• Dr. A. Apsara Saleth Mary

Tourism has emerged as the largest global industry of the 20th century and is projected to grow even faster in the 21st century. And surely this tourism growth potential can be harnessed as a strategy for rural development. The major population of India lives in the villages’ i.e 74% population lives in 7 million villages. As, such rural tourism can play a vital role in developing, promoting and passing socio-economic benefits to the rural areas. It is a multifaceted activity and may perhaps involve farm tourism, nature-based tourism, cultural tourism, and handicraft based tourism, adventure tourism along with ecotourism. This research paper is based on the review of available literature, tourism plans, tourism policies and all the issues related to rural tourism in India. It further gives a detail explanation of the concept, principles and definitions of rural tourism, and evaluates the problems, challenges related to this type of tourism.

Rural Tourism, Concept, Rural Tourism Policies, Rural Destinations in India, Challenges.

"RURAL TOURISM AND CHALLENGE OF TOURISM DIVERSIFICATION: THE CASE OF INDIA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no.625-634, May-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1905987.pdf

"RURAL TOURISM AND CHALLENGE OF TOURISM DIVERSIFICATION: THE CASE OF INDIA", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 5, page no. pp625-634, May-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1905987.pdf