Tourism in India

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Every year, more than 3 million tourists visit the Taj Mahal in Agra, Uttar Pradesh.

The sixth-century paintings at the Ajanta Caves in Aurangabad, Maharashtra

Tourism in India is the largest service industry, with a contribution of 6.23% to the national GDPand 8.78% of the total employment in India. In 2010, 25.8 million foreign tourists visited India.India generated about 200 billion US dollars in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$375.5 billion by 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate.[1] The majority of foreign tourists come from USA and UK.Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are the top five states to receive inbound tourists.[2] Domestic tourism in the same year was 740 million. Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra received the big share of these visitors.[3][4] Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency to formulate national policies and programmes for the development and promotion of tourism. In the process, the Ministry consults and collaborates with other stakeholders in the sector including various Central Ministries/agencies, the state governments and union territories and the representatives of the private sector. Concerted efforts are being made to promote new

forms of tourism such as rural, cruise, medical and eco-tourism.[5] The Ministry of Tourism also maintains the Incredible India campaign. According to World Travel and Tourism Council, India will be a tourism hot-spot from 20092018,[6]having the highest 10-year growth potential.[7] The Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2007ranked tourism in India sixth in terms of price competitiveness and 39th in terms of safety and security.[8] Despite short- and mediumterm setbacks, such as shortage of hotel rooms,[9] tourism revenues are expected to surge by 42% from 2007 to 2017.[10] India's thousands of years of history, its length, diversity and the variety of geographic features make its tourism basket large and varied. It presents heritage and cultural tourism along with medical, business and sports tourism. India has one of the largest and fastest growing medical tourism sectors.
Contents
[hide]

1 Tourism by state

1.1 Andhra Pradesh

1.2 Arunancha l Pradesh

1.3 Assam 1.4 Bihar 1.5 Chhattisgar h

1.6 Delhi 1.7 Goa 1.8 Gujarat 1.9 Haryana 1.10 Himachal Pradesh

1.11 Jammu and Kashmir

1.12 Karnataka 1.13 Kerala 1.14 Madhya

Pradesh

1.15 Maharash tra

1.16 Manipur 1.17 Meghalay a

1.18 Orissa 1.19 Pondicher ry

1.20 Punjab 1.21 Rajasthan 1.22 Sikkim 1.23 Tamil Nadu

1.24 Uttarakha nd

1.25 Uttar Pradesh

1.26 West Bengal

2 Historic monuments 3 Nature tourism

3.1 Wildlife in India

3.2 Hill stations

3.3 Beaches 3.4 Adventure tourism

4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links

[edit]Tourism [edit]Andhra

by state

Pradesh

Main article: Tourism in Andhra Pradesh

Charminar in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

The state of Andhra Pradesh comprises like scenic hills, forests, beaches and temples. Also known as The City of Nizams and The City of Pearls, Hyderabad is today one of the most developed cities in the country and a modern hub of information technology, ITES, and biotechnology. Hyderabad is known for its rich history, culture and architecture representing its unique character as a meeting point for North and South India, and also its multilingual culture, Andhra Pradesh is the home of many religious pilgrim centres:

Tirupati, the abode of Lord Venkateswara, is the richest and most visited religious center (of any faith) in the world. Srisailam, the abode of Sri Mallikarjuna, is one of twelve Jyothirlingalu in India. Amaravathi's Siva temple is one of the Pancharamams, Vemulavada temple, one of the old abodes of Lord Shiva, reputed as Dakshina Kashi Benaras of South India. Vemulavadatemple is built by Chalukya Kings between AD 750 and 975. Yadagirigutta, the abode of an avatara of Vishnu, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha.

The Ramappa Temple and Thousand Pillar Temple in Warangal are famous tourist spots and depict the finest taste of Kakatiya dynasty for arts & culture and temple carvings. Warangal is also home to Medaram the Asia's largest tribal fair/festival called "Sammakka Saralamma Jatara".

Gnana Saraswati Temple, Basar is one of the famous Saraswati Temples in India.

Famous Buddhist centres:

Amaravathi Guntur District. Nagarjuna Konda Bhattiprolu. Mangalagiri Near to Vijaywada City. Ghantasala Krishna District. Nelakondapalli Krishna District. Dhulikatta Karim Nagar District. Lingapalem West Godavari District.

Others are Bavikonda, Thotlakonda, Shalihundam, Pavuralakonda, Sankaram, Phanigiri and Kolanpaka. Pilgrim centres and temples:

Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple The abode of Lord Venkateswara, is the richest and most visited religious center (of any faith) in the world situated in Tirupathi City.

Sri Kanaka Durga Temple One of the Shkati Peetam's situated in Vijayawada City. Sri Mallikaruna Temple One of the Jyothirlingam's situated in Srisilam Town. Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narashima Temple Situated at Simhachalam near to Vizag City. Sri Kalashastiswara Temple Situated at Srikalahasti Town. Sri Venkateswara Swami Temple known as china Tirupathi located at Dwaraka Tirumala Town. Sri Amaralingeswara Swami Temple One of the Pancharama's located at Amaravathi Town. Sri Someswara Swami Temple One of the Pancharama's located at Bhimavaram Town. Sri Kshira Rama Lingeswara Swami Temple One of the Pancharama's located at Palakol town. Sri Bhimeswara Swami Temple One of the Pancharama's located at Rama Chandra Puram Town. Sri Satyanarayana Swami Temple Located at Annavaram Town. Ramappa Temple Near to Warangal City.

Thousand's of oldest temples are situated in Andhra pradesh. Attractions:

Charminar Center of the Hyderabad Old City. Golkonda Fort Largest and 400 years oldest fort.

Makka Masjid Masjid in Hyderabad City. Ramoji Film City Largest Film City in the world situated in Hyderabad City. Kilash giri Mountain View along with beach side situated in Vizag City. Bhimili Beach Beautiful Beach near to Vizag City. Araku Valley known as Andhra Ooty near to Vizag City. Borra Caves caves formed 1 million years ago situated near to Vizag City.

The golden beaches at Visakhapatnam, the one-million-year old limestone caves at Borra, picturesque Araku Valley, hill resorts of Horsley Hills, river Godavari racing through a narrow gorge at Papi Kondalu, waterfalls at Ettipotala, Kuntala and rich bio-diversity at Talakona, are some of the natural attractions of the state. Visakhapatnam is home to many tourist attractions such as the INS Karasura Submarine museum, Yarada Beach, Araku Valley, VUDA Park, Indira Gandhi Zoological Gardens. The weather in Andhra Pradesh is mostly tropical and the best time to visit is in November through to January. The monsoon season commences in June and ends in September, so travel would not be advisable during this period. Golkonda (Telugu: , Urdu: ,)a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda (c. 13641512), is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad. The most important builder of Golkonda was a Kakatiya King. Ibrahim was following in the spirit of his ancestors, the Qutub Shahi kings, a great family of builders who had ruled the kingdom of Golkonda from 1512. Their first capital, the fortress citadel of Golkonda, was rebuilt for defense from invading Mughals from the north. They laid out Golkonda's splendid monuments, now in ruins, and designed a perfect acoustical system by which a hand clap sounded at the fort's main gates, the grand portico, was heard at the top of the citadel, situated on a 300-foot (91 m)-high granite hill. This is one of the fascinating features of the fort.

[edit]Arunanchal

Pradesh

Arunachal finds mention in the literature of Kalika Purana and Mahabharata. This place is supposed to be the Prabhu Mountains of the Puranas. It was here that sage Parashuram washed away his sin, sage Vyasa meditated, King Bhishmaka founded his kingdom and Lord Krishna married his consort Rukmini.The widely scattered archeological remains at different places in Arunachal bears testimony to its rich cultural heritage. Arunachal Pradesh, a serene land tucked into the North Eastern tip of India, invites you to relax in its picturesque hills and valleys, enjoy its salubrious climate and meet its simple and hospitable people, with their glorious heritage of arts and crafts and colourful festivals that reflect their ancient faith in the inexorable power of nature.

