GROWTH OF TOURISM IN HIMACHAL PRADESH: A STUDY OF DISTRICT SHIMLA IN HIMACHAL PRADESH 1 Assistant Professor, Government College
Nirmand, & Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of
Humanities & Social Sciences, IEC University, Baddi
(HP), India
1. INTRODUCTION In Himachal Pradesh, tourism is growing as a sector of the economy and creating a significant number of jobs. The establishment of businesses, infrastructure, and the creation of jobs are all projected to contribute significantly to the socioeconomic development of the state. Through its backward and forward connections and cross-sectoral synergies with industries like agriculture, horticulture, poultry, handicrafts, transportation, and construction, among others, tourism has the ability to support other economic sectors. Tourism expenditures trigger a series of transactions that call for the supply of products and services from these associated industries. The consumer demand brought on by tourist spending also leads to an increase in employment and has a positive multiplier effect on the economy. The potential for tourism in a region depends on the available resources. Making efforts to promote environmentally friendly tourism has become more important in recent years as a result of the tourism industry's rising impact on the environment's resources. Himachal is well-known both domestically and abroad as a renowned tourism destination. Domestic travellers are drawn to this hill state for a variety of reasons, including taking in the tranquil surroundings, to escape the sweltering heat of the lowlands, to spend vacation time, or to make pilgrimage visits. The historical significance of the hill state also draws visitors from abroad. For both domestic and international travellers, new tourism niches have been identified, including adventure, trekking, camping, and sport tourism. The State Government has launched numerous measures to promote tourism and encourage exploration. An attempt has been made to analyse the growth of tourism in Himachal Pradesh in this chapter using secondary data. 2. REVIEWS OF PAST STUDIES Previous studies conducted by various researchers Butter (1974) examined the social repercussions
and noted that tourists typically come from wealthier neighbor
hoods. One of the long-term societal repercussions of tourism is that it causes
the general populace to adopt a lifestyle that is beyond their financial means.
As a result, acculturation between visitors and indigenous societies begins. Tyagi (1989) According to the author of the report
"Development and Potential of Tourism in Himachal Pradesh," the state
of Himachal Pradesh has full tourism potential with all necessary components as
well as in terms of various profession bases, making it a unique destination of
attraction to tourists. She claimed that different tourist attractions helped
this state get to where it could have been because a destination's tourism
image is crucial to the growth of the industry. Raja (1992) Shimla, which served as the
summer capital of British India prior to independence, is one of the best-known
products of the British Empire. In his book, "Shimla-The Summer Capital of
British India," he conducts research on this subject and provides an
account of the decline of the town after the British left and it became the
state capital of Himachal Pradesh. Meena (2004) India saw
a very high surge in tourists in 2003, according to the author of "Tourism
High in Incredible India." According to his research, 2.75 million
tourists visited India in 2013, an increase of 6.3% from 2002. Additionally, he
noted that the massive influx of visitors occurred in the first half of the
year and was unaffected by the SARS illness or the Iraq War. Janta et al. (2020) They
looked at how employment in tourism and working experiences affect migrant
workers' adaption to the host society in their article, "Employment
Experiences of Polish Migrant Works in the UK Hospitality Sector." It is
stated that employment in the tourist industry gives people access to a variety
of social networks, which helps them develop their social and cultural
competencies. Such a network also aids in making up for the drawbacks of
migration and the tourism industry. 3. DATA AND METHODS The results have been analysed using the appropriate mathematical, accounting, and statistical tools of analysis, such as percentage, average, ratios, trend analysis, chi-square, compound growth, comparative analysis, correlation, F-test, Chi square test, and rank Scale. The data information gathered from primary and source has been methodically organised and tabulated in an appropriate way. The tabulated results have been obtained by using following tools shown here only few due to space constraints: Arithmetic Mean: Arithmetic mean has been used as a single value that has represented the group of values. The arithmetic mean has been calculated as under:
= Arithmetic Mean SX = Summation of X component N = Number of observations Standard Deviation: The method of
standard deviation has been used to measure the absolute dispersion or variability
and magnitude and deviation of value from the mean. Standard deviation has been
calculated as: s = Where = Standard Deviation
SX2
= S(x-)2 N = Number of Observations Co-efficient of
Variance: Co-efficient of variance has been applied to ascertain the degree of
variability in terms of percentage so as to understand the extent of uniformity
of data. For this purpose, the following formula has been used:
C.V. = x 100 Where: s= Standard Deviation = Arithmetic Mean 4. OBJECTIVE The present research paper aims to investigate the role of
tourism in Himachal Pradesh's growth. 5. SUMMARY, RESULT AND DISCISSION 5.1. HIMACHAL PRADESH'S SHARE OF TOURISM IN GROSS STATE DOMESTIC PRODUCT AT
CURRENT PRICE The total value of the goods and services generated in any given fiscal year is known as the gross state domestic product (GSP). It is important for assessing per capita income. An analysis of a country's or state's GDP can be used to determine the size and growth rate of the economy. Since 2008–09, the following analysis has been done on the contribution of tourism to the Gross State Domestic Product of Himachal Pradesh at current prices: During the study period, the Gross State Domestic Product
(GSDP) value in Himachal Pradesh averaged Rs. 99, 85, 581.92 lakh with a
standard deviation of 410.75 and a coefficient of variation of 41.13 percent.
