Special Interest Tourism in India: Market Trends and Development

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of special interest tourism (SIT), examining its characteristics, products, and services. It explores how customer motivations, needs, and expectations influence the SIT market and how diverse needs are met by niche tourism offerings. The report focuses on the Indian market, presenting relevant data and statistics on the scale and scope of SIT, its impact on the country's economy, and how tourism providers respond to customer demands. It also investigates emerging SIT markets, market forces, trends, and the development of SIT in a chosen destination, offering recommendations for future developments. The report is structured into three parts, with the final section covered in a PPT, and concludes with a summary of findings and references. The study analyzes the role of Holiday Architects, a special interest tour operator, and its strategies to expand its product portfolio to meet increasing demand. The report highlights the importance of understanding customer needs, providing personalized services, and adapting to evolving market trends. The data is sourced from the Ministry of Tourism (India) and India Tourism statistics.

Special Interest
Tourism

Contents
INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................3
Part 1..........................................................................................................................................................4
Special interest tourism products and services.........................................................................................4
How customer motivations, needs and expectations influence special interest tourism...........................4
Relationship between customer motivations, influences and special interest tourism products and
services....................................................................................................................................................6
How diverse customer motivations and expectations are met by special interest and niche tourism
markets, products and experiences..........................................................................................................6
Part 2..........................................................................................................................................................6
Relevant data and statistics on the scale and scope of a chosen special interest market...........................6
Impact of special interest tourism on India and how tourism providers respond to customer needs and
expectations.............................................................................................................................................9
Impact of special interest tourism on a chosen destination, applying relevant data and statistics..........10
Examination of new and emerging special interest markets, products and providers with relevant
example.................................................................................................................................................11
Impact of market forces and trends on the development of special interest tourism markets.................11
Development and impact of special interest tourism on a chosen destination, justified recommendations
for future developments.........................................................................................................................12
Part 3........................................................................................................................................................12
Covered in PPT.....................................................................................................................................12
CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES........................................................................................................................................14

INTRODUCTION
Tourism refers to all the activities of the people who travel to places that are outside their
regular environment for various purposes like business, leisure etc. It significantly contributes to
the overall economic development of a country (Altman and Finlayson, 2018). Special interest
tourism is among the fastest growing segments within the tourism industry and refers to those
forms of tourism that focus on activities that attract h Apart from this, it also creates a number of
jobs and builds a sense of cultural exchange between the tourists as well as the local people of
the destination. This report is based on Holiday Architects, a small special interest tour operator.
The company has decided to expand its product portfolio in order to deal with the increasing
demand. The report defines as well as differentiates the characteristics of special interest tourism
from mainstream mass tourism. Examples of special interest tourism products, services as well
as providers in different market are also included in the report. It also includes an analysis of the
impact of special interest tourism on a chosen destination and how tourism providers respond to
customer needs and expectations.

Part 1
Special interest tourism products and services
Special interest tourism can be referred to a form of tourism that primarily focuses on
activities that attract a small number of visitors that are highly dedicated. This may be related
to unusual hobbies or activities that are only practices by some people. It involves travelling
with the motive of practicing a special interest or enjoying (Brahmanto and Hamzah, 2017). In
simple words, it can be said that special interest tourists engage themselves in activities that
are of personal interest to them. This form of tourism has become an integral part of the
current tourism industry. There are different kinds of special interest tourism like educational
tourism, sports tourism, adventure tourism. arts and entertainment tourism etc. SIT or Special
interest tourism replaces the traditional mass market travel packages that are available in the
market and allows the tourists to choose holidays that they find to be appealing to their
individual interests.
Special interest tourism offers the tourists a lot of opportunities to explore their areas of
personal interest. Tourists today, have become more interested as well as motivated about
travelling to and exploring new places, instead to travelling to places with mass tourism.
Different types of special interest tourisms offer different services like Educational SIT offer
grand tours of the different historic places, cooking as well as languages schools that offer
various courses related to a destination’s local cuisine as well as language (Bulatović and et.
al., 2017). Similarly, services offered in a relaxation special interest tourism include camping,
canal boats and cruising.
How customer motivations, needs and expectations influence special interest tourism
Customers play a major role in special interest tourism as they travel for different reasons like
for business purposes or leisure etc. Different people who travel, have different needs and
expectations that can influence special interest tourism significantly. People who travel for
educational purposes, have totally different needs from those travelling for relaxation. It is
important for a destination to be aware of the cultural needs of the people who travel there.
When a person visits a destination for education related purposes, they expect it to have places