Tawang Monastery

The visitor has a wide variety of options to pick from. There are places of worship and piligrimage such as Parasuramkund and 400 years old Tawang Monastery, or the sites of archeological excavations like Malinithan and Itanagar, the serene beauty of lakes such as Ganga lake or Sela lake or the numerous variations of scenic beauty of the snowclad silver mountain peaks and lush green meadows where thousands of species of flora and fauna prosper. In addition, the state provides abundant scope for angling, boating, rafting, trekking and hiking. Besides, there are a number of wild life sanctuaries and national parks where rare animals, birds and plants will fascinate the visitor. Nature has provided the people with a deep sense of beauty which finds delightful expression in their songs, dances and crafts. The climate varies from hot and humid to heavy rainfall in the Shivalik range. It becomes progressively cold as one moves northwards to higher altitudes. Trees of great size, plentiful climbers and abundance of cane and bamboo make Arunachal evergreen. Arunachal Pradesh is considered to be the "nature's treasure trove"and home to orchids, known for their exquisitely beautiful blooms, from one of the dominant taxa with more than six hundred species, occurring in varying elevations and climatic conditions throughout the state.

[edit]Assam
Main article: Tourism in Assam

Indian Rhinoceroses grazing at the Kaziranga National Park.

Assam is the central state in the North-East Region of India and serves as the gateway to the rest of the Seven Sister States. Assam boasts of famous wildlife preserves the Kaziranga National Park, which is home to the Great Indian One-Horned Rhinoceros and the Manas National Park andPobitora Wildlife Sanctuary (These first two parks are UNESCO World Heritage Site), the largest river island Majuli, historic Sivasagar, famous for the ancient monuments of Ahom Kingdom, the city of eternal romance, Tezpur and tea-estates dating back to time of British Raj. The weather is mostly sub-tropical. Assam experiences the Indian monsoon and has one of the highest forest densities in India. The winter months (October end half to first half of April) are the best time to visit. Assam has a rich cultural heritage going back to the Ahom Kingdom, which governed the region for many centuries before the British occupation. Other notable features include the Brahmaputra River, the mystery of the bird suicides in Jatinga, numerous temples includingKamakhya of Tantric sect. 'Gurdwara Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur also known as Damdama Sahib at Dhubri '- This famous Gurudwara is situated in the heart of the Dhubri Town on the bank of the mighty Brahmaputra river in far north-east India. Guru Teg Bahadur the holy Sikh Guru visited this place in 1505 and met Srimanta Sankardeva (the founder of the Mahapuruxiya Dharma) as the Guru traveled from Dhaka to Assam, ruins of palaces, etc. Guwahati, the capital city of Assam, boasts many bazaars, temples, and wildlife sanctuaries.

[edit]Bihar
Main article: Tourism in Bihar

Mahabodhi Temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Bihar is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world with history of 3000 years. The rich culture and heritage of Bihar is evident from the innumerable ancient monuments that are dotted all over this state in eastern India. This is the place of Aryabhata, Great Ashoka, Chanakyaand many other great historical figures. Attractions:

Patna The capital of Bihar, famous for its rich history and royal architecture. Gaya Known for Bodh Gaya the place at which Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment. Muzaffarpur Famous for its education. Kesariya Location of the world's largest Buddhist Stupa. Nalanda Location of one of the world's oldest university. Sasaram Tomb of Sher Shah Suri, the great Emperor of medieval India. Sonepur Cattle Fair The Sonepur cattle fair or Sonepur Mela, it is the biggest cattle fair of Asia and stretches on from fifteen days to one month.

Takht Sri Patna Sahib One of the famous Sikh pilgrimage known for the birth place of Sikh's Tenth Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib.

Darbhanga It is among the oldest cities of Bihar. Famous for the Maharaja forts and Kali Mandir. Munger Home to the only Yoga University in the world, Bihar School of Yoga. Religious places such as Shakti Peethas.

Bihar is one of the most sacred places of various religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism & Islam. Famous Attraction includes Mahabodhi Temple, a Buddhist shrine and UNESCO World Heritage Site is also situated in Bihar, Barabar Caves the oldest rockcut caves in India, Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Library the oldest library of India.

[edit]Chhattisgarh
Main article: Tourism in Chhattisgarh Chhattisgarh is a new state but with an ancient civilization, which can be felt by visiting the historical remains in the state. The state is blessed by nature with magnificent water falls, mountains, forests and wildlife. The Green State of Chhattisgarh has 41.33% of its area under forests and is one of the richest bio-diversity areas in the country. There are many tourist attractions worth seeing. Main attractions of Chhattisgarh are Chitrakot Waterfalls, Kutumsar Caves, Ramgarh and Sita Bengra, Bhoramdeo temple, Sirpur, Rajim,Ratanpur and Malhar.

[edit]Delhi

Lotus Temple

Main article: Tourism in Delhi Delhi is the capital city of India. A fine blend of old and new, ancient and modern, Delhi is a melting pot of cultures and religions. Delhi has been the capital of numerous empires that ruled India, making it rich in history. The rulers left behind their trademark architectural styles. Delhi currently has many renowned historic monuments and landmarks such as the Tughlaqabad fort,Qutub Minar, Purana Quila, Lodhi Gardens, Jama Masjid, Humayun's tomb, Red Fort, andSafdarjung's Tomb. Modern monuments include Jantar Mantar, India Gate, Rashtrapati Bhavan,Laxminarayan Temple, Lotus temple and Akshardham Temple. New Delhi is famous for its British colonial architecture, wide roads, and tree-lined boulevards. Delhi is home to numerous political landmarks, national museums, Islamic shrines, Hindu temples, green parks, and trendy malls.

[edit]Goa

Goa is noted for its resorts and beaches.

Main article: Tourism in Goa Goa is one of the most famous tourist destinations in India. A former colony of Portugal, Goa is famous for its excellent beaches, Portuguese churches, Hindu temples, and wildlife sanctuaries. The Basilica of Bom Jesus, Mangueshi Temple, Dudhsagar Falls, and Shantadurga are famous attractions in Goa. Recently a Wax

Museum (Wax World) has also opened in Old Goa housing a number of wax personalities of Indian history, culture and heritage. The Goa Carnival is a world famous event, with colorful masks and floats, drums and reverberating music, and dance performances.

[edit]Gujarat
Main article: Tourism in Gujarat

World's largest Temple Complex, there are more than 3000 temples located on the Shatrunjaya hills, exquisitely carved in marble.

Gujarat, the seventh largest state in India, located in the western part of India with a coastline of 1600 km (longest in India). It is the tenth most popular state in the country for tourists with annual footfall of 18.9 million tourists.[11] Gujarat offers scenic beauty from Great Rann of Kutch to the hills of Saputara.Gujarat is the sole home of the pure Asiatic Lions and is considered to be one of the most important protected areas in Asia. During the Sultanate reign, Hindu craftsmanship mix with Islamic architecture, giving rise to the IndoSaracenic style. Many structures in the state are built in this fashion. It is also the birth place of Mahatma Ghandhi & Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the great iconic figures during India's Independence movement. Gujarat offers many types of tourism like Business Tourism, Archeological & Heritage Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Religious Tourism, Wildlife Tourism, Medical Tourism and much more. Amitabh Bachchan is currently the brand ambassador of Gujarat Tourism. Ahmedabad is considered to a ideal hub to cover all the destinations across Gujarat.