In the 2019–20 fiscal year, it was Rs. 1, 65, 47,239. Table 1 illustrates the GSDP's
consistent increase since 2008-09-09, which is underpinned by compound growth
of 13.53 percent. The year 2011–12, with a growth rate of 27.62 percent, saw the largest growth. Himachal Pradesh's economy depends heavily on tourism, which is expanding quickly. This is corroborated by Table 1, which shows a 9.26 percent compound growth in the contribution of tourism to the state of Himachal Pradesh's overall GSDP. Table 1
The data unmistakably shows that increase was observed
practically every year during the study period, with the biggest growth
occurring in the years 2009–10 (24.74 percent) and 2011–12 (20.67 percent),
respectively. However, the 2015–16 fiscal year also experienced negative growth
(i.e., -20.34percent). The average proportion of the GSDP for the study period
was Rs. 812380.42 lakh (S.D. = 19.42 and C.V. = 24.36percent). Such a minor difference also suggests that the increase in tourism's contribution of the gross domestic product has been observed at a nearly constant rate. The tourist sector's average contribution to the State's Gross Domestic Product throughout the study period was 8.13 percent. 5.2. SHARE OF TOURISM IN HIMACHAL PRADESH'S TOTAL PLAN OUTLAY The plan outlay is a type of expenditure that accounts for a sizable amount of the government's overall spending. The average total plan expenditure in Himachal Pradesh, according to Table 2, was Rs. 439166.67 lakh, with a standard deviation of 147799.52 and a coefficient of variation of 33.65 percent. 2019–20 saw a 710000-lakh rupee increase. The state's total plan expenditure increased steadily throughout the course of the research period, as seen by the overall compound growth of 10.37 percent. The year 2012–2013 saw the biggest growth (12.12 percent). The government divides up the expenditure budgets for the
various sectors from the overall plan outlay. One of the main sectors that the
government oversees is tourism. A total of Rs. 8513 lakh, or 1.2 percent of the overall
budget for Himachal Pradesh (Rs. 710000 lakh), was set aside for tourism in the
2019–20 fiscal year. Although tourism continues to make up between 1 and 3
percent of plan expenditures each year, there has been a significant increase
in this allocation, which is backed by a compound growth rate of 29.78 percent.
The share of tourism in
total plan outlay experienced the biggest rise in the years 2011–12 (i.e.,
132.89 percent), followed by 58.87 and 53.52 percent in 2013–14 and 2017–18,
respectively. However, the year 2019–20–19 shows negative growth (i.e., –5.68percent).