that will enhance their knowledge about the culture and traditions. The motivation of a
customer to visit a particular destination can get affected by various factors. This can include
negative reviews about the destination by people who have had a bad experience.
This will lower down the overall interest as well as motivation of a person to visit a new
destination. Therefore, it is important for special interest tourism to match itself to the needs as
well as preferences of the customers. Products and services should be offered to the customers
based on their individual preferences as well as interests (Cho, Bonn and Brymer, 2017). This
is because it will in retaining the customers so that they consider visiting the place again.
There are many people who prefer to experience the authentic culture and cuisine of the place.
Tour hosts of the destination should understand this and then arrange the holiday packages
accordingly. In context of Holiday Architects, the company has employees who themselves
have travelled to various destinations and also have a many year of experience in the travel
industry.
The organizations that operate in the segment of special interest tourism can speak to their
customers and understand their needs in a more effective manner. This will help them in
designing tour packages based on their individual needs. The employees can also offer advice
to the customers based on their experience and knowledge. This can help in reducing the
overall influence of the needs as well as motivation of the customers on special interest
tourism. A tourist might expect the destination to have a good climate, be clean etc. There are
many tourist destinations that have emerged as tourist attractions and it is important for them
to carefully understand the needs as well as expectations of the customers who are considering
visiting the place.
Other expectations and needs of the customers that can influence special interest tourism can
include a clean and better-quality accommodation, better customer service, better Wi-Fi, more
food options especially for people who are vegetarians etc. If the destination that they are
considering to visit lacks these basic things, the number of tourists visiting the place will
decline and also its public image will get affected (Croy, 2018). This can lead to a negative
impact on the overall economic development of the destination. Therefore, destinations should
work against reducing the gap between them as well as the expectations and needs of the
customers. As this will increase the overall customers visiting the place and contributing to
their overall economy.

Relationship between customer motivations, influences and special interest tourism products
and services
Customer motivations, influences as well as special interest tourism are interrelated with each
other. This is because if the customers think that their needs as well as wants will be satisfied
by travelling to a particular destination, they will be motivated to travel to that place. This can
be because of either business-related purposes or for leisure (Devine and Ojeda, 2017). As a
result, they will be interested in visiting the place again due to which the overall economy of
the destination will also increase. Tour travel organizations within the special interest tourism
should offer the customers packages that match their individual interests as well as
preferences.
How diverse customer motivations and expectations are met by special interest and niche
tourism markets, products and experiences
Different customers have different motivations as well as expectations when they consider
visiting a particular place. There are different tour operators that operate in the special interest
and special tourism markets. They initially have a conversation with the customers in order to
understand their needs as well as preferences. This helps them to understand the key things
that the customers are looking for. Based on the same, the design tour packages for the
customers. Also, the vast experience and knowledge of the tour operators’ employees enables
them to give honest advice about a particular destination. Thus, this is how the customer
motivations and expectations are met by special interest and niche tourism markets.
Part 2
Relevant data and statistics on the scale and scope of a chosen special interest market
India is one of the many emerging special interest tourism markets in the world as
tourism is one of the major contributors to the country’s overall economic development. There
are different types of special tourisms that are offered to travelers (Frantál and Urbánková,
2017). These include cruise tourism, adventure tourism, well ness tourism, medical tourism etc.
Tourism has changed a lot over the years and people are now interested and motivated to travel
to new places that offer services which are based on their individual interests and preferences. It
is considered to be one of the fastest growing sectors that not only contributes to the overall

