Insights & Analysis

Craft & Crafts Person

• Craft tells the story of the place and its people, thereby generating interest and potentially repeat visits of a region.

• Craft making as a slow design process/fashion. (Handicraft making is a time taking process.)

• Crafts equally contribute greatly to the culture of a destination and the travel experience.

• Tool making is a craft in itself, & is sidelined because of the bigger/final craft products. The traditional way of making the craft tools is not recognised.

• The utilitarian aspect of the craft has diminished with time, leaving only the aesthetic value to it.

• Lacking exposure of certain crafts due to heightened visibility of other activities & other elements.

• Lack of awareness on crafts being an eco-friendly & sustainable practice.

• Lack in accessibility, availability and affordability of traditional materials in the market.

• Craftspeople form the second largest employment sector in India.

• Crafts are both culturally & economically important. The cultural importance of craft leads to preservation of heritage, beliefs, traditions and culture.

• The economic importance lies in high employment potential, low capital investment, high value addition and potential for export foreign exchange.

• Craft experiences in tourism is effective for crafts-based social enterprises (CBSEs) to bring increased awareness of their people and processes, as well as the social, cultural and environmental challenges their enterprise seeks to address

Tourism

• Meanwhile, the tourism industry provides an important export market for a host of craft products.

• Craft tourism is an overall experience of craft with lifestyle, community & culture practices that act as an indirect influence of craft.

• It’s an important contributor to the economy, employing artisans that are preserving cultural heritage, while generating an important source of income through the informal sector.

• Tourist’s appetite for local and handmade ethnology is widely recognized and appreciated. So, shaping up the overall experience of the tour.

• Tourism products are mainly service products or services that have several features. Like architecture, pilgrimage, sightseeing, activities, cultural & traditions.

• The tourism industry can transform a country’s craft heritage into an attraction in its own right.

• India being one of the major tourist destinations has influenced the increasing demand of the crafts products.

• Handmade items became a fashion statement over time. This leads to arrivals of national/international tourists in various craft destinations and revolution in trade, communication and marketing.

• Perception created by the government on craft tourism is limited to niche shopping enthusiasts & doesn’t encourage/promote craft in tourism directly.

• Union of crafts and tourism celebrates human authenticity, and increases opportunities for self improvement and creates more genuine experiences along with the employment opportunities directly and indirectly.

Government & Handicraft Organisations

• Government needs to have strategies for partnership between arts, tourism and economic development because it is the key to foster a strong tourism destination.

• Local culture in its myriad forms and expressions is an important element of a destination’s uniqueness and appeal, often differentiating one destination from another, and thus contributing to destination competitiveness.

• Uniqueness of these destinations/regions seeking to maintain and grow their market share, given the increase in competition globally.

• Rich and diverse creative traditions of Kachchh (often known as "Kutch") live at the intersection of cultures and communities with diverse landscapes, people, and cultures that together create a distinct identity that is unmistakable to those who come here.

• Studying various handicraft tours across the nation helped us to understand how these organizations are helping the community, craftsperson and craft itself.

• Also, sustaining the beliefs of the craft village, helping the artisans to find the new opportunities and sources to sell those handmade pieces.

• Some tours stick to one region, while other tours cover multiple regions. Some tours include workshops as well. It's even possible to go on a handicraft buyer's tour, for those who are interested in importing fair trade items

Diverse Tourism in Different Regions

• Tourism in India has shown a phenomenal growth over time.

• One of the reasons is that the Ministry of tourism, India has realized the immense potential of tourism in India during vacations and festivals.

• India travel tourism has grown rapidly with a great influx of tourists from all across the globe who have been irresistibly attracted to the rich culture, beliefs, values, heritage, and incredible natural beauty of India.

• Each state has its logo with meaning to promote tourism and every logo represents the particular state tourism identity for what it is famous for.

• Like if we talk about Gujarat, i.e Gujarat Tourism, the lion shows the pride of the state. Gir forest is the big attraction of the state because of the Asian Lions which is only found in Gujarat.