[edit]Haryana

Haryana Pilgrim Destinations offers the devotees with a wide range of sacred places which are of considerable religious and historical significance. The pilgrim places of Haryana are thronged by devotees all over the year, who visit the important religious places in order to seek divine blessings and eternal happiness. The state of Haryana has a long historical and cultural tradition which is manifested in the numerous religious places which fills the tourist with an intense sense of satisfaction. Some of the notable "Pilgrim Destinations" of Haryana are:

Lord Krishna and Arjuna

Kurukshetra- The historical place of "Kurukshetra" is the cradle of Hindu civilization. The fierce battle field of the holy land of "Kurukhshetra" is a witness to the discourse between the mighty and valiant ruler "Arjuna" and his divine charioteer "Lord Krishna". Jyotisar- The ancient place of "Jyotisar" is the nurturing ground of the values and principles that guide the oldest religion of the world , the "Hindu" religion. The significance of the place lies in the fact that the holy religious text of the "Hindus" , the "Bhagwad Gita" was complied in this sacred place Thanesar- The sacred place of "Thanesar" has two important religious temples of the "Sthanesvar Mahadev Temple" and the "Ma Bhadra Kali Temple" that draws several devotees through out the year Pehowa- The holy land of "Pehowa" is an important religious place among the Hindus, who pray to the deceased member of their family and offer "Pind Daan" to release them from the cycle of birth and re-birth Panchkula- The beautiful place of Panchkula offers the tourist with numerous places of religious and historical importance

[edit]Himachal

Pradesh

The Himalayan landscape of Himachal Pradesh is ideal for out-door activities such as skiing

Himachal Pradesh is famous for its Himalayan landscapes and popular hill-stations. Many outdoor activities such as rock climbing, mountain biking, paragliding, ice-skating, and heli-skiing are popular tourist attractions in Himachal Pradesh.[12] Shimla, the state capital, is very popular among tourists. The Kalka-Shimla Railway is a Mountain railway which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Shimla is also a famous skiing attraction in India. Other popular hill stations include Manali and Kasauli. Dharamshala, home of the Dalai Lama, is known for its Tibetan monasteries and Buddhist temples. Many trekking expeditions also begin here.

[edit]Jammu

and Kashmir

Main article: Tourism in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu & Kashmir is known for its scenic landscape

Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India.Jammu is noted for its scenic landscape, ancient temples and mosques, Hindu and Muslim shrines, castles, gardens and forts. The Hindu holy shrines of Amarnath in Kashmir Valley attracts about .4 million Hindu devotees every year. Vaishno Devi also attract thousands of Hindu devotees every year. Jammu's historic monuments feature a unique blend of Islamic and Hindu architecture styles.

Tourism forms an integral part of the Kashmiri economy. Often dubbed "Paradise on Earth", Kashmir's mountainous landscape has attracted tourists for centuries. Notable places are Dal Lake, Srinagar Phalagam, Gulmarg, Yeusmarg and Mughal Gardens etc. Kashmir's natural landscape has made it one of the popular destinations for adventure tourism in South Asia. In recent years, Ladakh has emerged as a major hub for adventure tourism. This part of Greater Himalaya called "moon on earth" consists of naked peaks and deep gorges. Leh, the capital, is also a growing tourist spot.

[edit]Karnataka

Mysore Palace, illuminated for the Dasarafestival. This receives 2.7 million tourists, second highest in India

Main article: Tourism in Karnataka Karnataka has been ranked as fifth most popular destination for tourism among states of India.[2] It has the second highest number of protected monuments in India, at 507. Kannada dynasties like Kadambas, Western Gangas, Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas,Vijayanagaras and the Kingdom of Mysore ruled from what is today Karnataka.[13][14] They built great monuments to Buddhism, Jainism, Shaivism. These monuments are preserbed at Badami,Aihole, Pattadakal, Mahakuta, Hampi, Lakshmeshwar, Sudi, Hooli, Mahadeva Temple (Itagi),Dambal, Lakkundi, Gadag, Hangal, Halasi, Galaganatha, Chaudayyadanapura, Banavasi, Belur,Halebid u, Sringeri, Shravanabelagola, Sannati, Nanjangud, Mysore, Nandi Hills, Kolar, Mudabidri,Gokarna, Bagali, Kuruvatti and many more. Notable Islamic monuments are present at Bijapur,Bidar, Gulbarga, Raichur and other part of the state. Gol Gumbaz at Bijapur, has the second largest pre-modern dome in the world after the Byzantine Hagia Sophia. Karnataka has two World heritage sites, at Hampi and Pattadakal. Karnataka is famous for its waterfalls. Jog falls of Shimoga District is one of the highest waterfalls in Asia. This state has 21 wildlife sanctuaries and five National parks and is home to more than 500 species of birds. Karnataka has many beaches at Karwar, Gokarna,Murdeshwara, Surathkal. Karnataka is a rock climbers paradise. Yana in Uttara Kannada, Fort in Chitradurga, Ramnagara near Bangaloredistrict, Shivagange in Tumkur district and tekal in Kolar district are a rock climbers heaven.[15]

[edit]Kerala

Kerala, nicknamed as "God's own country," is famous for its houseboats.

Main article: Tourism in Kerala Kerala is a state on the tropical Malabar Coast of southwestern India. Nicknamed as one of the "10 paradises of the world" by National Geographic, Kerala is famous especially for its eco-tourism initiatives. Its unique culture and traditions, coupled with its varied demography, has made it one of the most popular tourist destinations in India. Growing at a rate of 13.31%, the tourism industry significantly contributes to the state's economy. Kerala is known for its tropical backwaters and pristine beaches such as Kovalam. Popular attractions in the state include the beaches at Kovalam, Cherai and Varkala; the hill stations of Munnar, Nelliampathi, Ponmudi and Wayanad; and national parks and wildlife sanctuaries at Periyar and Eravikulam National Park. The "backwaters" regionan extensive network of interlocking rivers, lakes, and canals that centre on Alleppey, Kumarakom, and Punnamadaalso see heavy tourist traffic. Heritage sites, such as the Hill Palace, Mattancherry Palace are also visited. Cities such as Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) are popular centres for shopping and traditional theatrical performances. The state's tourism agenda promotes ecologically sustained tourism, which focuses on the local culture, wilderness adventures, volunteering and personal growth of the local population. Efforts are taken to minimise the adverse effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment, and enhance the cultural integrity of local people.

[edit]Madhya

Pradesh

Main article: Tourism in Madhya Pradesh

The temples of Khajuraho are famous for their erotic sculptures. The Khajuraho group of monuments are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Madhya Pradesh is called the "Heart of India" because of its location in the centre of the country. It has been home to the cultural heritage of Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. Innumerable monuments, exquisitely carved temples, stupas, forts and palaces are dotted all over the state. The temples of Khajuraho are world-famous for their erotic sculptures, and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gwalior is famous for its fort, Jai Vilas Palace, the Tomb of Rani Lakshmibai, Md. Ghaus & Tansen. Madhya Pradesh is also known as Tiger State because of the tiger population. Famous national parks like Kanha, Bandhavgadh, Shivpuri, Sanjay, Pench are located in Madhya Pradesh.Kuno Palpur national park is getting African cheetas and is expected to become only reserve having four species of big cats (lion, tiger, leopord and cheetah). Spectacular mountain ranges, meandering rivers and miles and miles of dense forests offering a unique and exciting panorama of wildlife insylvan surroundings.

[edit]Maharashtra

Mumbai is the most popular cosmopolitan city in India, famous for its architecture, shopping, gastronomy, and Bollywood. Maharashtra accounts for largest foreign tourists arrivals in India.[2]

Main article: Tourism in Maharashtra See also: Tourist Attractions in Mumbai Maharashtra is the most visited state in India by foreign tourists,[2] with more than 5.1 million foreign tourists arrivals annually. Maharashtra boasts of a large number of popular and revered religious venues that are heavily frequented by locals as well as out-of-state visitors. Ajanta Caves, Ellora Caves and Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus are the three UNESCO World Heritage sites in Maharashtra and are highly responsible for the development of Tourism in the state. Mumbai is the most popular cosmopolitan city in India, and a great place to experience modern India. Mumbai famous for Bollywood, the world's largest film industry. In addition, Mumbai is famous for its clubs, shopping, and upscale gastronomy. The city is known for its architecture, from the ancient Elephanta Caves, to the Islamic Haji Ali Mosque, to the colonial architecture of Bombay High Court andChhatrapati Shivaji Terminus. Maharashtra also has numerous adventure tourism destinations, including paragliding, rock climbing, canoeing,kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving. Maharashtra also has several pristine national parks and reserves, some of the best ones are Tadoba with excellent accommodation and safari experiences besides little known by amazing wildlife destinations like Koyna, Nagzira (very small with incredible sightings), Melghat (disturbed with massive mining truck movement), Dajipur, Radhanagari and of course the only national

park within metropolis city limits in the world Sanjay Gandhi National Park. The Bibi Ka Maqbara at Aurangabad the Mahalakshmi temple atKolhapur, the cities of Nashik, Trimbak famous for religious importance and the city of Pune the seat of the Maratha Empire and the fantasticGanesh Chaturthi celebrations together contribute for the Tourism sector of Mahrashtra.

