GREY TOURISM –AN OPPORTUNITY for NEW TOURISM MARKET in PUDUCHERRY Dr
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GREY TOURISM –AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NEW TOURISM MARKET IN PUDUCHERRY Dr. Sibi.P.S Assistant Professor, Department of Tourism Studies, Puducherry University Abstract were analysed using SPSS. The result of the Facilitating travel for all including people study discloses the value of Grey tourism and with various disabilities and socio-economic its’ importance in positioning Puducherry. challenges is a basic social responsibility. To Key words: Niche tourism, Accessible give thrust to this, UNWTO dedicated the tourism, Grey tourism year 2016 World Tourism Day, campaign for under the theme “Tourism For All-Promoting INTRODUCTION Universal Accessibility.” Everyone has the New travel trends emerge in the global basic right to travel. But it is depressing that tourism industry every other day. New travel for a significant percentage of the total products are launched, new technologies are population, the beauty and diversity of the introduced, new marketing strategies are world and the pleasure of visiting new places experimented and new markets are targeted. are unfeasible due to limited accessibilities to Tourism business has evolved over the last many various sites and services. Physical years to a huge expansion in the market and disabilities, family situations, economic back market trends. Millions of tourists visit new ground, age and poor health also can be a countries and places. There are large number of deterrent to travel for many. But, there is a destinations and attractions. Hence, there is a large section of senior people who would like huge challenge for the destination promoters to to travel for different reasons. Facilitating identify the ideal market and to promote the travel for them is an exceptional business products in a competitive way. In this highly opportunity too. Seniors are as diverse as any competitive business, destination promoters other demographic group. They constitute a constantly plan new strategies to attract new large and growing travel market with markets. significant potential yet to be tapped. This Age is one of the major criteria for market niche segment of tourism is named as Grey segmentation. A large proportion of the tourism, senior citizen tourism or Gold moon consumer businesses aim their marketing at tourism. Interestingly, Puducherry, one of youth. The interests of other segments especially, the popular beach destinations in south India the senior citizens are given less importance or and the former French colony which attracts ignored. The market of seniors is significant for thousands of young domestic and two reasons. First, in business point of view and international tourists, is a preferred second as a social responsibility. Elderly people destination for senior citizens too. This paper consist of large and constantly growing group is an effort to study the significance of the with significant buying potential. The growing niche market -Grey tourism to destination number of elderly people may become a great Puducherry. It also highlights the source of benefits for tourism and leisure demographic and tripographic features of industry (Sniadek. J, 2006). This segment of grey tourists. The trends in Grey tourism, tourists was not very important before, but it is potential and challenges of the market were now realised and established as priority in also analysed. Senior tourists responded tourism policies. Promoting ‘Accessible through the questionnaire and the responses tourism’ is encouraged internationally. It is a ISSN (PRINT): 2393-8374, (ONLINE): 2394-0697, VOLUME-4, ISSUE-12, 2017 65 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CURRENT ENGINEERING AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (IJCESR) socially responsible form of tourism which aims vacation were also investigated. The study also at addressing the rights of every one to travel and looked into the challenges or the barriers for to enjoy the tourism services and opportunities. elderly people to travel. A detailed review of For the further growth and sustainability of existing literature in the area of Grey tourism was tourism industry, it must promote tourism for all. conducted. It was followed by a quantitative ‘All’ include the people with disabilities, senior study in which questionnaires were collected citizens and families with social and financial from 110 tourists visited Puducherry who is difficulties to travel. This social concept of above the 55 years of age. 101 questionnaires ‘Tourism for all’ broadens the market, multiplies were finally used for data analysis after editing. the visitors, extends the seasons and gains more Descriptive analysis, Cross tabulation income (Alen,E.,et al ). and ranking were used to analyse the data. After Grey tourism is