economy of a country, but also enhances its employability. One of the most important aspects of
tourism is thee cultural exchange between the different people belonging to different
nationalities. India is one of the most preferred destination among tourists across the world and
has experienced a considerable amount of growth in the number of tourists visiting the
destination. Besides all of this, the country still needs to work on various constraints like the road
connectivity, accommodation for the tourists etc.
Figure 1: Number of foreign tourists in India
Source: Ministry of Tourism (India), 2020
From the above graph, it can be said that the number of people looking for travelling as a
relief from their existing monotonous life is gaining popularity by each year. India is a vast and
culturally diverse country with various cuisines and different heritage attractions that attract
tourists from all over the world.

Figure 2: India Inbound Statistics – 2019
Source: India Tourism statistics 2019, 2020
From the above graph, it can be stated that the number of foreign tourists travelling to
India has gone up over the years. This is also because they feel that their interests and
preferences are met by special interest tourism markets. Tourism contributes significantly to the
overall GDP of India and also helps in generating a greater number of employment opportunities
(Gálvez and et. al., 2017). With the continuous growth in the number of people travelling to the
country, the Government of India launched he second level of Incredible India campaign in the
year 2018.

Figure 3: Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India
Source: Number of foreign tourist arrivals in India from 2008 to 2019, by month, 2020
The graph states that there has been a growth of nearly 2.2% in the arrival of foreign
tourists between the months of January and June 2018. This has helped the country to promote
itself further among travelers. It has primarily focused on promoting its niche tourism products
like medical, wellness as well as spiritual tourism through various platforms including social
media.
Impact of special interest tourism on India and how tourism providers respond to customer needs
and expectations
Rise in the disposable income of the customers has made it possible for them to explore
destinations that meet their respective preferences (Kang, 2020). There are various factors that
contribute to the overall economic growth of a country. Special Interest Tourism has impacted
the chosen emerging tourism destination, i.e., India in a significant manner. It has increased the
number of foreign tourists visiting the country over the years due to which the country’s ranking
has also increased on the list of most visited destinations. Different people belonging to different
places have their own individual needs and expectations before visiting a particular destination.

These can include a clean accommodation, a knowledgeable or relaxing experience and so on.
Tourism providers today offer products and services that are customer-centric. Tour operators
that provide services in the special interest tourism speak to the customers in order to understand
the kind of experience that they are looking for. This also helps them in finding the best way to
provide the customers with what they want in their holiday package.
Tourism providers have employees who are experienced and possess knowledge about
the travel and tourism industry. They interact with the customers and provide them with
suggestions and honest advice about a particular destination that they are considering to travel to
(Kunwar and Karki, 2019). This ensures that the customers make the right choice for their
respective trip to the destination. Once this is done, a specialist designs an itinerary for the
customer and sends it across to them with the final price. This is referred to as the initial draft
and if the customers want, they can make changes in the same. Different tourism providers are
innovating their services in different ways in order to stand out from the market against
competitors. Money is an important factor that customers take into account whenever they are
planning a trip. So, a tourism provider that offers a complete safety of their money is more likely
to get opted for by them as compared to any other tour service provider. Therefore, this is how
tourism service providers respond to the expectations as well as needs of the customers. This not
only helps them in gaining their trust but also satisfying the needs of the customers in an
effective manner and gain a competitive advantage.
Impact of special interest tourism on a chosen destination, applying relevant data and statistics
Special interest tourism has impacted the chosen destination, India in a significant
manner. This is because the tourism industry of the country has been able to cater to the needs of
the customers effectively. This is also because there has been an increase in the number of tour
organizations in the industry that offer a wide range of products as well as services. Also, since
special interest services are offered across various areas like wellness, medical and spiritual
along with an opportunity to explore the different cultures, the number of foreign customers
visiting the country has increased (Lew and Cheer, 2017). This shows that special interest
tourism has impacted the country in a positive manner. Various statistics that have been
published on different websites reveals that the income level as well as money play an important
role in special interest tourism influencing the chosen destination. Also, there has been an

