Poll tourism a great democratic dividend

It is the greatest show on earth and making tourism capital out of it is a no-brainer: Indian general elections. It’s got thrills and spills, colour and sound, adventure and unpredictability. It’s the ultimate in experiential tourism. That Gujarat figured out its potential way back in 2012 during the assembly polls and again during the 2014 general elections is not surprising, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently calling it the Kumbh (Mela) of democracy is a clear signal to the world to come take an exploratory dip. For years, select domestic aficionados have enjoyed election tourism — many of them opinion-makers on guided tours — so it’s inevitable that savvy inbound tour operators are now taking the cue and enticing Indians and foreigners to, well, join the party.

Whether the tourists go glamping in air-conditioned ‘raths’ or use more conventional transport, Indian elections do promise to be the ultimate safari. Any other democracy would be hard-pressed to rival India in this tourism genre when it comes to diverse terrain, dazzling colours and cacophony in a myriad languages. The soaring heat and dust clouds generated by rousing speakers and milling millions only add to the adventure. In fact, if well managed, this genre promises to be a great way to convert the summer ‘off-season’ lull into a profitable niche segment.