the niche market which the analysis, the results emphasised that senior targets on older travellers. This group is also tourists contribute a significant proportion of referred as senior, mature, well-off older people tourism market of Puducherry. The paper and prime lifers (Callan, R.J. and Bowman, L. concludes by suggesting Grey tourism as an ideal 2000). Population ageing is a global niche tourism market for Puducherry based on its phenomenon now. The percentage of elderly economic contribution, quality of experience and people has increased worldwide. Health in promoting universal accessibility. consciousness, better healthcare system, LITERATURE REVIEW economic stability, reduction in mortality and Grey Tourism – The concept and definition decline in fertility rate resulted in increasing the Grey is the colour usually associated with number of seniors in the society. In India, the hair colour of elderly persons. Grey According to population census 2011, there are Tourism is a niche market in the tourism sector almost 104 million elderly persons in which 53 that refers to the seniors travellers (Economic million are females and 51 million are males. Development Committee, 2010). Defining the This comes around 8.6 % of the total population concept of ‘Grey tourism’ is a complex of India. Among the seniors, 41.6% of them are phenomenon as it involves several aspects like working (66.4% Male and 23.4% female) and professional or economic(retirement), hence can afford travel (Elderly in India, 2016). cultural(customs and traditions), social (grand This demographic segment of society is highly parent) and medicinal(loss of health or physical potential and hence a notable market for travel fitness) (Sniadek ,J, 2006). Generally, people and tourism. aged 60 and above have been classified as Grey Puducherry, a Union Territory of India, tourists or senior tourists. But the age has come spread across three states of South India- down to 50 in many studies (Tourism Tamilnadu, Andra Pradesh and Kerala, offers a Queensland,2004). mixed tourism experience of French heritage, Being relatively a new area of research, Spirituality, beeches, volunteering, wellness and there is less clarity regarding the minimum age many more. Puducherry(Former Pondicherry) is of senior travellers. Retirement age is the a preferred choice for all the age group. Children common criteria considered. However, to senior people find their own reasons to visit retirement age is different in different countries Puducherry. It is quite interesting to note that a and even among the states. This study follows signifiant percentage of tourists visiting the classification given by Tomka , Holodkov & Puducherry are senior people. A good number Andjelkovic I, (2003) .They used ‘senior’ for even choose to have their retirement home in people with the age of 55 and above. The paper Puducherry. This study intends to examine the again classifies the seniors as younger seniors significance and features of Grey Tourism (55 to 64 years) and older seniors (65 and older). market in Puducherry. The paper aimed to (Sniadek. J, 2006) groups the seniors as determine the demographic and tripographic pre-retiree and early retirees, Retirees, Older profile of senior tourists to Puducherry. The retirees or mature adults and elderly senor tourists’ travel motivations as well as reasons for selecting Puducherry for their ISSN (PRINT): 2393-8374, (ONLINE): 2394-0697, VOLUME-4, ISSUE-12, 2017 66 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CURRENT ENGINEERING AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (IJCESR) 60-----------SENIORS------------------------------------------------------ 55 - 64 65 -74 75 -84 85 and Pre-retiree and Early retirees Older retirees Above Early retirees or Mature Elderly Adults Figure 1: Sniadek . J,(2006) Senior tourist market generally include planning for it well in advance. As they have the retired persons who have money and time to more leisure time they plan for long holidays in travel, those who are retired and still working for a more comfortable itinerary. Retirees always many reasons or persons who satisfies the age of prefer mid and off season as the best time for more than 60. Elder tourists are those their holidays since their travel is independent of demographic segment called as ‘empty nested’ holidays. with no family obligations. Elders are passive Alen, Dominguez & Losada, (2012). analysed tourists who are normally psycho centric (Tomka the behaviour of senior tourists. Their findings et.al, 2015). One thing to remember here is that reveal that ‘age alone does not decide the tourism there are many seniors with less purchasing demand of seniors, but there is a combination of power with health problems and with socio-economic variables. People with good responsibilities. The contribution of this group savings, high income, experience of travelling, to