[edit]Manipur

Loktak lake

Manipur as the name suggest is a land of jewels. Its rich culture excels in every aspects as in martial arts, dance, theater and sculpture. The charm of the place is the greenery with the moderate climate making it a tourists' heaven. The beautiful and seasonal Shirui Lily at Ukhrul (district), Sangai (brow antlered deer) and the floating islands at Loktak Lake are few of the rare things found in Manipur. Polo, which can be called a royal game, also originated from Manipur. Some of the main tourist attractions are:

Imphal (Capital) Churachandpur Keibul Lamjao National Park War cemeteries Loktak Lake Moreh

[edit]Meghalaya

Nohkalikai Falls

Meghalaya has some of the thickest surviving forests in the country. Therefore constitutes one of the most important ecotourism circuits in the country today. The Meghalayan subtropical forests support a vast variety of flora and fauna. Meghalaya has 2 national parks and 3 wildlife sanctuaries. Meghalaya, also offers many adventure tourism opportunities in the form of mountaineering, rock climbing, trekking and hiking, water sports etc. The state offers several trekking routes some of which also afford and opportunity to encounter some rare animals such as the slow loris, assorted deer and bear. The Umiam Lake has a water sports complex with facilities such as rowboats, paddleboats, sailing boats, cruise-boats, water-scooters and speedboats. Cherrapunjee is one of the most popular tourist spots in North East of India. It lies to the south of the capital Shillong. The town is very well known and needs little publicity. A rather scenic, 50 kilometer long road, connects Cherrapunjee with Shillong. The popular waterfalls in the state are the Elephant Falls, Shadthum Falls, Weinia falls, Bishop Falls, Nohkalikai Falls, Langshiang Falls and Sweet Falls. The hot springs at Jakrem near Mawsynram are believed to have curative and medicinal properties.

[edit]Orissa

Konark Sun Temple built by the Eastern Ganga dynasty is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Chilka Lake

Main article: Tourism in Orissa See also: Tourism in Kosal Orissa has been a preferred destination from ancient days for people who have an interest in spirituality, religion, culture, art and natural beauty. Ancient and medieval architecture, pristine sea beaches, the classical and ethnic dance forms and a variety of festivals. Orissa has kept the religion of Buddhismalive. Rock-edicts that have challenged time stand huge and over-powering by the banks of the river Daya. The torch of Buddhism is still ablaze in the sublime triangle at Udayagiri and Khandagiri Caves, Lalitagiri as well as Ratnagiri, on the banks of river Birupa. Precious fragments of a glorious past come alive in the shape of stupas, rock-cut caves, rock-edicts, excavated monasteries, viharas, chaityas and sacred relics in caskets and the Rock-edicts of Ashoka. Orissa is also famous for its well-preserved Hindu Temples, especially the Jagnath Temple at Puri, Konark Sun Temple and The Leaning Temple of Huma.[16] Orissa is the home for various tribal communities who have contributed uniquely to the multicultural and multilingual character of the state. Their handicrafts, different dance forms, jungle products and their unique life style blended with their healing practices have got world wide attention. The Sitalsasthi Carnival is a must see for everyone who wants to see a glimpse of the art and culture of Orissa at one place.

[edit]Pondicherry
Main article: Tourism in Pondicherry

The Matrimandir, a golden metallic sphere in Auroville, Pondicherry

The Union Territory of Pondicherry comprises four coastal regions viz- Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam. Pondicherry is the Capital of this Union Territory and one of the most popular tourist destinations in South India. Pondicherry has been described by National Geographic as "a glowing highlight of subcontinental sojourn". The city has many beautiful colonial buildings, churches, temples, and statues, which, combined with the systematic town planning and the well planned French style avenues, still preserve much of the colonial ambience.

[edit]Punjab
Main article: Tourism in Punjab (India)

Harimandir Sahib or The Golden Temple

The state of Punjab is renowned for its cuisine, culture and history. Punjab has a vast public transportation and communication network. Some of the main cities in Punjab are Amritsar, Chandigarh, Patiala and Ludhiana. Punjab also has a rich Sikhreligioushistory. Tourism in Punjab is principally suited for the tourists interested in culture, ancient civilization, spirituality and epic history. Some of the villages in Punjab are also a must see for the person who wants to see the true Punjab, with their beautiful traditional Indian homes, farms and temples, this is a must see for any visitor that goes to India. Lonely Planet Bluelist 2008 has voted the Harmandir Sahib as one of the worlds best spiritual sites with over 100,000 pilgrims and tourists visiting on a daily basis. Since Amritsar is a big tourist spot, a lot of five star hotels are getting attracted to open up properties here. Hotel Ista has become very popular with nonresident Indian (NRI) community. New properties by Radisson and Taj are coming up in this city.

[edit]Rajasthan

Umaid Bhawan Palace

Main article: Tourism in Rajasthan Rajasthan, literally meaning "Land of the Kings", is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Northern India. The vast sand dunes of the Thar Desert attract millions of tourists from around the globe every year. Attractions:

Jaipur The capital of Rajasthan, famous for its rich history and royal architecture. Jodhpur Fortress-city at the edge of the Thar Desert, famous for its blue homes and architecture. Udaipur Known as the "Venice" of India. Jaisalmer Famous for its golden fortress. Barmer Barmer and surrounding areas offer perfect picture of typical Rajasthani villages. Bikaner Famous for its medieval history as a trade route outpost. Mount Abu Is the highest peak in the Aravalli Range of Rajasthan. Pushkar It has the first and one of the very Brahma temples in the world. Keoladeo National Park A UNESCO World Heritage Site Nathdwara This town near Udaipur hosts the famous temple of Shrinathji. Ranthambore Has one of the largest national parks in India.

[edit]Sikkim

Kangchenjunga is the third highestmountain in the world.

Originally known as Suk-Heem, which in the local language means "peaceful home". Sikkim was an independent kingdom till the year 1974, when it became a part of the Republic of India. The capital of Sikkim is Gangtok, located approximately 105 kilometers from New Jalpaiguri, the nearest railway station to Sikkim. Although, an airport is under construction at Dekiling in East Sikkim, the nearest airport to Sikkim would be Bagdogra. The popular sightseeing places include Baba Mandir, Nathula Pass, Rumtek Monastery, Handicraft Shops and Tsangpo Lake. Sikkim is considered as the land of orchids, mystic cultures and colorful traditions. Sikkim is well known among trekkers and adventure lovers. Places near Sikkim include Darjeeling also known as the "Queen of Hills" and Kalimpong. Darjeeling, other than its world famous "Darjeeling tea" is also famous for its refined "Prep schools" founded during the British Raj. Kalimpong is also famous for its flora cultivation and is home to many internationally known Nurseries.

[edit]Tamil

Nadu

Main article: Tourism in Tamil Nadu

The Nilgiri Mountain Railway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site provides a scenic view of hills throughout its 41 km journey between Mettupalayam and Ooty (7500 FT above ground level).