Additionally, the percentage of tourism spending in Himachal Pradesh's overall Plan Outlay was only 0.9percent. Table 2
5.3. ARRIVAL OF DOMESTIC TOURISTS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH Table 3 provides year-by-year information on the increase in domestic visitors who visited Himachal Pradesh and the Shimla area throughout the study period. As shown in Table 3, the average number of domestic tourist arrivals in the state over the course of the study was 1,51,074,415 (S.D. = 2838696.48 and C.V. = 18.79percent), with compound growth of 5.90percent. Nevertheless, negative compound growth decreased between the years 2013–2014 (-5.95 percent) and 2019–2020 (-15.87 percent). The state saw the biggest growth in international visitor arrivals in the year 2009–10, or 17.75 percent, followed by 2010–11, or 16.09 percent, and 2011–12, or 13.99 percent. The average number of domestic visitors to the Shimla district throughout the study period was 2901793, or nearly 19.20 percent of the average number of visitors to the state. This demonstrates unequivocally that Shimla, one of the state's twelve districts, is one of the most visited destinations by both domestic and international tourists. A total of 30, 30,246 domestic tourists visited the Shimla district in 2019–20, up from 20, 61,539 in the years 2008–2009–20. The number of tourists who visited the area was at its maximum in 2017, at 34,16,629, and at its lowest in 2008-2009, at 20,61,539. Table 3
Domestic visitor arrivals in the Shimla district saw
positive increase during the research period for most of the year, with an
overall compound rise of 3.91 percent. However, there was negative growth in
the years 2013–14, 2017–18, and 2019–20–19, or -6.33 percent, -2.86 percent,
and -13.46 percent, respectively. The data unambiguously shows that domestic tourist
visits increased by 14.26 percent in the year 2010–11, followed by 13.39 and
13.38 percent growth in the years 2011–12 and 2012–13. Table 4
Foreign travelers have expressed interest in visiting Himachal
Pradesh. Table 4 makes it abundantly evident that during the
study period, a total of 50, 88,999 foreign visitors came to the state. More than 4 lakh international visitors arrive on average
each year, with a variation of 48 000, or 11 percent (X=4,24,083, S.D =46716 and C.V =11.02percent). The
number was 3,76,736 in the 2008–2009 fiscal year, although only 0.85percent of
compound growth indicates a little shift in foreign visitor arrivals during the
study period. This might be as a result of negative growth in the years 2019–20–19,
which is -24.29 percent, 2013–2014, which is 17.20 percent, and 2014–2015,
which is -5.93 percent. Otherwise, positive growth can be shown in the
subsequent years. The year 2010–2011 saw the biggest growth in international
visitor numbers, at 13.24 percent. Nearly 33.40
percent of all foreign visitors to the state went to Shimla, reflecting the
district's prominence as a tourism destination relative to the other districts
of the state. Average annual visitor numbers to Shimla district are 1,41,676.75
(S.D. = 20712.88, C.V. = 14.62 percent), which is about 25percent more than the
number of international visitors in 2008–2009. The district received 2.12
percent more visits from foreign tourists overall throughout the study period,
according to a calculation. However, it was discovered
that there was negative growth in the years 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, and
2019–20–19, with percentages of -4.74, -1.33, -2.00, and -24.15 respectively.
Data plainly shows that the number of foreign visitors has been falling off
since 2016–17. The year 2012–2013 saw the biggest growth, at 18.26percent, which
was followed by the year 2010–2011 at 17.26percent. The number of international
visitor arrivals peaked in 2016–17 (1,65,476), accounting for 36.5 percent of
all foreign visitor arrivals in Himachal Pradesh. 5.4. EMPLOYMENT IN HOTELS & GUEST HOUSES IN HIMACHAL PRADESH Increased tourism benefits travellers as well as residents by generating job possibilities. Table 5 has been analysed to determine how many persons in the research region found employment in hotels and guesthouses. According to Table 5, 25676 persons were employed in hotels and guesthouses in Himachal Pradesh during the 2019–20 fiscal year. There has been an increase in the number of personnel engaged in hotels and guesthouses from 2008-09-09 to 2019-20, namely 13935 and 25676 (Mean=18735.83, S.D =4022.49, and C.V.=21.47), with a compound growth rate of 5.75 percent. The year 2016 saw the most growth in the state's hotel and guest house workforce, at 14.01 percent, while the year 2010–2011 saw the lowest growth, at 2.89 percent. In Himachal Pradesh, there were 2,24,830 people employed in hotels and guesthouses from 2008-09-09 to 2019-20. In the Shimla district, or 17.8percent of the state, there were 4596 individuals employed in hotels and guest homes in the 2019–20 fiscal year. As shown by the data in Table 5, there have been more employees working in hotels and guesthouses from 2008-09 to 2019-20, or from 3541 to 4569. Table 5
