Key Points
Key Points: Growth of Tourism in India
- Origin & Development – Tourism in India began with pilgrimage travel and later expanded to leisure, business and medical tourism.
- Economic Importance – Tourism is a major source of foreign exchange and employment. It has become one of the leading service industries in India.
- Foreign & Domestic Tourism – Both foreign tourist arrivals and domestic tourism have increased significantly in recent years. Domestic tourism is stronger than foreign tourism.
- Government Initiatives – Schemes like Visa-on-Arrival, e-Tourist Visa, Swadesh Darshan, PRASAD and promotion of niche tourism (eco, medical, cruise, adventure) have boosted tourism.
- New Trends – Growth of eco-tourism, medical tourism and homestay schemes has diversified tourism and helped in regional development.
Key Points: Tourism and Environment
- Environmental Impact – Rapid and unplanned growth of tourism harms the environment and reduces the natural beauty of tourist places.
- Urban Concentration – Tourism is mostly concentrated in urban centres due to better facilities, leading to heavy pressure on limited resources.
- Unplanned Development – Excess construction and overcrowding spoil the original charm of places like hill stations and historical monuments.
- Need for Planned Growth – Tourism should be developed in a planned manner by considering carrying capacity and environmental protection.
- Soft Tourism Concept – Emphasis should be on eco-friendly or “soft tourism” to protect nature while promoting tourism.
Key Points: Employment Opportunities in Tourism
- High Employment Potential – Tourism generates large employment. It provides both direct and indirect jobs to millions of people.
- High Return on Investment – Investment in tourism creates more jobs compared to agriculture and manufacturing sectors.
- Opportunities for All – The sector provides jobs for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workers, including women in hotels, airlines, travel agencies and handicrafts.
- Hotel Industry Role – Hotel accommodation is a key part of tourism and contributes significantly to foreign exchange earnings.
- Government Support – The government encourages hotel and tourism development through policies, incentives and promotion of heritage hotels.
Key Points: Places of Tourist Interest
- Wide Variety – Tourist places in India include historical monuments, pilgrimage centres, hill stations, wildlife sanctuaries, beaches and national parks.
- Himalayan Region – Famous for hill stations and pilgrimage centres like Srinagar, Shimla, Manali, Darjeeling, Amarnath, Kedarnath and Vaishno Devi.
- Northern Plains – Includes Delhi, Agra, Jaipur (Golden Triangle), Varanasi, Amritsar and many historical and religious centres.
- Peninsular Plateau & Coastal Plains – Includes Rajasthan (Jaipur, Udaipur), Gujarat (Dwarka, Somnath), Maharashtra (Ajanta, Ellora, Mumbai), Goa (beaches) and Odisha (Puri, Konark).
- Southern India – Karnataka (Mysore, Bengaluru), Tamil Nadu (Chennai, Madurai, Rameswaram), Kerala (backwaters, Kochi) are major attractions.
- Islands – Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep are known for beaches and natural beauty.
- Problems & Development – Tourism growth depends on infrastructure, safety, transport and government initiatives like improving facilities and promoting heritage and eco-tourism.
Important Questions [7]
- State any two advantages of tourism in India.
- Mention two major challenges faced by the tourism industry in India today.
- State any two negative impacts of tourism on the environment.
- What is eco-tourism?
- Mention any two positive impacts of tourism in India.
- Give two reasons why domestic tourism is an important segment of the tourism industry.
- Alice, a seventeen-year-old girl visited a hill station for its natural and scenic beauty. 1. Suggest any one measure that can help Alice in her initiative.