Tamil Nadu is the top state in attracting the maximum number of foreign tourists in India.[17]Archaeological sites with civilization dating back to 3800 years[18] are found in Tamil Nadu. The state also holds the credit of having maximum number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites (5) in India which includes Great Living Chola Temples and Mahabalipuram. With more than 34000 temples,[17] Tamil Nadu has some great temples like Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple, Brihadeeswarar Temple, Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple[disambiguation needed
] [19]

This state is also known for Medical tourism and houses some of Asia's largest hospitals.[20][21] Kanyakumari is the southernmost tip of India provides scenic view of sunset and sunshine over the Indian ocean.Mathur Totti Palam one of the biggest aqueducts, both in height and length, in Asia.Thiruvalluvar statue of the St Tamil poet, highest statue of Asia[citation needed] and ancient wooden palace of Marthandavarma (known as Padmanabapuram palace) , Hill stations likeYercaud, Kodaikanal, Ooty, Valparai, Yelagiri are widely visited. Water Falls and Wildlife sanctuaries are located across the state. Pichavaram the world's second largest mangrove forestare located in the state.[22]

[edit]Uttarakhand

The Valley of Flowers and Nanda DeviNational Parks are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Uttarakhand, the 27th state of the Republic of India, is called "the abode of the Gods". It contains glaciers, snow-clad mountains, valley of flowers, skiing slopes and dense forests, and many shrines and places of pilgrimage. Char-dhams, the four most sacred and revered Hindu temples:Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri are nestled in the Himalayas. Haridwar which means Gateway to God is the only place on the plains. It holds the watershed for Gangetic River System spanning 300 km from Satluj in the west to Kali river in the east. Nanda Devi (25640 Ft) is the second highest peak in India after Kanchenjunga(28160 Ft). Dunagiri, Neelkanth, Chaukhamba, Panchachuli, Trisul are other peaks above 23000 Ft. It is considered the abode of Devtas, Yakashyas, Kinners, Fairies and Sages.[23] It boasts of some old hill-stations developed during British era like Mussoorie, Almora and Nainital.

Glaciers
Pindari Glacier, Milam Glacier, Gangotri Glacier, Bunder Punch Glacier, Khatling Glacier, Doonagiri Glacier, Dokrani Glacier, Kaphini Glacier, Ralam Glacier

Wildlife Reserves
Corbett National Park, Rajaji National Park, Asan Conservation Reserve,Nanda Devi National Park, Govind Wildlife Sanctuary, Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary (Askot), Valley of Flowers

Adventure Sports
Skiing at Mundali, Auli, Dayara Bagyaland Munsiyari. Paragliding at Yelagiri. Trekking at Mussoorie, Uttarkashi,Joshimath, Munsiyari, Chaukori, Pauri,Almora, Nainital

[edit]Uttar

Pradesh

Main article: Tourism in Uttar Pradesh

FATEHPUR SIKRI

KUSHINAGAR

Situated in the northern part of India,border with the capital of India New Delhi.Uttar Pradesh is the most popular tourist destination in India. Uttar Pradesh is important with its wealth of historical monuments and religious fervour. Geographically, Uttar Pradesh is very diverse, with Himalayan foothills in the extreme north and the Gangetic Plain in the centre. It is also home of India's most visited site, the Taj Mahal, and Hinduism's holiest city, Varanasi. The most populous state of the Indian Union also has a rich cultural heritage. Kathak one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh is at the heart

of India,so popular with another name The Heartland of India. Cuisine of Uttar Pradesh like Awadhi cuisine, Mughlai cuisine, Kumauni cuisine are very famous in entire India and abroad. Uttar Pradesh has much to offer.Places of interest in include:

Varanasi-The origin of Hinduism and world's one of the oldest city,City of temples,Most popular holy place of lord Shiva devotees,One of the finest Textiles Industry in the world.

A view of the Ghat of Varanasi from the River Ganges

Agra Taj Mahal and several others historical monuments and gardens. Allahabad or Prayag -Kumbh Mela-The place where Indian national river Ganges and Yamuna and Saraswati rivers meet.A mass Hindu pilgrimage in which Hindus gather at the Ganges river.Akbar forts,One of the most popular religious center of ancient and modern India for Hinduism.Uttar Pradesh's administrative and education capital.

Kumbh Mela

Kumbh Mela at Allahabad

Kanpur Uttar Pradesh's commercial and Industrial hub,several historical places fromMughal, British era. Lucknow-The capital of Uttar Pradesh,Several historical places Mughal, British and ancient India.

Gateway to Bara Imambara, Lucknow

Mathura-The birth place of Lord Krishna of Hinduism and Neminath of Jainism.

Kusuma Sarovar bathing ghat, in theGoverdhan area, Vrindavan

Ayodhya-The birth place of Lord Rama of Hinduism . Jhansi-Historical place,Rani Lakshmibai's battlefield against British Sarnath-Gautama Buddha first taught the Dharma, the Buddha as one of the four places of pilgrimage which his devout followers should visit.The birth place of Shreyansanath, the eleventh Jain Tirthankar of the Jainism.

Kushinagar- It is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site, where Gautama Buddha is believed to have attained Parinirvana after his death.

Chunar-It's the center of clay art.chunar has an 6th century fort constructed by Chandragupta Vikramaditya.The fort itself had through rulers like Humayun, Sher Shah Suri and was gateway of Mauryan empire.It has beautiful waterfalls and natural spots.

Fatehpur Sikri-Historical place for Mughal Empire's palaces and forts. Meerut-The historical place of the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 or the First War of Indian Independence.Indian Historical place from Mahabharata period of ancient India to Modern India's one of the fastest growing city of Uttar Pradesh.

Mirzapur Division-The hub of world's finest carpet Industries,and very popular tourist destination for its natural beauties and one of the fastest growing region of Uttar Pradesh.It consists of vindhyachal shaktipeeth.

Ghaziabad: Historical places from ancient India to modern India and India's fastest growing Industrial city . See Buddh International Circuit

NOIDA and Greater Noida:IT, Electronics and education hub of Northern India.India's biggest city with planned and highteck residential area.

Gorakhpur: The city was home to Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, Jain and Sikh saints.The birthplace of Paramhansa Yogananda,great Hindu emperor Chandragupta Maurya.

Jaunpur:Historical city was founded by the Sultan of Delhi Feroz Shah Tughlaq and named in memory of his father, Muhammad bin Tughluq as Jaunpur Sultanate.Mughals, Lodis and Islamic ruler's Forts and ancient history of India.

Dudhwa National Park Dudhwa Tiger Reserve, Birds Sanctuary, Frog Temple at Oyal, Surat Bhawan Palace, Elephant Rides.

Rehar:Several major tourist attractions can be mentioned in the towns surroundings, like Jim Corbett National Park about 24 km, Nainitalabout 69 km

Uttar Pradesh is the historical heart land of India.Where each part of the state is attached with ancient history,civilization,religions and culture.

[edit]West

Bengal

Victoria Memorial in Kolkata

Kolkata

See also: Places of interest in Kolkata Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), the huge city in the state of West Bengal has been nicknamed theCity of Palaces. This comes from the numerous palatial mansions built all over the city. Unlike many north Indian cities, whose construction stresses minimalism, the layout of much of the architectural variety in Kolkata owes its origins to European styles and tastes imported by the British as it was the capital of British India from 17721911 and, to a much lesser extent, the Portuguese and French. The buildings were designed and inspired by the tastes of the English gentleman around and the aspiring Bengali Babu (literally, a nouveau riche Bengali who aspired to cultivation of English etiquette, manners and custom, as such practices were favourable to monetary gains from the British). Today, many of these structures are in various stages of decay. Some of the major buildings of this period are well maintained and several buildings have been declared as heritage structures. Long known as The Cultural Capital of India for its vibrant culture which has led India from the forefront from the 18th century onwards in all fronts ranging from culture to arts, literature to sciences, sports to politics, theatre to films. Home to the famousBengal Renaissance which boasts of a host of luminaries like Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Ramakrishna, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Jagadish Chandra Bose,Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda, Chittaranjan Das, Sri Aurobindo, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Bagha Jatin, Bidhan Chandra Roy, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and countless others. The city has lost much of its glory now but has never lost its effervescence.

Must Sees of Kolkata

Victoria Memorial Howrah Bridge Kumartuli Indian Botanical Garden B.B.D.Bagh Dakshineswar Kali Temple Belur Math Eden Gardens St.Paul's Cathedral M

Street Jorasanko Thakur Bari Netaji Bhawan Marble Palace Missionaries of Charity National Library of India Kalighat Temple Park Street South Park Street C Planetarium Science City Shobhabazar Rajbari Alipore Zoo Vidyasagar Setu.