increase of nearly about 2.2% from January to June 2018 in terms of the number of foreign
tourists travelling to India.
Examination of new and emerging special interest markets, products and providers with relevant
example
Special interest tourism is one of the key driving forces that has contributed to the overall
development of the tourism industry. It has also allowed the industry to offer a huge range of
products as well as services to the customers based on their individual preferences. India is said
to be one of the emerging special interest tourism markets because it offers variety of services,
for example, the major focus of the country is on wellness, spiritual as well as medical forms of
SITs. Likewise, the different service providers within the Indian tourism market are also
focusing on making their services customer-centric. Tourism has always been a major
contributor to the overall economic development of the country (Montella, 2017). For example,
special attractions that have emerged in the special interest market of India are the Indian cuisine,
Yoga and Siddha. These have helped the market in attracting a greater number of customers from
across the world. Special interest tourism is more concerned with catering the specific needs of
the customers so that they can make a right choice about a trip.
The up ascend in specialty and uncommon intrigue the travel industry among the New
vacationers have prompted all the more understanding in continuing nearby customs, culture and
natural components, Furthermore, the task features the way that numerous sightseers are
presently moving to unique intrigue and specialty the travel industry to make them more
individual because of the ascent of scholarly people and experts. Anyway because of this
investigation intelligent people are on the ascent implying that unique premium and specialty the
travel industry might be significantly not exactly the mass now yet who knows how far the
advancement of the travel industry in these zones will create later on, the new many become the
mass. Therefore, special interest tourism markets offer large opportunities for tourism service
providers to tailor their services according to the individual preferences of customers.
Impact of market forces and trends on the development of special interest tourism markets
The market forces as well as market trends can have an impact on the development of
special interest tourism markets. At the point when an objective has an extraordinary occasion
like occasion markets, yearly celebrations or for a bigger scope, for example, the sports events,

travel showcasing is tightened up as needs be (Tsai and Wang, 2017). The expanded media
consideration and worldwide spotlight on objections and the neighborhood neighborliness
industry is a type of no-cost showcasing. Paid showcasing is additionally equipped to harmonize
with the occasion timetable to expand the degree of profitability, and going to the huge occasion
is developed in people in general everywhere, particularly in key the travel industry markets.
Travel showcasing may utilize marking from the occasion coordinators and dispatch joint
activities for quite a long time before the occasion to make a firm relationship between what's
going on and the objective. Other trends of the market include latest technology, innovation etc.
that can impact special tourism markets.
Development and impact of special interest tourism on a chosen destination, justified
recommendations for future developments
India is a culturally diverse country that attracts tourists from all across the world and the
tourism industry contributes to the overall economic development of the same. From the above
analysis of the report, it can be said that special interest tourism is one of the fastest growing
segments of the tourism industry that has impacted the various emerging destinations (Croy,
2018). In context of India, it is recommended to encourage more such business that are focused
towards providing services that are in sync with the preferences as well as needs of the
customers. This will contribute to it future development and attract a greater number of people
from across the world. A proper market research can be conducted in order to understand the
needs as expectations of different people who will travel to the country.
Part 3
Covered in PPT
CONCLUSION
From the above report, it can be concluded that special interest tourism is one of the
fastest growing segments of the tourism industry. There are different ways through which
customer motivation, needs as well as expectations can impact the special interest tourism. There
is a lot of data as well as statistics that is available which provides an overview of the scale and
scope of an emerging special interest market. Tourism providers today are responding to the
customer needs and expectations in an enhanced way. This is because customers are considered