The spectacular beauty of Rajasthan

Ian Halstead looks at Rajasthan's appeal as a tourist destination, and chats to Cox & Kings' special projects director, Arup Sen.

It’s easy to be seduced by Rajasthan, with its imposing hill-top forts, magnificent palaces reflecting a heritage stretching back for thousands of years and an array of eye-catching heritage hotels.

You’d imagine that its timeless appeal has lured travellers to the state, from India and far overseas, for centuries, but its visitor economy has only developed over the last 40 years.

“The primary industry of Rajasthan is agriculture, but that suffered from the impact of the vast Thar desert and the dry and arid land. Industry too also suffered because of a lack of infrastructure,” says C & K’s Sen.

“Tourism offered great potential, especially due to the number of spectacular forts and palaces, the State’s history and its culture, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that the government of Rajasthan took proactive steps to promote tourism.”

“Hotel visionaries, such as Dr Ajit Kerkar, the chairman and managing director of the Taj Group of Hotels, took the bold step of acquiring some of the palaces of the ex-Maharajas, and converting them into superb and luxurious hotels.”

“His vision was the reason that hotels, which are today rightly regarded as iconic, such as Jaipur’s Rambagh Palace, and the fabled Lake Palace in Udaipur came into existence.”

Almost by themselves, those hotels transformed the outside world’s perceptions about Rajasthan as a place to visit and to stay, and in 1983, millions of film-goers were entranced by the beauty of the Taj Lake Palace and other locations around Udaipur, when they were given a starring role in the Bond movie, Octopussy.

However, as the glossy lifestyle magazines focused on the luxury end of the tourism sector, attracting tens of thousands of affluent jet-setters from the United States, the UK and other European countries, there was a simultaneous upsurge of development activity by local entrepreneurs, looking to capture other sectors.

“Smaller hotels and tourist lodges also proliferated because there was a huge demand from budget travellers, which contributed very positively to Rajasthan’s GDP, and this growth continued right through the 1980s and the 1990s,” says Sen.

“Inevitably though, the economic slowdown which hit the countries from where most of the visitors come impacted on the state’s success story, but now we are seeing the tide begin to turn in terms of visitor numbers and spending patterns.”

As the world’s oldest travel company – established in India, by Richard Cox in 1758 – C&K’s has a good handle on the tourism market in Rajasthan.

“Forts and palaces remain the largest magnet for visitors, there are hardly any other attractions which contribute,” says Sen. “The traditional nations, the US, UK and Europe, are still the big three for visitor numbers, but we do see increasing interest from elsewhere, such as Japan and Russia.”

“Typically, we get three segments of overseas visitors. People who come in groups, or who are escorted on all-inclusive package tours, and people who travel independently, but have planned their itinerary in advance, together account for about 40%, and we call that the organised sector.’

“The others are free travellers, who have no fixed itinerary, and include backpackers, students and young people, which is the unorganised sector.”
The long-term trend for visitors to book into several centres during one holiday hasn’t changed, reflecting the fact that for most, India is a 12-hour long-haul destination, so not a country for the short-break market.

“It’s easy to be seduced by Rajasthan, with its imposing hill-top forts, magnificent palaces reflecting a heritage stretching back for thousands of years.”
Sen says Rajasthan’s top three destinations for the organised sector are the traditional stand-out locations of Jaipur, Jodphur and Udaipur, although Jaiselmer and Bikaner are also popular.

Every visitor to Rajasthan leaves with an especial favourite of its many forts and palaces, but for those yet to witness its charms, the highlights include:

Udaipur’s Lake Palace

Designed as a summer destination for Maharana Singh and his Royal household in the mid-18th century, this magnificent building was constructed upon a stony island, creating the illusion that it has risen from the surrounding waters.

Udaipur’s City Palace

Officially Rajasthan’s largest palace, but really a spectacular lakeside complex featuring several palaces built over the centuries. The façade resembles a Rajput fortress, but the elegant balconies, turrets and cupolas which sit atop the massive structure come from the Mughal era.

Jaipur’s City Palace

A sprawling complex of public buildings, private apartments, and a delightful museum featuring an array of artefacts from generations past; including ancient manuscripts, weapons, Royal costumes, musical instruments and much more.

Jodhpur’s Umaid Bhawan Palace

Constructed on a massive scale from sandstone and marble, yet without the use of mortar, the 347 rooms of this palace are as much a tribute to the skill of the architects and artisans who built them, as to the Jodhpur royal family who live here in regal splendour.

What next?

Contact the UKIBC Business Helpline for more Information on doing business in Rajasthan on 0800 0 196 176