Cooch Behar Palace

Rashchakra at Cooch Behar Rashmela

A view of the Teesta River valley near Kalimpong

From historical point of view, the story of West Bengal begins from Gour andPandua[disambiguation needed

situated

close to the present district town of Malda. The twin medieval cities had been sacked at least once by changing powers in the 15th century. However, ruins from the period still remain, and several architectural specimens still retain the glory and shin of those times. The Hindu architecture of Bishnupur[disambiguation needed
]

in terracotta andlaterite sandstone are renowned world over. Towards the British colonial period came the

architecture of Murshidabad and Coochbehar.

A Bengal tiger

West Bengal is home to five national parks[24] Sundarbans National Park, Buxa Tiger Reserve,Gorumara National Park, Neora Valley National Park and Singalila National Park. Extant wildlife include Indian rhinoceroses, Indian elephants, deer, bison, leopards, gaur, and crocodiles, as well as many bird species. Migratory birds come to the state during the winter.The high-altitude forests of Singalila National Park shelter barking deer, red panda, chinkara, takin, serow, pangolin, minivetand Kalij pheasants. Additionally, the Sundarbans are noted for a reserve project conserving the endangered Bengal tiger, although the forest hosts many other endangered species, such as theGangetic dolphin, river terrapin and estuarine crocodile.
File:Vivekananda Ancestral House.jpg
Swami Vivekananda's Ancestral House in Simla, North Calcutta, where Swamiji was born and raised.

Notable sites of West Bengal

Cooch Behar Darjeeling Kalimpong Kurseong Dooars Digha Bishnupur Malda Mayapur Mukutmanipur Ajodhya Hills Murshidabad Kolkata.

Places of Worship

Dakshineswar Kali Temple Kalighat Temple Birla

Math Tipu Sultan Mosque Nakhoda Masjid St. Pau John's Church Parsi Fire Temples Japanese Buddhist

Jain Temple Tarakeswar Tarapith Furfura

[edit]Historic

monuments

The Taj Mahal is one of India's best-known sites and one of the best architectural achievements in India,located in Agra, Uttar Pradesh . It was built between 1631 and 1653 by Emperor Shah Jahan in

honor of his wife, Arjumand Banu, more popularly known as Mumtaz Mahal. The Taj Mahal serves as her tomb.

Fatehpur Sikri It was the first planned city of the Mughals and also the first one designed in Mughal architecture, an amalgamation of Indian architecture, Persian and Islamic architecture and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.

Varanasi The ghats of one of the oldest city of the world. The Mahabodhi Temple is a 2000 year old temple dedicated to Gautam Buddha in Bodh Gaya, Bihar. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Nalanda is located in the Indian State of Bihar, was a Buddhist center of learning from 427 C.E to 1197 C.E partly under the Pala Empire.[25][26] It has been called "one of the first great universities in recorded history."[26]

According to historical studies the University of Nalanda was established 450 C.E under the patronage of the Gupta emperors, notablyKumaragupta.[25]

The Brihadishwara Temple in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu built by the Cholas. The temple is one of India's most prized architectural sites.

The Airavateswara temple is located in the town of Darasuram, near Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu. The Shore Temple, along with the collection of other monuments in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu have been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Harmandir Sahib is one of the most respected gurudwara in India and the most sacred place for Sikhs. The gurudwara is located inAmritsar, Punjab, India.

The Bah' temple in Delhi, was completed in 1986 and serves as the Mother Temple of the Indian Subcontinent. It has won numerous architectural awards and been featured in hundreds of newspaper and magazine articles. (It is also known as the Lotus Temple.)

The Hawa Mahal in Jaipur also known as Palace of Winds. The Taj Mahal Palace is an icon of Mumbai. The Victoria Memorial in Kolkata, built during the British Raj. The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai, built for Queen Victoria

The Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in Mumbai is a train station built in Gothic architecture in honor of chhatrapati Shivaji maharaj.

[edit]Nature

tourism

India has geographical diversity, which resulted in varieties of nature tourism.

The Sundarbans is the largest single block of tidal halophytic mangrove forest in the world and has also been enlisted among the top 14 finalists in the New7Wonders of Nature

Water falls in Western Ghats including Jog falls (highest in India). Western Ghats Hill Stations Wildlife reserves Deserts

[edit]Wildlife

in India

Main article: Fauna of India

Royal Bengal Tiger in Sundarbans. The world's largest mangrove forest as well as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

India is home to several well known large mammals including the Asian Elephant, Bengal Tiger,Asiatic Lion, Leopard and Indian Rhinoceros, often engrained culturally and religiously often being associated with deities. Other well known large Indian mammals include ungulates such as thedomestic Asian Water buffalo, wild Asian Water buffalo, Nilgai, Gaur and several species of deer and antelope. Some members of the dog family such as the Indian Wolf, Bengal Fox, Golden Jackal and the Dhole or Wild Dogs are also widely distributed. It is also home to the Striped Hyaena, Macaques, Langurs and Mongoose species. India also has a large variety of protected wildlife. The country's protected forest consists of 75National parks of India and 421 sanctuaries, of which 19 fall under the purview of Project Tiger. Its climatic and geographic diversity makes it the home of over 350 mammals and 1200 bird species, many of which are unique to the subcontinent. Some well known national wildlife sanctuaries include Bharatpur, Raiganj, Corbett, Kanha,Kaziranga, Periyar, Ranthambore, Manas and Sariska. The world's largest mangrove forest Sundarbans is located in southern West Bengal. The Kaziranga National Park, Manas National Park,Sundarbans and Keoladeo National Park are UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[edit]Hill

stations
Vindhya Range ()
Range

A summer view of Khajjiar, a hill station inHimachal Pradesh.

A panaromic view of Ooty, one of the finest hill-stations in India

Main article: List of Indian hill stations Several hill stations served as summer capitals of Indian provinces, princely states, or, in the case of Shimla, of British India itself. Since Indian Independence, the role of these hill stations as summer capitals has largely ended, but many hill stations remain popular summer resorts. Most famous hill stations are:

Mount Abu, Rajasthan Vindhya Range, Uttar Pradesh Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh It is also known as The Queen of Satpura. Gulmarg, Srinagar and Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir Shillong in Meghalaya Darjeeling in West Bengal Shimla, Kullu in Himachal Pradesh Nainital in Uttarakhand Gangtok in Sikkim Mussoorie in Uttarakhand Manali in Himachal Pradesh

Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra Haflong in Assam Araku, Andhra Pradesh Munnar in Kerala Ooty, Yercaud and Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu

In addition to the bustling hill stations and summer capitals of yore, there are several serene and peaceful nature retreats and places of interest to visit for a nature lover. These range from the stunning moonscapes of Leh and Ladhak, to small, exclusive nature retreats such as Dunagiri,Binsar, Mukteshwar in the Himalayas, to rolling vistas of Western Ghats to numerous private retreats in the rolling hills of Kerala.

