History of Travel/ Tourism In India

The history of tourism in India has started through traveling of people within the county or abroad for doing trade and obtaining higher education. Traveling is not a new concept. It was exercised from the ancient time. During the age of Great Ashoka, there are many witnesses we can see. He has traveled to to spread the doctrine of Budha. Dharmasalas and rest houses were build during that period for rest and stay of the travelers in the villages. Budhist monasteries were also build for the pilgrims. And time by time travel facilities has been improved. 

There are many witness that foreigners have visited India. There is also reference to trade, commerce and cultural exchange program between Parsia and India. During the age of chandragupta Murya Hsuan Tsang visited India in 633 AD. His mission was to collect and translate ancient budhist scripture. In that time horse, elephant and camels were popular mode of trasport. Major development of trade and commerce took place when Alexender The Great reach India. It is said that the condition of the road was good, well maintained and covered with shady trees at that time. Marco polo was another foreigner who was passed by India in his way back to china in the 13^th century.

The Arthasastra also reveals the importance of travel infrastructure for the state, classification of routes and type of mode use for traveling. This could be an indication that there are well developed mode of travel in India for militaries, commercial travelers and civilians.

Traveling for pleasure on the riverside and hills stations was a tradition started by royal courts. However, such movement attracted all those who willing to escape from the cities to the calm and serenity of retreat. Resorts development in India took place during the Mugal age.

However, over the years the scenario of traveling has changed and a complex character of tourism introduced. Growth of technology, increasing income, improve facilities of travel as per requirement and affordability, mode of transport contributes to the modern tourism in India.

The rail service and air travel service gave boost to the tourism sector in the year of 1853 and 1963 respectively. International air transport service is also introduced by Air India to few countries like UK and Nairobi with some limit. Now  it has become accessible to all the countries with a number of private travel airlines from India.

In India, in 1960’s Indian Tourism Development Corporation was started to provide western comfort to visitors from abroad. ITDC plays a major role to build proper infrastructure to promote tourism, hotels and resorts invited to establish luxury facilities to attract high spending tourist. The first pioneer in this field was Mohan Singh Oberoi who began his career in the hotel business with the clarks Hotel in Shimla and the Grand Hotel in Calcutta. This is the way tourism has developed in India by the time means.

Tourism sector of every state has become an important source of revenue for the government. Not only India, all the countries around the globe has priorities the tourism development to provide better experience to the visitors. Government of every country invests a huge amount in the development and promotion of tourism sector.