During the study period, there were 47816 employees working in hotels and guesthouses in the Shimla district (X= 3984.67, S.D = 361.25, C.V = 9.07), representing a compound growth rate of 2.36 percent. The average number of persons employed in hotels and guesthouses in the Shimla district during the study period was 3984.67, or nearly 21.26 percent of the average number of people employed in hotels and guesthouses across the state. The Shimla district saw the lowest growth in the number of employees in hotels and guest houses in the year 2011–12 (i.e. 0.55 percent) and the largest growth in the year 2016–17 (i.e. 5.66 percent). 5.5. EMPLOYMENT IN BARS & RESTAURANTS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH The
growth of tourism opens up a variety of job opportunities for residents. Table 6 was used to conduct an analysis to
determine how many people in the research region found employment in bars and
restaurants. Table 6
According to the data in Table 6, the state's total
workforce for bars and restaurants has grown steadily throughout the course of
the research years. From the fiscal years 2008–09 to 2019–20, the number of
employees increased from 1647 to 3813, representing a compound annual growth
rate of 8.09 percent (X= 2870.17, S.D = 779.88, C.V =27.17). Over the course of the study period, a changing tendency
was also visible in the total employment in bars and restaurants in Himachal
Pradesh. During the study period, there were 34442 employees working in bars
and restaurants in the state, an increase of 8.6percent from 1647 employees in
2008-09 to 3813 employees in 2019-20. The overall number of pub and restaurant employees in the
Shimla district was 6659 during the study period, which is 19.33 percent of the
state. With one exception (i.e. -6-57) in the year 2018–19, the number of
employees employed in bars and restaurants increased from 2008–09 to 2019–20.
With a mean of 554.92 employees, a standard deviation of 96.91, a coefficient
of variation of 17.46, and compound growth of 5.04 percent, there were on
average 554 employees working during the study period. This year, a negative
percentage change of 6.57 percent was seen. According to the information in Table 6, there have been more employees working in pubs and restaurants each year. Between the years 2008–09 and 2019–20, the number increased dramatically from 412 to 697. The years 2014–15 and 2019–20 experienced the highest growth rates, or 13.26 percent and 11.34 percent, respectively. On the other hand, the years 2019–20 and 2011–12 saw the lowest increase, at 1.46 percent and 1.52 percent, respectively, due to the prior impact of COVID–19. 5.6. EMPLOYMENT AS TOURIST GUIDES IN HIMACHAL PRADESH Growth and development in the tourism industry increase employment opportunities not only in the hotel, guest house, bar and restaurant industries but also in other fields where people are employed primarily as a result of tourism, such as working as a tour guide, travel agent, photographer, etc. Such job chances are also accessible in Himachal Pradesh, where the Shimla district is a well-known tourist destination. There has been an endeavour to learn more about the current situation regarding the number of people working as guides in Himachal Pradesh and the Shimla district of the State. From 2008-09 to 2019-20, there was a rise in this type of employment. Table 7
According to Table 7, 783 people in the
state on average found work as tour guides during the study period.
Significantly more variety in finding employment throughout the study period is
indicated by the Standard Deviation of 277.16 and Coefficient of Variance of
35.40 percent. Even yet, it is possible to view this fluctuation as positive,
which is backed by the 12.64 percent total compound growth. With the exception
of the years 2015–16 (-1.53percent) and 2016–17 (–6.00percent), practically
every year during the study period saw positive development. The year 2013–2014
saw a 60.48 percent increase in the likelihood of finding such work. The number of people employed as guides climbed to 1186 in the year 2019–20, which is also the maximum year during the study period, according to the data in Table 7. In the year 2008–09, only 359 people were worked as guides. During the study period, 248.08 people on average were employed as guides in the Shimla district, which is over 31.68 percent more than the state as a whole. Throughout the research period, there has been a slow increase in employment. However, Shimla is home to roughly 32 percent of the people working as guides in the state as a whole. In the Shimla district, 331 guides, the most guides ever, were engaged in 2015–16, followed by 302 guides in 2014–15, 297 guides in 2012–13, and 294 guides in 2013–14. After analysis, it can be shown that in the Shimla district, people are currently displaying less interest in choosing to work as a guide compared to prior study years, as 2016 had a negative growth rate of -42.90 percent, and 2019–20 will have a growth rate of –8.5 percent. Because of this, the overall growth rate was assessed to be 1.79 percent. Overall, it can be said that although if 31.68 percent of all guides are employed in Shimla, the number of such workers is not very significant. 