhood and concern for our fellow men. Tourism being international in nature is an ideal means to understand other cultures. Cultural tourism is understood to be one of the world’s largest tourism markets. This is also one of the fastest growing branches on the world tourism scene. Even in this age of technology, culture and other creative forms are finding global acceptance. They are being used on a large scale to promote destinations, increasing their attractiveness and competitive value. Although there is a line of thinking that tourism is destroying the culture, it goes without saying that many art forms in Kerala like Kathakali and even ritual art forms like theaam have been given an opportunity through tourist affiliations.
It can be seen that many places are developing their tangible and intangible cultural assets. This is being used to develop a marketing edge against fierce competition. It also gives a local flavor to tourism products in these times when globalization threatens to engulf everything. We can hope that this year’s World Tourism Day message will provide the right impetus to break down barriers between nations and cultures and foster tolerance, respect and mutual understanding. In these difficult times and when world peace is at stake and often on the brink of war and division, these values represent the stepping stones towards a more peaceful future. The year 2010 saw 940 million tourists cross international borders. There has never been such a flow of tourists in recent times when so many people have been to so many places, nor have they been so exposed to other cultures. Needless to say, this has to continue. This interaction between individuals, communities and their diverse cultures leads to tolerance, respect and mutual understanding: the building blocks of a more peaceful world.
Kerala will gain a lot by following this message of peace, through cultural links. Kerala tourism has gone from strength to strength and it will go on absorbing this message of brotherhood and mutual cooperation. A third world war hangs like a sword of Damocles over our heads. The time has come to jump on the bandwagon of tourism and exorcise this threat.