Agro Tourism in India- India Vibrates

Agro tourism is now considered the best ever growing sector in the tourism industry. Keeping in view its ever-growing role in attracting urban tourists, recently Ministry of Tourism Government of India in collaboration with various state governments has started initiative to support and develop rural village/agro tourism in our country.

Agro tourism has been successfully implemented in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Jharkhand, and others. It has the tremendous capacity to create a win- win situation for both the farmers and agriculturists by generating additional handful of income. In Maharashtra, rural areas have formed an organization named Maharashtra State Agri and Rural Tourism . There are about 150 agri-tourism centres in the state now working having any financial assistance of the government scheme. In Kerala, concept of tourist village has been implemented replacing rural tourism. Under the project, an entire village has been cleaned, repaired, restored provided with traditional pathways, street lantern, landscaping without disturbing old fashions to offer an heavenly setting. West bengal ranks 1^st in terms of production of paddy and vegetables; 2^nd in potato; 7^th  in production of fruits and eighth in flower production. The State is the second largest user of land for agriculture purpose. Also West Bengal is marked for its varied tourism properties/ products. It is the only State in India where mountain like the Himalaya, Sea-the Bay of Bengal and the vast greenery of Gangetic delta co-exist. Of course it’s real beauty spread over every villages with local art, culture and others.

In India Agro Tourism is at infant stage. It is the concept which has been successfully promoted in Europe and USA. India has the vibrant potentiality and immense scope to flourish this business and the State of Odisha has every possibility to become an agro tourism hub in the country if promoted and developed in a planned manner due to its long and calm seashore, hills , rivers, ancient temples and highly rich and oldest culture . As there has been a growing complexity in earning bread and better especially those living in the rural areas; the prospect of agro tourism throws a light of hope to them in future and economic infusion.