Marketing Third World Countries to the Western Traveler: The Case of India

Abstract

International tourism can provide third world countries with much needed foreign exchange and increased employment opportunities. Too many countries, however, have concentrated their efforts on the economic aspects of tourism at the expense of developing marketing programs to attract the Western traveler. This study focuses on the case of India to determine what factors attract Western travelers and what repels them. We conclude that, like India, other third world countries must promote their positive attributes as perceived by prospective tourists, while also working to overcome their negative image among prospective travelers abroad. Only in this way can they increase the flow of Western tourists to their countries.