5.7. EMPLOYMENT AS TRAVEL AGENTS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH Not only can hotels, guest houses, bars, restaurants, and tour guides offer employment prospects, but there are other fields where individuals are employed primarily because of tourism, such as working as a travel agent. These job chances are also accessible in Himachal Pradesh, where the Shimla district is a well-known tourist destination. An effort has been made to understand the current situation regarding the number of people working as travel agents in Himachal Pradesh and the Shimla area of the State, as well as the significant growth in such employment from 2008–09 to 2019–20. According to Table 8, on average, 4.11.50 people in the state found work as travel brokers from 2008–09 to 2019–20. A total of 48138 people found work as travel agents during the study period in the tourist industry. Greater variety in finding employment throughout the study period is indicated by the Standard Deviation of 1714.40 and Coefficient of Variance of 42.74 percent. However, this variation can be seen as good, which is backed by the 12.04 percent overall compound increases. With the exception of 2014–15, which saw -0.82 percent growth, practically every year during the study period saw positive growth. The year 2015–16 saw a 22.91 percent increase in the likelihood of finding such work. According to the data in Table 8, there were only 2127 travel agents working in the years 2008–09, 2460 in 2009–10, 2566 in 2010–11, and 2658 in 2011–12. However, in 2019–20, the number grew to 7267, which is likewise the most during the study period. Table 8
Approximately 736.08 people, or 18.34 percent of the state's workforce, were employed as travel agents in the Shimla district on average over the course of the study. Greater variety in finding employment throughout the study period is indicated by the Standard Deviation of 494.87 and Coefficient of Variance of 67.23 percent. Such employment has experienced positive growth, which is backed by general compound growth of 21.00 percent. Except for the years 2010–2011 (-7.09 percent) and 2014–2015 (–42.76 percent), almost every year shows positive development. The year 2015–16 saw a 118.24 percent change in the likelihood of finding such work. According to the data, just 380 and 1787 persons were working as travel agents in the years 2008–09 and 2019–20, respectively. Following investigation, it was found that the Shimla district has a higher-than-average concentration of individuals interested in working as travel agents, with Shimla accounting for 18.34 percent of all travel agency employment. Despite this, the number of such workers is still not particularly noteworthy. 5.8. EMPLOYMENT AS PHOTOGRAPHERS IN HIMACHAL PRADESH According to Table 9, just 606 people were
employed as photographers in the years 2008–09 and 2019–20, respectively. The
table shows that, on average, 796.58 people in the State found photography jobs
during the study period. Greater variety in obtaining employment throughout the
study period is indicated by the Standard Deviation of 180.37 and Coefficient
of Variance of 22.64 percent, which is supported by overall compound growth of
5.61 percent. With the exception of the years 2012–2013 (–5.39percent)
and 2019–2020 (–21.26 percent),
positive growth was seen during the study period in the following years:
2009–2010 (2.15 percent), 2010–2011 (7.43 percent), 2011–2012 (0.45 percent),
2013–2014 (20.57 percent), 2015–2016 (5.48 percent), 2016–2017 (33.46 percent),
and 2017–2018 (6.74 percent). The year 2016–17 saw the largest change in the
likelihood of landing such a job (33.46 percent). During the survey period,
there were on average 264.33 photographers working in the tourism sector in the
Shimla district, making up around 33.18 percent of the State. During the study
period, there was a negative growth in the number of photographers employed,
which is substantiated by a negative compound growth rate, or -0.19 percent. However, about 33.18 percent (3172 people) of the state's
entire workforce of photographers (9559 people) are Shimla residents. In the
Shimla district, 359 people were working as photographers at their peak in the
years 2015–16 and 2017–18. Table 9
After analysis, it can be seen from the data in Table 9 that in the Shimla district, people are less interested in choosing to work as photographers than they were in previous study years. This is because the growth rates for 2019–20 are negative (-70.19 percent) and for 2016–17 are negative (-1.11 percent), but for 2019–20, they are increasing by 119 (11.21 percent). Because of this, the overall growth rate was assessed to be negative (-0.19percent). Overall, it can be said that although 33.18 percent of all photographers are employed in Shimla, the number of photographers working there has been steadily declining over time. The rise of smart phones and other electronic devices may be to blame for the decline in the number of persons working as photographers. 5.9. EMPLOYMENT OF HIMACHALI’S EMPLOYED IN TOURISM Table 10 demonstrates that
during the study period, a total of 267942 Himachali
persons were employed in the tourism industry. In the year 2008–09, 15768 Himachali workers made up the 267942 (100percent) Himachali employees working in the tourism sector. These workers were followed by 17060 in 2009–10, 17766 in
2010, 18424 in 2011, 18753 in 2012–13, 20688 in 2013, 21617 in 2014–15, 23056
in 2015–16, 25939 in 2016, 27646 in 2017, 29258 in 2018, and 31967 in 2019–20.
