Varanasi: A Global Visitor’s Perspective on the Convergence of Culture, Hospitality, and Modernity

Anju Jangid, Research Scholar at Banaras Hindu University
Anand K Chaudhary, Professor
Srabani Sanyal, Senior Professor

Being among the world's oldest towns to be continually inhabited for over 3,000 years, Varanasi has enormous cultural value. The city is situated on the bank of the Holy Ganges River, Kashi Vishwanath Temple attracts millions of pilgrims and is a popular tourist destination worldwide. Historically, Varanasi has been a major hub for education and spiritual learning and is known for its fine silk weaving, particularly Banarasi sarees. The foundation of this study is that visitor impressions significantly influence how satisfied a visitor is with a site overall. A visitor's impression is shaped by some elements, including the area's cleanliness, infrastructure quality, cultural attractiveness, and level of friendliness. The primary survey used to gather the data for this study was carried out in Varanasi focusing on foreign visitors' opinions about the cultural heritage, cleanliness, infrastructure, and hospitality of the city, especially in public areas like streets and Ghats; including religious sites and rituals. It is anticipated that these results will offer practical advice for enhancing the Varanasi experience for foreign visitors, with a particular emphasis on the necessity of resolving infrastructure issues while upholding and enhancing the city's cultural identity.

Keywords: Population and Development, Population, Environment, and Climate Change, Health and Morbidity, Population Policies

See extended abstract.