China’s National Peoples Congress chairman Li Peng’s current visit to India is expected to be followed later in the year by that of Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji. Hopefully, these moves early in the new century presage a rapid resolution of all issues between the two countries on the political, diplomatic and military fronts, as also the recent trade-related problems. For too long have we been prisoners of history and that too, of recent history. However, given the cautious approach of mandarins everywhere, it is perhaps more
realistic to expect slow and steady progress rather than any dramatic breakthroughs.
Still, there is one area which is entirely non-controversial, where history is supportive an which offers huge and almost instantaneous mutual benefits for both countries. This is the field of tourism. The experience worldwide are that neighboring countries contribute the most to each other’s inbound tourism. The countries of Europe are the prime examples. So also is the case amongst the nations of West Asia, Australia, asia and North America. The World Tourism Organization’s estimate for China’s inbound tourism in 1999 is
27 million persons (excluding Hong Kong SAR and ethnic compatriots from HongKong, Taiwan and Macau). The main sources of China’s tourism are Japan, South Korea, Russia and the US. All barring the US, are neighbors. In contrast, of India’s total tourist arrivals in 1999 of 2.48 million, only one neighbor Sri Lanka contributed a significant 1,20,000, just about 5%. Tourism between India & China is negligible. In 1999, 8,000 Indian tourists visited China and 6,500 Chinese arrived in India. For two major nations with a combined population of 2.2 billion, a 4,000-km common border and unparalleled cultural and civilisational offerings, this is dismal.
If was not always like this. The history of travel between India and China goes back over 2,000 years, to the spread of Buddhism across the Himalayas. Xuan Zang’s journey to India in the 7th century AD and the account of his 14-year sojourn in India prompted a popular Chinese classic Journey to the West. And
travel on the southern branch of the silk route, arching down over the Karakorum through Kashmir into Rajasthan and Gujarat, took place well before Macro Polo and others popularized the west-east road across Central Asia from Samarkand to Xian.
The economic and employment generating benefits of tourism are well documented. Tourism is a low capital, highly labour intensive business, with a high economic multiplier. Tourism as a business is particularly suited for part-time and seasonal employment and thus encourages first-time entrants and women into the labour force. In general, the tourism industry is an environment friendly activity, as a degraded environment only keeps tourists away. With some imagination and creativity, every state, indeed every province, can focus on a particular niche, in line with its unique strengths and comparative advantages.Kerala is a good example. Indeed, to think of the economies of France, Italy,Thailand or Egypt without tourism would be inconceivable.India and China are not only growing economic powers but also emerging powerhouses in outbound tourism. China’s outbound tourists in 1999 numbered 9.2 million, second only to Japan in the region, and growing at 20% annually. India had nearly five million outbound travelers in 1999, and the business has been growing at 25% per year. Other countries have cast their eyes on both these lucrative markets. The tourism offices of Australia, Japan, Korea, and Switzerland, amongst others, have opened offices in China. The UK, Australia, Switzerland, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore are actively pursuing the Indian traveler. Only the two Asian giants are blissfully unaware of the goldmine at
their doorsteps.

By 2010, China’s outbound tourism is estimated to reach 50 million. India’s should be of the order of 25 million. is a figure of two million tourists each way between the two countries an unrealistic target to aim at for 2010? Assuming an expenditure of $500 per visitor (half of the current spends of $1000 per international visitor to India), this would imply foreign exchange earnings of $1 billion per year to each country, i.e. one-third India’s current tourism earnings and one seventh of China’s. These represent only the direct benefits, without taking into account the multiplier and downstream effects of tourism, quite apart from the positive effects of greater eople- to- people contact. What needs to be done to activate this potential? For a start, direct air links between India and China must be established immediately. Apart from tourism, the growing business connection between the two countries makes this even more urgent. Kolkata and Kumming are 1,500 km apart, Delhi and Kashnagar 1,000 km. Travel costs between India and China can be significantly cheaper than the costs of transcontinental journeys from Europe and North America. Second, the travel and tourism industry in each country needs to establish its presence in the
other, and start developing suitable tourism packages and product offerings. There is no dearth of possibilities here. Buddhist tourism, silk route tourism, cultural and pilgrimage tourism, youth-exchange programs and shopping are only some of the avenues. Third, visa formalities need to be made easily accessible, speedy and efficient. In the interest of its long-term tourism growth, China must do away with its concept of approved tourism destinations; India is not one of them. Fourth, the ancient land routes linking India and China through Ladakh, the North-East and the historic Hindustan -Tibet road need to be reopened. This can be a unique draw for international tourism and has great promise as a potential India-China joint initiative. Fifth, encourage the study of each
other’s language customs, history and culture. Finally, India must urgently modernize its tourism infrastructure.

India missed out on the Japanese tourism boom of the 1960s and 1970s. China has begun to realize its potential. Let India and China not forfeit the golden opportunity that lies before them Toppan their doors to each other. A journey of a thousands miles starts with a single step goes a Chinese proverb. Let’s take that step now.