During the study period, there was an increase in the number of Himachali workers in the state (Mean = 22328.50, S.D =
5270.84, and C.V = 23.61), with a compound growth rate of 6.68 percent. The state had a 12.50 percent increase in the number of Himachali employees during the 2016–17 fiscal year. 59379 Himachalis,
or 22.16 percent of the state's workforce, were employed as tourists in the
Shimla district overall during the study period. According to the data in the
table, the number of Himachali employees climbed
regularly from 2008–09 to 2019–20 (from 4163 to 5797), with the exception of
2011–12, when Shimla district had negative growth, or -13.41 percent. The average growth in Himachali
employees working in tourism in the Shimla district during the course of the
survey was 4948.25, with a standard deviation of 562.90 and a coefficient of
variation of 11.38 percent. The small deviation indicates that there was uniformity in
growth of Himachali employees in the state during the
study period. The growth rate of increase in number of Himachali
employee in state is recorded 3.29 percent. In Shimla district, the highest
number of growths in Himachali employee is recorded
in the year 2019-20 (i.e. 5797). Table 10
5.10. EMPLOYMENT OF NON-HIMACHALI EMPLOYED IN TOURISM The following table details the percentage of non-Himachali individuals that were employed in the tourism industry during the study period. According to Table 11, 59098 non-Himachali individuals were employed in the tourism industry throughout the study period. Out of total 59098 Non-Himachali employees in tourism, 2906 (4.9 percent) Non-Himachali people were employed in the year 2008-09, followed by 3091 (5.2 percent) in year 2009-10, 3173 (5.4 percent ) in the year 2010-11, 3353 (5.7 percent ) in the year 2011-12, 4156 (7.0 percent ) in the year 2012-13, 4618 (7.8 percent) in the year 2013-14, 4538 (7.7 percent) in the year 2014-15, 5337 (9.0 percent) in the year 2015-16, 6052 (10.2 percent) in the year 2016-17, 6955 (11.8 percent) in the year 2017-18, 7250 (12.3 percent) in the year 2018-19, and 7669 (13.0 percent) in the year 2019-20. Table 11
The number of non-Himachali employees in the state increased over the research period (Mean = 4924.83, S.D = 1713.90, and C.V = 34.80), with a compound growth rate of 9.45 percent. The increase in non-Himachali employees in the state rose at a rate of 23.95 percent in the year 2012–13, followed by 17.61 percent in 2015–16 and 14.92 percent in 2017–18. During the research period, a total of 10697 non-Himachali individuals were employed by the tourist industry in the Shimla district, making up 18.1percent of the state. According to the data in the table, non-Himachali employees climbed regularly from 2008–09 to 2019–20, from 589 to 1489, with the exception of 2014–15, when Shimla district saw a negative growth rate of –36.46 percent. The number of non-Himachali
workers employed in the tourist industry in Shimla district rose by an average
of 891.42 throughout the course of the research, with a standard deviation of
295.04 and a coefficient of variation of 33.10. It's interesting to note that
18.1percent of non-Himachalis are employed in the
industry. 5.11. HOTELS AND GUEST HOUSES IN HIMACHAL PRADESH According to Table 12, the tourism department in Himachal Pradesh has 30594 hotels and guest homes listed as registered. The number of hotels and guesthouses increased positively from 1992 to 3679 between 2008-09 and 2019-20. The average growth in hotels and guesthouses over the
research period in Himachal Pradesh was 2549.50, with a standard deviation of
492.09 and a coefficient of variation of 19.30 percent. Table 12
The slight
variation shows that hotel and guest house growth in the state was consistent
over the course of the study period. The number of hotels and guest homes has
increased at a pace of 5.84 percent. The largest rate of increase in hotels and
guesthouses, or 18.72 percent, was seen in Himachal Pradesh during the 2019–20
fiscal year. During the research period, there were 5137 hotels and guesthouses registered in the Shimla district, making up 16.8percent of the state's total. According to statistics in Table 12, the number of hotels and guest houses climbed constantly from 2008-09 to 2019-20 (from 377 to 509), with the exception of 2018-19, when Shimla district had negative growth, or -0.83 percent. Additionally, compared to the state as a whole, the percentage rise in the number of hotels and guest houses in the Shimla area was lower practically every year. 5.12. HOME STAY TOURISM IN HIMACHAL PRADESH Table 13
