Question

Describe any three types of tourism.

Explain any four types of tourism with examples.

Answer 1

1. Local and Interstate Tourism:
   • Local and interstate tourism involves residents of one country travelling only within that country.
   • This kind of tourism is not very overwhelming because it is within one’s own country.
   • Also, it does not cause difficulties with language, procuring currency, or documents.
   • Moreover, this kind of tourism can be planned at a time suitable for the individual.
2. International Tourism:
   • International tourism is an important type of tourism. It refers to tourism that crosses national borders.
   • Due to the availability of railway, marine, and air transport, it has become easier to travel abroad. There is a trans-European railway route. Marine transport has linked the coastal regions, and aviation has brought the entire world closer.
   • Moreover, due to the Indian government's economic liberalisation policy (1991), the number of people travelling back and forth from India has increased significantly. People nowadays travel for studies, relaxation, sightseeing, filming, and professional assignments such as meetings and agreements.
   • Various official documents are required for travelling abroad, such as a passport and a visa.
3. Historical Tourism:
   • Historical tourism is a form of tourism that focuses on the history of a place, people, objects, or events. It helps people satisfy their interest in history.
   • In India, tours are arranged to various historical sites, such as forts in Rajasthan, ashrams of Mahatma Gandhi and Acharya Vinoba Bhave, and places related to the Indian War of Independence (1857), etc.
   • Gopal Neelkanth Dandekar, a renowned Marathi writer, used to organise hiking tours to forts in Maharashtra to explore sites closely linked to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his achievements.
4. Geographic Tourism:
   • Geographic tourism involves visiting places to observe a region’s distinctive geographical features.
   • To satisfy this curiosity, tourists visit various natural & animal sanctuaries, beaches, and unique geological wonders such as Crater Lake at Lonar & Ranjan Khalge (naturally carved out cavities in rocks) at Nighoj in Maharashtra.
5. Health Tourism:
   • Health tourism involves travelling for the purpose of receiving medical treatment or improving health or fitness.
   • In India, health services and facilities are cheaper than in other countries. Even though the standard of these facilities is good, people from Western countries undertake this type of tourism.
   • Besides, tourists from cold-climate countries visit India to get ample sunlight.
   • Learning yoga and undergoing Ayurvedic therapies are other reasons for this type of tourism.
6. Agro-Tourism:
   • Today, agro-tourism, also known as agri-tourism, is developing rapidly.
   • It is specially meant for the urban population who have very little exposure to rural life and agriculture.
   • Indian farmers nowadays visit distant regions such as agricultural research centres and agricultural universities.
   • Farmers also visit countries like Israel, where experiments in advanced agricultural technology are carried out.
7. Sports Tourism:
   • Sports tourism, developed in the 20th century, refers to travel that involves attending a sporting event.
   • Various sports events are organised at the international, national, and state levels.
   • The Olympics, Wimbledon, World Chess Championship matches, and International Cricket Tournaments are some examples of sports events organised at the international level; an event like the Himalayan Car Rally is organised at the national level, and the Maharashtra Kesari Wrestling competitions, etc., are organised at the state level.
8. Tourism based on Special Events:
   • Travelling to and staying in places outside the usual environment for a specific purpose and for a fixed period of time is known as ‘tourism’.
   • People who love to travel look for special reasons to go on a tour, and in the 21st century, it has become common to organise such events.
   • Film festivals, various types of seminars and conferences, international book exhibitions, library festivals, etc., are examples of special events. People from different regions come to attend these events.
   • For instance, every year, many literature enthusiasts from Maharashtra attend the Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sammelan [Pan-India Literary Convention], which is held in different places across India.