[edit]Beaches
Main article: List of beaches in India

Elephants and camel rides are common on Indian beaches. Shown here is Havelock Island, part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands

India offers a wide range of tropical beaches with silver/golden sand to coral beaches ofLakshadweep. States like Kerala and Goa have exploited the potential of beaches to the fullest. However, there are a lot many unexploited beaches in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat,Maharastra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. These states have very high potential to develop them as future destinations for prospective tourists. Some of the famous tourist beaches are:

Beaches of Vizag, Andhra Pradesh Beaches of Puri, Orissa Beaches of Digha, West Bengal Beaches of Goa Kovalam Beach, Kerala Marina Beach, Chennai City Beach, Pondicherry Beaches of Mahabalipuram Beaches in Mumbai Beaches of Diu Beaches of Midnapore, West Bengal Beaches of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Beaches of Lakshadweep Islands

[edit]Adventure

tourism

Skiing in Manali, Himachal Pradesh

River rafting and kayaking in Himalayas Mountain climbing in Himalayas Rock climbing in Madhya Pradesh Skiing in Gulmarg or Auli Boat racing in Bhopal Paragliding in Maharashtra

[edit]See

also

List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India

List of Indian hill stations Medical tourism in India Luxury Trains in India Times of India's list of seven Wonders of India

DEVELOPMENT AND IMPACT OF TOURISM INDUSTRY IN INDIA

INTRODUCTION

There are various definitions of tourism. Theobald (1994) suggested that etymologically, the word "tour" is derived from the Latin 'tornare' and the Greek 'tornos,' meaning 'a lathe or circle; the movement around a
central point or axis.' This meaning changed in modern English to represent 'one's turn.' The suffix -ism is

defined as 'an action or process; typical behavior or quality' whereas the suffix -ist denotes one that performs a given action. When the word tour and the suffixes -ism and -ist are combined, they suggest the action of movement around a circle. One can argue that a circle represents a starting point, which ultimately returns back to its beginning. Therefore, like a circle, a tour represents a journey that is a round trip, i.e., the act of leaving and then returning to the original starting point, and therefore, one who takes such a journey can be called a tourist. [en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism] The Macmillan Dictionary defines tourism as the business of providing services for people who are travelling for their holiday. Wikipedia defines it as travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The OECD glossary of statistical terms defined tourism as the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes not related to the exercise of an activity remunerated from within the place visited. [stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=2725] Over the decades, tourism has experienced continued growth and deepening diversification to become one of the fastest growing economic sectors in the world. Tourism has become a thriving global industry with the power to shape developing countries in both positive and negative ways. No doubt it has become the fourth largest industry in the global economy. Similarly, in developing countries like India tourism has become one of the major sectors of the economy, contributing to a large proportion of the National Income and generating huge employment opportunities. It has become the fastest growing service industry in the country with great potentials for its further expansion and diversification. However, there are pros and cons involved with the development of tourism

industry in the country. Let us discuss the development as well as the negative and positive impacts of tourism industry in India.
DEVELOPMENT OF TOURISM IN INDIA Early Development

The first conscious and organized efforts to promote tourism in India were made in 1945 when a committee was set up by the Government under the Chairmanship of Sir John Sargent, the then Educational Adviser to the Government of India (Krishna, A.G., 1993). Thereafter, the development of tourism was taken up in a planned manner in 1956 coinciding with the Second Five Year Plan. The approach has evolved from isolated planning of single unit facilities in the Second and Third Five Year Plans. The Sixth Plan marked the beginning of a new era when tourism began to be considered a major instrument for social integration and economic development. But it was only after the 80s that tourism activity gained momentum. The Government took several significant steps. A National Policy on tourism was announced in 1982. Later in 1988, the National Committee on Tourism formulated a comprehensive plan for achieving a sustainable growth in tourism. In 1992, a National Action Plan was prepared and in 1996 the National Strategy for Promotion of Tourism was drafted. In 1997, the New Tourism Policy recognises the roles of Central and State governments, public sector undertakings and the private sector in the development of tourism were. The need for involvement of Panchayati Raj institutions, local bodies, non-governmental organisations and the local youth in the creation of tourism facilities has also been recognised.
Present Situation and Features of Tourism in India

Today tourism is the largest service industry in India, with a contribution of 6.23% to the national GDP and providing 8.78% of the total employment. India witnesses more than 5 million annual foreign tourist arrivals and 562 million domestic tourism visits. The tourism industry in India generated about US$100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$275.5 billion by 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate. The Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency for the development and promotion of tourism in India and maintains the "Incredible India" campaign. According to World Travel and Tourism Council, India will be a tourism hotspot from 2009-2018, having the highest 10-year growth potential. As per the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2009 by the

World Economic Forum, India is ranked 11th in the Asia Pacific region and 62nd overall, moving up three places on the list of the world's attractive destinations. It is ranked the 14th best tourist destination for its natural resources and 24th for its cultural resources, with many World Heritage Sites, both natural and cultural, rich fauna, and strong creative industries in the country. India also bagged 37th rank for its air transport network. The India travel and tourism industry ranked 5th in the long-term (10-year) growth and is expected to be the second largest employer in the world by 2019. The 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi are expected to significantly boost tourism in India further. [www.ibef.org/industry/tourismhospitality.aspx] Moreover, India has been ranked the "best country brand for value-for-money" in the Country Brand Index (CBI) survey conducted by Future Brand, a leading global brand consultancy. India also claimed the second place in CBI's "best country brand for history", as well as appears among the top 5 in the best country brand for authenticity and art & culture, and the fourth best new country for business. India made it to the list of "rising stars" or the countries that are likely to become major tourist destinations in the next five years, led by the United Arab Emirates, China, and Vietnam. [www.ibef.org/industry/tourismhospitality.aspx]
Tourist Attractions in India: India is a country known for its lavish treatment to all visitors, no matter where

they come from. Its visitor-friendly traditions, varied life styles and cultural heritage and colourful fairs and festivals held abiding attractions for the tourists. The other attractions include beautiful beaches, forests and wild life and landscapes for eco-tourism; snow, river and mountain peaks for adventure tourism; technological parks and science museums for science tourism; centres of pilgrimage for spiritual tourism; heritage, trains and hotels for heritage tourism. Yoga, ayurveda and natural health resorts and hill stations also attract tourists. The Indian handicrafts particularly, jewellery, carpets, leather goods, ivory and brass work are the main shopping items of foreign tourists. It is estimated through survey that nearly forty per cent of the tourist expenditure on shopping is spent on such items. Despite the economic slowdown, medical tourism in India is the fastest growing segment of tourism industry, according to the market research report Booming Medical Tourism in India. The report adds

that India offers a great potential in the medical tourism industry. Factors such as low cost, scale and range of treatments provided in the country add to its attractiveness as a medical tourism destination.
Initiatives to Boost Tourism: Some of the recent initiatives taken by the Government to boost tourism

include grant of export house status to the tourism sector and incentives for promoting private investment in the form of Income Tax exemptions, interest subsidy and reduced import duty. The hotel and tourismrelated industry has been declared a high priority industry for foreign investment which entails automatic approval of direct investment up to 51 per cent of foreign equity and allowing 100 per cent non-resident Indian investment and simplifying rules regarding the grant of approval to travel agents, tour operators and tourist transport operators. The first-ever Indian Tourism Day was celebrated on January 25, 1998. The Year 1999 was celebrated as Explore India Millennium Year by presenting a spectacular tableau on the cultural heritage of India at the Republic Day Parade and organising India Tourism Expo in New Delhi and Khajuraho. Moreover, the campaign Visit India Year 2009 was launched at the International Tourism Exchange in Berlin, aimed to project India as an attractive destination for holidaymakers. The government joined hands with leading airlines, hoteliers, holiday resorts and tour operators, and offered them a wide range of incentives and bonuses during the period between April and December, 2009.
Future Prospects: According to the latest Tourism Satellite Accounting (TSA) research, released by the

World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and its strategic partner Oxford Economics in March 2009: The demand for travel and tourism in India is expected to grow by 8.2 per cent between 2010 and 2019 and will place India at the third position in the world. India's travel and tourism sector is expected to be the second largest employer in the world, employing 40,037,000 by 2019. Capital investment in India's travel and tourism sector is expected to grow at 8.8 per cent between 2010 and 2019. The report forecasts India to get capital investment worth US$ 94.5 billion in the travel and tourism sector in 2019. India is projected to become the fifth fastest growing business travel destination from 2010-2019 with an estimated real growth rate of 7.6 per cent.
Constraints: The major constraint in the development of tourism in India is the non-availability of adequate

infrastructure including adequate air seat capacity, accessibility to tourist destinations, accommodation and trained manpower in sufficient number.