Home stays have grown in popularity as a way to accommodate visitors by giving them a cosy environment and a place to stay when hotels are not readily accessible. The rise in the State as well as the Shimla district of the State's number of home stays from 2011–12 to 2019–20 is shown in Table 13 below. According to Table 13, the state recorded an
average of 1008 house stays per year (S.D = 647.13 and C.V = 64.20), while the
Shimla district reported an average of 213.33 home stays per year (S.D =
122.45 and C.V = 57.40), accounting for 21.2 percent of the state's total. The number of home stays increased over the research
period in Shimla district and Himachal Pradesh. The state of Himachal Pradesh
had a compound rise in the number of home stays of 25.56 percent overall, while
the district of Shimla saw a compound growth of 29.49 percent, which is higher
than the state average. It shows that the number of houses stays in Shimla has increased quite quickly compared to other districts and goes on to say that residents of other districts in the state are also choosing to stay in similar accommodations. 5.13. RESTAURANTS TOURISM IN HIMACHAL PRADESH According to Table 14, there were 6802
restaurants registered with the tourist department in Himachal Pradesh
throughout the research period. From 2008-09 to 2019-20, there was positive
growth in the number of restaurants, from 393 to 756, with the exception of
2010-11 and 2014-15, which had negative growth of -0.68 percent and -16.35
percent, respectively. The average growth in the number of restaurants in
Himachal Pradesh during the course of the research was 566.83, with a standard
deviation of 123.93 and a coefficient of variation of 21.86 percent. The minor
variance suggests that restaurant growth in the state was consistent over the
research period. The number of restaurants has increased at a pace of 6.58
percent. The highest rate of restaurant growth in Himachal Pradesh
was observed in the year 2013–2014, or 22.33 percent, followed by 14.19 percent
in 2012–2013, 11.96 percent in 2009–2010, and 11.20 percent in 2015–2016.A
total of 1274 restaurants, or 18.7 percent
of the state's total, were registered with the Shimla district's tourist
department throughout the research period. According to the data in the table, the number of
restaurants expanded steadily between the years 2008–09 to 2019–20 (from 82 to
116). Except for the years 2016–17 and 2018–19, when Shimla district saw
negative growth of -14.52 and –12.80 percent, respectively. Table 14
5.14. EMPLOYMENT AS TRAVEL AGENCIES IN HIMACHAL PRADESH Travel agents make it simple for visitors to discover lodging and transportation options. The delight of the tourists is ensured by the presence of additional such facilities. To determine how many travel agencies are present in the research region in relation to the other districts of the State, analysis was done using the following Table 15. According to Table 15 above, there were 656.50 travel agencies on average in the Shimla district (SD=328.22 and CV=50.0). However, the number of travel agents in 2019–20 was 1314, which is about double the usual number. It is further examined that 33.9 percent of all travel agencies were found in the Shimla district in 2019–20. Compared to other regions of the State, the number of travel agencies has grown rapidly in the Shimla district, which is backed by compound growth (17.47 percent in Shimla and 14.98 percent throughout Himachal Pradesh). Table 15
The year 2009–2010 saw the biggest rise in the number of travel agencies in the Shimla district, at 47.72 percent, followed by 42.45 percent in 2013–2014. Overall, it is stated that due to rising trends in visitor numbers, the number of travel agencies has expanded in the Shimla area pretty well, especially when compared to the other regions of the State. 6. Conclusion and suggestions Himachal Pradesh's economy depends heavily on tourism, which is expanding quickly. It is backed by a 9.26 percent compound rise in the contribution of tourism to Himachal Pradesh's overall GSDP. According to the report, the global gross domestic product (GSDP) has increased practically every year, with the largest growth occurring in 2009-10 (24.74 percent) and 2011-12 (20.67 percent). Data show that Rs. 710000 lakh, or 1.20 percent of the total of Rs. 8513 lakhs was allotted for tourism in Himachal Pradesh for the 2019–20 fiscal year. Although tourism's part of the budget maintains between 1 and 2 perceterm andhout the year, increase in this allocation for tourism is shown throughout the course of the term, and is backed by compound growth of 29.78 percent. During the research period, the average number of domestic tourist arrivals in the state was 1,51,07,415 (S.D.