THE CHANGING FACE OF GLOBAL TOURISM

 Even as global tourism continues its relentless growth (1.52 billion in 2025 and growing at 4% per annum), the opposition to its environmental, social and cultural impacts is also increasing (except, of course, in India where your typical North Indian tourist continues to carpet bomb the Himalayan states with plastic, beer bottles, condoms and uncouth behaviour). Therefore, I was gladdened to learn that, in other countries at least, new forms of tourism are emerging, which are environmentally sustainable, respect local cultures, customs and traditions, and reject the bucket-list, itinerary driven form that currently prevails. They give better value for money, are more meaningful, relaxing and even therapeutic. I give below some of the new versions which are being embraced by more people, especially the younger generation. 

FOREST BATHING (or LAND SNORKELLING)                                                         Immersing oneself in a natural setting; quiet walking, no talking: this is the best form of meditation, it reduces stress and improves the mood.

NOCTOURISM                                                                                                   Night tourism, both amidst nature and as city tours. Gives one a new perspective of our world and includes night safaris, star gazing, constellation tracking. A survey in Tokyo (500 million tourists every year!) found that 67% of them booked night tours.

TOWNSIZING                                                                                                   Getting off the beaten track, away from the hustle and bustle, noise and congestion of metros in favour of small towns and villages to experience the authenticity and charm of a laid back lifestyle that is now almost a thing of the past. Preferred increasingly by Gen Z, it is also known as QUIETCATIONS and HUSHPITALITY, and is meant to counter corporate burn-out and digital fatigue.

JOMO ( JOY OF MISSING OUT) TOURISM                                                                 The opposite of FOMO (FEAR OF MISSING OUT) in today's digital world. Prioritizing oneself, doing and experiencing what YOU want instead of following the herd and keeping up with the Joneses. The opposite of group or chartered tourism.

SLOW TRAVEL                                                                                                 Rejecting the rushed, itinerary based, tour guide dictated form of mass tourism in favour of a more slow paced experience, a deeper involvement with the places visited. Staying longer at one place, understanding its culture, traditions, cuisine, people, rather than rushing from one "must see" hot spot to another. (The average tourist at the Louvre in France gets to see the Mona Lisa for just ten seconds before s(he) has to make way for the next in line!). Much more personally fulfilling and one comes back refreshed.

SLEEP TOURISM                                                                                             This may come as a surprise to readers, but it makes sense when one learns that 100 million Americans do not get adequate sleep! In this genre, the top priority is to get a good night's sleep for a few days, to detox and cut one self off from the demands of daily urban existence. A survey by the Hilton group of hotels revealed that two thirds of their guests sleep better in hotels than in their own homes. Hotels cater to this need by providing special mattresses, dimmed lighting, sound proofing and a Do Not Disturb ambience.                    REGENERATIVE TOURISM                                                                             When travel begins to heal as well as energise. Spas are the usual offering in the developed world, but in India a different model is gaining popularity- Wellness tourism, created around Ayurveda, Vipassana, Yoga and traditional Indian medical practices. This has existed for some time in states like Kerala, but of late Himalayan states, with their unique mountain climate, geography and pollution free ambience are also cashing on this. A rapidly aging and health conscious population provides a good catchment area for customers.                DARK TOURISM                                                                                                 Sadly, there are revenue making opportunities available even in human tragedies, and Dark Tourism is their product. It involves visiting sites of conflict, accidents and other tragedies. Initially prompted by a desire for closure, seeking both understanding and emotional resolution (Jalianwala Bagh, the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, World Trade Center in New York which receives 40000 visitors a day, the Holocaust Museum), it has now assumed macabre dimensions: hundreds of Zionist Israelis have been visiting the front-lines to witness the bombing, shelling and destruction of Gaza in real time.     PREGNANCY TOURISM                                                                                    This may sound freakish, but it exists and is a by-product of geo politics and poverty. It involves pregnant women going to certain countries to deliver their babies, in order to exploit the "jus soli" (citizenship by birth) clause which is part of the immigration laws of most countries. In the USA about 320000 babies are born to mothers who are either illegal immigrants or are there on temporary/tourist visas. That constitutes 10-12% of all births in the USA. No wonder Trump has been trying his best to change the laws.                               A version of this is rumoured to exist in Ladakh too, though no evidence of this exists. It is claimed that women from Europe (especially Germany) come to the Aryan valley where the Brokpa (aka Drokpa) community live, to conceive from local males. The Brokpas are said to be descended directly from the soldiers of Alexander's army and have pure Aryan blood. (Similar claims are made about the residents of Malana village in Himachal's Kullu district). The idea is to have pure Aryan children. Geneticists are not even sure of this, and for all we know this may just be a ploy to boost tourism to this valley! 

It is, however, heartening to note that more and more people are beginning to realise the value of nature, authentic indigenous ways of life, the benefits of a slower pace of life, the importance of leaving behind a smaller ecological footprint. Maybe we in India will wake up to this also one day.