A Souvenir Sheet consisting of 1 no. of special postage stamp on Indian Tourism on the Independence Day :

Issued by India

Issued on Aug 15, 2016

Issued for : The Department of Posts organized a nation-wide competition inviting entries for designing the commemorative postage stamp, souvenir sheet, First Day Cover and Brochure, on the theme Tourism in India.

Design : The designs on the stamp & Souvenir Sheet are based on three best entries submitted by Mr. Tiju. G. J., Mr. M. Vaibhav Shenoy and Ms. Ashita Sharma.

Credits :
Stamp / Souvenir Sheet / Sheetlet / FDC : Ms. Alka Sharma, based on selected paintings submitted by participants
Cancellation cachet : Ms. Alka Sharma

Type : Souvenir Sheet, Mint Condition

Colour : Multi Colour

Denomination : 2500 Paise

Souvenir Sheet printed : 0.3 million

Printing Process : Wet Offset

Printer : Security Printing Press, Hyderabad

About : 

• India is fast emerging as a preferred tourism destination in the World. The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015 ranks India 52^nd out of 141 countries overall. The country also scores high on natural and cultural resources where it is ranked 12^th. Tourism in India is economically important and is growing rapidly. In a developing country like ours, tourism has become one of the major sectors of the economy, contributing to a large proportion of the National Income and generating huge employment opportunities. It has become the fastest growing service industry in the country with an immense potential for further expansion and diversification.
• India offers a different aspect of her personality – exotic, extravagant, elegant, eclectic – to each traveler to the country. India is a country known for its lavish treatment to all its visitors, no matter where they come from. Its visitor-friendly traditions, varied life styles, diverse cultural heritage along with its colourful fairs and festivals, have held an abiding attraction for the tourists from not only within the country but from all over the World. The other attractions of this amazing country include beautiful beaches, forests and wild life and landscapes for eco-tourism; snow, river and mountain peaks for adventure tourism; technological parks and science museums for science tourism; centres of pilgrimage for spiritual tourism; and heritage trains and hotels for heritage tourism. Yoga, Ayurveda and natural health resorts and hill stations have also been attracting tourists for decades.
• Indian handicrafts particularly, jewelry, carpets, leather goods, ivory and brass work, wood work, textiles are in great demand by foreign tourists who love to spend on such items.
• Tourism sector is one of the largest employment generators in India. It plays an important role in employment generation and economic growth of our country and is accepted as the potent engine for inclusive social economic progress at universal level through its forward and backward linkages and ability to create employment. The main objective of the tourism policy in India now is to position tourism as a major engine of economic growth, and harness its direct and multiplier effect on employment and poverty eradication in a sustainable manner by active participation of all segments of the society. Apart from Marketing and promotion, the focus of tourism development plans is also on integrated development of tourism infrastructure and facilities through effective partnership with various stakeholders.
• Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency to formulate national policies and programmes for the development and promotion of tourism in India. In the process, the Ministry consults and collaborates with other stakeholders in the sector including various Central Ministries / agencies, the State Governments / Union Territory Administrations and the representatives of the private sector.
• Every region of India has something unique and delightful to offer to a tourist or visitor. Rajasthan is one of the preferred destinations, along with Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, North East, Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu which attracts both domestic as well as foreign visitors.
• The popular concept of Heritage Hotels was introduced to convert the old palaces, havelies, forts and residences built prior to 1950, into accommodation units that reproduce the ambience of lifestyles of the bygone era. These are extremely popular among tourists.
• In Himachal Pradesh, the rural people are involved in creating the required facilities in rural areas for tourism purpose. The North-East has a wide array of places in the form of its pristine natural beauty, forests and wildlife, rivers and mountains, and a unique multi-ethnic cultural heritage to offer to the tourists. The region is endowed with diverse tourist attractions and each state has its own distinct features.
• Tourism can be categorized under many activity related sub categories. Prominent among those are given below and concerted efforts are being made to promote these new forms of tourism in India:
  • Rural Tourism, which is essentially an activity which takes place in the countryside, is also very popular among tourists. It is multifaceted and may entail farm/agricultural tourism, cultural tourism, nature tourism, adventure tourism, and eco tourism. As against conventional tourism, rural tourism has certain typical characteristics, like it is experience-oriented, the locations are less populated, it is predominantly in natural environments and it is based on the preservation of culture, heritage and traditions.
  • Ecotourism (also known as ecological tourism) is responsible travel to fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas that strives to be low impact and (often) small scale. It purports to educate the traveler, provide funds for the economic development and political empowerment of local communities, and foster respect for different cultures and for human rights. Ecotourism is held as important by those who participate in it so that future generations may experience aspects of the environment relatively untouched by human intervention.
  • Ocean and river Cruises are one of the most dynamic and the fastest growing components of the leisure industry worldwide. India with its vast and beautiful coastline, virgin forests and undisturbed idyllic islands, rich historical and cultural heritage, is becoming a fabulous tourist destination for cruise tourists.
  • Adventure tourism involves exploration or travel to remote, exotic areas. Adventure tourism is rapidly growing in popularity in India. There is a thrust in the area of Medical Tourism, Wellness Tourism and Yoga, Ayurveda Tourism as well as other forms of Indian system of medicine covered by Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH). Services typically sought by travellers include elective procedures as well as complex specialized surgeries. However, virtually every type of healthcare, including psychiatry, alternative treatments, and convalescent care is available in India.
  • Wellness Tourism is about travelling for the primary purpose of achieving, promoting or maintaining maximum health and a sense of well-being. It is about being proactive in discovering new ways to promote a healthier, stress free life.
  • Sports tourism in India is also fast gaining interest. India has several golf courses of international standards. Further, golf events held in India also attract domestic and international tourists.
• Text : Based on the material available on the internet.

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