=2838696.48 and C.V. = 18.79), with compound increase of 5.90 percent. According to the report, more international visitors travelled to Shimla than to the other state districts. The average number of domestic visitors to the Shimla district during the research period was 2901793, or over 19.20 percent of the average number of visitors to the state overall. Between 2008–09 and 2019–20, Himachal Pradesh welcomed a total of domestic and international tourists. Approximately 1.82 crore visitors on average visited Himachal Pradesh during the research period (S.D. = 2838696.48 and C.V. = 18.79), of which roughly 19.20 percent (i.e. S.D. = 4, 45,092.16 and C.V. = 15.34 percent) travelled to the Shimla district. According to the statistics, there were 13935 to 25676 total employees working
in hotels and guesthouses in Himachal Pradesh during 2008–09 to 2019–20, with
2016-17 seeing the
biggest rise, or a 14.01 percent
increase. However, over the research period, the total number of people working
in hotels and guesthouses in the Shimla district climbed from 3541 to 4569 (X=3984.67, S.D =361.25, C.V =9.07), representing an increase of 2.36 percent. In a similar vein, the overall number of people working in bars and restaurants in the state climbed steadily throughout the course of the research years. Between 2008-09 and 2019-20, the number of workers expanded from 1647 to 3813 with a compound growth rate of 8.09 percent (X= 2870.17, S.D. = 779.88, C.V. = 27.17). Additionally, throughout the research period, 6659 people or 19.33 percent of the state found work in bars and restaurants in the Shimla area. From 2008-09 to 2019-20, there was an increase in the number of employees, with a compound growth rate of 5.04 percent. According to statistics, the state of Himachal Pradesh employed 1186 guides, 7267 travel agents, and 1008 photographers in the year of 2019–20. In contrast, in the Shimla district in 2019–20, there were 207, 1787, and 119 registered guides, tour agents, and photographers, representing 19.65, 12.67, and 11.21 percent, respectively, of all the individuals working in the state's various regions. According to the survey, the state of Himachal Pradesh employed 31967 Himachali’s in the tourist industry in 2019-20, while Shimla district employed 5797 Himachali’s (18.13 percent). Additionally, up to 2019–20, the state employed 7669 non-Himachali individuals, while the Shimla district employed 1489 non-Himachali individuals through the tourism industry (19.41 percent). In other words, the rate at which non-Himachalis get work through the C.G.-supported Shimla area is higher than the rate at which Himachalis do (i.e., 11.23 percent for non-Himachalis and 3.29 percent for Himachalis). According to the survey, Himachal Pradesh had a 7.38 percent increase in the number of hotels and guesthouses in 2009-10, whereas Shimla district saw only a 0.53 percent increase. It is evident that, with the exception of 2019–20, every year saw a rise in the number of hotels both in the state and in the Shimla district, with a positive compound growth rate of 5.84 percent and 2.80 percent. Additionally, compared to the state as a whole, the percentage rise in the number of hotels and guest houses in the Shimla area was lower practically every year. In compared to other districts of the state, the Shimla district has seen a slower growth in the number of hotels and guest homes. However, the year 2014-15 had the biggest percentage rise in the number of hotels and guest houses in the Shimla area, at 7.43 percent, while negative growth (-0.83 percent) in the years 2018-19 indicated a decline in the creation of lodging facilities. Additionally, the State recorded 1008 home stays annually on average (S.D = 647.13 and C.V = 64.20 percent), while the Shimla district recorded 213 home stays annually on average (S.D = 122.45 and C.V.= 57.40 percent), accounting for 21.16 percent of the State's total. According to the study, the number of restaurants increased by 6.38 percent across Himachal Pradesh compared to a compound growth rate of 3.66 percent in the district of Shimla, showing a slower rate of growth for restaurants in Shimla than in other districts of the State. According to the survey, the number of travel agencies has grown rapidly in the Shimla district compared to other regions of the State, and this expansion is backed by compound growth as well (17.47 percent in Shimla and 14.98 percent throughout Himachal Pradesh). In contrast to the other districts of the State, it can thus be concluded that the number of travel agents has expanded in Shimla district fairly satisfactorily.
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