Tourism development in the thar desert, Rajasthan

Abstract

Crossed by rich caravans at the time of the silk roads, the Thar cities suffered a series of crises from the middle of the nineteenth century to recent decades. But since the 1980s, the ancient desert capitals have experienced a new process of growth, tourism being the main development sector. This chapter analyses the process by which this activity started and has expanded to our days. It gives a description of the rich heritage of these cities, with their forts, temples, and havelis, the merchant caste’s magnificent houses. It shows the importance of foreign visitors’ arrival, the active role of the former nobilities in providing adequate accommodations, the use of strategic infrastructure for tourism development during the 1980s and 1990s. After 2000, globalisation brings drastic changes. The opening of Indian economy leads to external investments in quality hotel infrastructure. The rise of a national middle class expands domestic tourism. If expertise, investments, and political decisions come from outside the desert cities, local factors still play a large role in such remote regions, even in the case of tourism, an activity driven by an external demand.