Incredible India -The Campaign

Even though being home to one of the seven wonders of the world and several magnificent landmarks, India did not have much growth in the tourist sector. In contrast, other countries have flourished in tourism markets.

Hence, the Tourism Ministry of India came up with strategies to promote tourism in India to the other country’s populations. The government of India launched the Incredible India campaign by advertising it through printed advertisements and commercials on TVs in the year 2002 for the first time.

The purpose of the Incredible India campaign was to make a brand out of India that depicted the history, diversity, religious beliefs, and spirituality, all in all, it showed India as the melting pot of cultures that it was and is to this date.  

Impacts of the campaign

The impacts of the Incredible India campaign were vast, entire India reaped profits because of it, and the campaign indeed served its purpose. Here are a few of the impacts of the Incredible India campaign:

Economical impacts

• When the government launched the Incredible India campaign, it proved to be highly beneficial for the country. Even today, it is being used to attract foreign tourists to the country. 
• In the first year of the launch of this campaign, India witnessed an upsurge of 16% of foreign tourist increase compared to the year prior. 
• The tourist industry contributes to the national GDP of the country. 
• An increase in tourism will result in more jobs for the Indians; this ensures the unemployment rates reduce to a certain degree. 
• Moreover, it also increases the country’s economy; more taxes will be paid as more people are employed.  

Cultural impacts

• After the government of India launched the Incredible India campaign, it changed the perceptions of millions of people regarding India. 
• It was earlier perceived that India is underdeveloped, with no good infrastructure, hospitality, and a poor country. 
• In the later years, when foreigners were introduced to India and its diverse cultures through various means, they started appreciating India. Through word-of-mouth advertising, even more tourists were attracted. 
• It is no secret that India does not have mere touristic destinations; instead, India has cultures, traditions, festivals, and each city, each state, and each destination has a story behind it, which is a USP(Unique Selling Point) for India. 
• The campaign name ‘Incredible India’ suits because it’s not just a name or title. Rather, it perfectly depicts India’s incredibility and traditions.

Geographical impacts

• With an area of 3.278 million Km2, India has a mix of forests, rivers, mountains, deserts, and beaches; additionally, India has scorching hot and cold places. It rains and snows in India. 
• Tourists can hike, bike, play, sleep, swim, and go on adventures they have always desired. 
• The Incredible India campaign successfully tells all these things to its audiences. 
• When the government launched the Incredible India campaign, it increased tourism, demands for hotels, restaurants, cafes, and many other things like parks and tourist site activities. 
• As a result, deforestation, pollution, and the killing of animals for food have also escalated dramatically. 

Social impacts

• Incredible India proved to be an extremely good opportunity for small-scale businesses to flourish. 
• Handmade pottery, jewellery, artefacts, and many more tangible items’ demands have increased. 
• Men and women have skills passed down through the generations that they can showcase through these items. 
• As a result, it has provided the local populations with employment opportunities and better living standards and conditions. 
• Furthermore, women have been able to self-employ and be independent, setting an example for the coming generations of women. 

Disadvantages  

• Although there is no doubt that the purpose of the Incredible India campaign was fulfilled, the aim to increase tourism in a country cannot be entirely dependent on advertisements.
• Increasing the number of foreign tourists in India requires many alterations, like the infrastructure. However, the current infrastructure is not bad, and it does not mean that there is no room for improvement. 
• Secondly, even today, many Indians are unable to speak fluent English, as the language barrier has not completely disappeared.
• Foreigners will find it difficult to communicate if they travel to places where the people/locals do not speak English. 
• The hygiene conditions of India are also not in favour, even after all the policies and movements to make India cleaner, it still has not proven to be fruitful. 
• Keeping India clean and hygienic can be a challenge for everyone, but it is essential to attract more tourists.

Conclusion 

The government of India launched the Incredible India campaign in 2002. The purpose of the Incredible India campaign was to attract foreigners to India and include India in their travel plans. As a result of the Incredible India campaign, many misconceptions about India were cleared. The tourists were attracted to the peaceful and rejuvenating experiences in India, the spirituality of the places, and the unique stories that the historical places or the Indians narrated. India is now being thoroughly appreciated after being ignored for a long time. The Incredible India campaign has proven to be a huge success and is in favour of India’s government and its citizens.