Tourism

At its best tourism can provide an outstanding opportunity to increase the understanding of natural and cultural heritage, as envisaged by the World Cultural Heritage Convention while providing long term financial support to site management, local communities and tourism providers.

An important feature of Indian tourism industry is its contribution to national integration and preservation of natural as well as cultural environments and enrichment of the social and cultural lives of people. Over 382 million domestic tourists visiting different parts of the country every year return with a better understanding of the people living in different regions of the country. They have a better appreciation of the cultural diversity of India. It also encourages preservation of monuments and heritage properties and helps the survival of art forms, crafts and culture.

Tourists came around and looked into our tipis. That those were the homes we choose to live in did not bother them at all. They untied the door, opened the flap, and barged right in, touching our things, poking through our bedrolls, inspecting everything. It boggles my mind that tourists feel they have the god-given right to intrude everywhere.