Paper short abstract:

Shopping enhances the experience of the tourist at the destination. Hence this paper focuses on impact of tourism development on the handicrafts of India.

Paper long abstract:

Shopping enhances the experience of the tourist at the destination. It involves purchase of food and drink, souvenir and handicrafts. India is a shopper's paradise with every state offering unique and indigenous handicrafts. According to Survey of Foreign Tourists' Expenses on Handicrafts by Ministry of Tourism, Govt. of India total expenditure on handicrafts by all the foreign tourists has been estimated at Rs. 29,851.54 million in 2001, which constitutes about 18% of the total value of production of handicraft items in India in 2001-02. This also forms approximately 44% of the total handicrafts exports (excluding hand knotted carpets) from India during the year 2001-02.

Due to modernization and industrialization the survival of handicrafts is inextricably linked to tourism. This paper focuses on the relationship between tourism and handicraft production, and how the development of tourism has catalyzed the conservation of dying handicrafts in India and thus helping poverty alleviation and economy diversification in rural areas of India.