In recent times, tourism has proved to be one of the most dynamic industries, with growth rates that surpass every economic branch. Even though traditionally tourism was considered as an urban affair, in the last few years, a changing trend of tourism is making it difficult to ignore its effects on the rural areas.
Remarkable Changes
The recent regeneration in rural tourism has started a socio-economic development to the interior regions of the country. The change is especially remarkable in the areas of soft industry activities or weakening agriculture.
Benefits of Rural Tourism
Studies have proved the positive impacts of the tourism activities on rural areas. Demographic stabilization, job opportunities, economic growth, stimulation of agricultural development, improvement of socio-economic well being etc. are only a handful of benefits that tourism has in the rural area.
The ability of the tourism sector to promote new jobs that do not require any special requirements has been the primary factor that helped in population retention. It also enabled rural people to concentrate on their traditional handicrafts.
A Cure All
Thus, it is not surprising that the national, as well as the local bodies across the globe, are strategizing and bringing policies to start rural tourism to revitalize the suffering areas. Right now, rural tourism is considered as a cure-all for the issues that rural economies across the globe are facing.
The sustainability factor of tourism in the rural areas has created so much positive impact that the UNWTO has declared 2020 as the year of rural tourism. As the government, as well as the private players, is showing interest in rural tourism, it is creating hope for this sustainability to continue for a long time.