Leveraging the Power of the Media for Tourism Promotion in India

Abstract

The thrust of this paper is to highlight the multidimensional issues of modern tourism and present the role of the media in the development and growth of the industry. The paper acknowledges the fact that India has recorded some remarkable milestones in the tourism sector. It further postulates that the industry is currently underperforming as it holds huge untapped potential. To remedy the situation, the author argues that media convergence is a vital player in catalyzing local, national and international tourism business development and inter-cultural dependency between India and the world. The presentation of the paper is informed by the relevant literatures in the subject area (Okaka, 2007). India’s rich history, heritage sites, unique cultural diversity and geopolitical position within the broader Asian continent makes its tourism industry viable and vibrant to boost the larger economy in both financial and non-financial terms; if well managed in association with better media relations. Thus this paper focuses on the need for a deliberate and purpose-driven synergy between the media industry and the tourism industry for a more robust development and promotion of the tourism industry.