Branding India as a Sustainable Blue Economy Destination in the Indian Ocean Region

Abstract

Indian Ocean region (IOR) is a coveted maritime space in the international arena because of its unique positioning and importance. The third largest water body on the planet Earth holds great economic significance and sustains the livelihood of its people. While the blue economy (BE) approach gains momentum worldwide, following this for the responsible consumption of ocean resources, India too pursues and has developed a draft policy on the BE. Maritime and coastal tourism is one of the prime areas contributing to this framework of BE. This study will explore the advances in BE prospects of Indian Tourism and highlight the elements of branding a BE Destination in the region. India being a key player and an emerging economy, situated at a transitional maritime position is strategic in nature. India as a country is a strong contestant for the title of tourism hotspot but with its highly regarded destinations, it surprisingly attracts fewer tourists. The paper examines secondary sources of data and attempts to review the untapped potential of the brand India in this vast maritime space. There is enough literature available on destination branding but this paper stands out with its unique and innovative approach that combines economic aspects with maritime sustainability and surely add value to this field of knowledge. This chapter presents the recommendations for BE-led repositioning of India tourism in the IOR. To achieve higher productivity and sustainability, a socioeconomic transformational shift is required in the segments of the tourism sector.

Citation

Raikwar, A.S. and Easow, D.T. (2024), "Branding India as a Sustainable Blue Economy Destination in the Indian Ocean Region", Hunjra, A.I. and Sharma, A. (Ed.) The Emerald Handbook of Tourism Economics and Sustainable Development (Building the Future of Tourism), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 189-210. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83753-708-220241010