Poor visitor experience, particularly, due to inadequate infrastructural facilities, poor hygienic conditions and incidents of touting and harassment of tourists in some places are factors that contribute to poor visitor experience.
IMPACT OF TOURISM IN INDIA

Tourism industry in India has several positive and negative impacts on the economy and society. These impacts are highlighted below.
POSITIVE IMPACTS 1. Generating Income and Employment: Tourism in India has emerged as an instrument of income and

employment generation, poverty alleviation and sustainable human development. It contributes 6.23% to the national GDP and 8.78% of the total employment in India. Almost 20 million people are now working in the Indias tourism industry.
3. Source of Foreign Exchange Earnings: Tourism is an important source of foreign exchange earnings in

India. This has favourable impact on the balance of payment of the country. The tourism industry in India generated about US$100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$275.5 billion by 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate.
4. Preservation of National Heritage and Environment: Tourism helps preserve several places which are of

historical importance by declaring them as heritage sites. For instance, the Taj Mahal, the Qutab Minar, Ajanta and Ellora temples, etc, would have been decayed and destroyed had it not been for the efforts taken by Tourism Department to preserve them. Likewise, tourism also helps in conserving the natural habitats of many endangered species.
5. Developing Infrastructure: Tourism tends to encourage the development of multiple-use infrastructure

that benefits the host community, including various means of transports, health care facilities, and sports centers, in addition to the hotels and high-end restaurants that cater to foreign visitors. The development of infrastructure has in turn induced the development of other directly productive activities.
6. Promoting Peace and Stability: Honey and Gilpin (2009) suggests that the tourism industry can also help

promote peace and stability in developing country like India by providing jobs, generating income, diversifying the economy, protecting the environment, and promoting cross-cultural awareness. However,

key challenges like adoption of regulatory frameworks, mechanisms to reduce crime and corruption, etc, must be addressed if peace-enhancing benefits from this industry are to be realized.
NEGATIVE IMPACTS 1. Undesirable Social and Cultural Change: Tourism sometimes led to the destruction of the social fabric of

a community. The more tourists coming into a place, the more the perceived risk of that place losing its identity. A good example is Goa. From the late 60's to the early 80's when the Hippy culture was at its height, Goa was a haven for such hippies. Here they came in thousands and changed the whole culture of the state leading to a rise in the use of drugs, prostitution and human trafficking. This had a ripple effect on the country.
2. Increase Tension and Hostility: Tourism can increase tension, hostility, and suspicion between the

tourists and the local communities when there is no respect and understanding for each others culture and way of life. This may further lead to violence and other crimes committed against the tourists. The recent crime committed against Russian tourist in Goa is a case in point.
3. Creating a Sense of Antipathy: Tourism brought little benefit to the local community. In most all-inclusive package tours more than 80% of travelers fees go to the airlines, hotels and other international companies,

not to local businessmen and workers. Moreover, large hotel chain restaurants often import food to satisfy foreign visitors and rarely employ local staff for senior management positions, preventing local farmers and workers from reaping the benefit of their presence. This has often created a sense of antipathy towards the tourists and the government.
4. Adverse Effects on Environment and Ecology: One of the most important adverse effects of tourism on

the environment is increased pressure on the carrying capacity of the ecosystem in each tourist locality. Increased transport and construction activities led to large scale deforestation and destabilisation of natural landforms, while increased tourist flow led to increase in solid waste dumping as well as depletion of water and fuel resources. Flow of tourists to ecologically sensitive areas resulted in destruction of rare and endangered species due to trampling, killing, disturbance of breeding habitats. Noise pollution from vehicles and public address systems, water pollution, vehicular emissions, untreated sewage, etc. also have direct effects on bio-diversity, ambient environment and general profile of tourist spots.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF TOURISM IN INDIA

The tourism industry in India can have several positive and negative impact on the environment which are discuss below.
POSITIVE IMPACTS 1. Direct Financial Contributions

Tourism can contribute directly to the conservation of sensitive areas and habitat. Revenue from parkentrance fees and similar sources can be allocated specifically to pay for the protection and management of environmentally sensitive areas. Special fees for park operations or conservation activities can be collected from tourists or tour operators.
2. Contributions to Government Revenues

The Indian government through the tourism department also collect money in more far-reaching and indirect ways that are not linked to specific parks or conservation areas. User fees, income taxes, taxes on sales or rental of recreation equipment, and license fees for activities such as rafting and fishing can provide governments with the funds needed to manage natural resources. Such funds can be used for overall conservation programs and activities, such as park ranger salaries and park maintenance.
3. Improved Environmental Management and Planning

Sound environmental management of tourism facilities and especially hotels can increase the benefits to natural environment. By planning early for tourism development, damaging and expensive mistakes can be prevented, avoiding the gradual deterioration of environmental assets significant to tourism. The development of tourism has moved the Indian government towards this direction leading to improved environmental management.
4. Raising Environmental Awareness

Tourism has the potential to increase public appreciation of the environment and to spread awareness of environmental problems when it brings people into closer contact with nature and the environment. This confrontation heightens awareness of the value of nature among the community and lead to environmentally conscious behavior and activities to preserve the environment.
6. Protection and Preservation of Environment

Tourism can significantly contribute to environmental protection, conservation and restoration of biological diversity and sustainable use of natural resources. Because of their attractiveness, pristine sites and

natural areas are identified as valuable and the need to keep the attraction alive can lead to creation of national parks and wildlife parks. In India, new laws and regulations have been enacted to preserve the forest and to protect native species. The coral reefs around the coastal areas and the marine life that depend on them for survival are also protected.
Negative Impacts 1. Depletion of Natural Resources: Tourism development can put pressure on natural resources when it

increases consumption in areas where resources are already scarce.

(i) Water resources: Water, especially fresh water, is one of the most critical natural resources. The

tourism industry generally overuses water resources for hotels, swimming pools, golf courses and personal use of water by tourists. This can result in water shortages and degradation of water supplies, as well as generating a greater volume of waste water. (www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/envi/index.html). In dryer regions like Rajasthan, the issue of water scarcity is of particular concern.
(ii) Local resources: Tourism can create great pressure on local resources like energy, food, and other raw

materials that may already be in short supply. Greater extraction and transport of these resources exacerbates the physical impacts associated with their exploitation. Because of the seasonal character of the industry, many destinations have ten times more inhabitants in the high season as in the low season. A high demand is placed upon these resources to meet the high expectations tourists often have (proper heating, hot water, etc.).
(iii) Land degradation: Important land resources include minerals, fossil fuels, fertile soil, forests, wetland

and wildlife. Increased construction of tourism and recreational facilities has increased the pressure on these resources and on scenic landscapes. Direct impact on natural resources, both renewable and nonrenewable, in the provision of tourist facilities is caused by the use of land for accommodation and other infrastructure provision, and the use of building materials (www.gdrc.org/uem/ecotour/envi/index.html) Forests often suffer negative impacts of tourism in the form of deforestation caused by fuel wood collection and land clearing e.g. the trekking in the Himalayan region, Sikkim and Assam.
2. Pollution

Tourism can cause the same forms of pollution as any other industry: air emissions, noise, solid waste and littering, releases of sewage, oil and chemicals, even architectural/visual pollution (www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/envi/index.html).
(i) Air and Noise Pollution: Transport by air, road, and rail is continuously increasing in response to the

rising number of tourist activities in India. Transport emissions and emissions from energy production and use are linked to acid rain, global warming and photochemical pollution. Air pollution from tourist transportation has impacts on the global level, especially from carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions related to transportation energy use. And it can contribute to severe local air pollution. Some of these impacts are quite specific to tourist activities where the sites are in remote areas like Ajanta and Ellora temples. For example, tour buses often leave their motors running for hours while the tourists go out for an excursion because they want to return to a comfortably air-conditioned bus. Noise pollution from airplanes, cars, and buses, as well as recreational vehicles is an ever-growing problem of modern life. In addition to causing annoyance, stress, and even hearing loss for humans, it causes distress to wildlife, especially in sensitive areas (www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/envi/index.html).
(ii) Solid waste and littering: In areas with high concentrations of tourist activities and appealing natural

attractions, waste disposal is a serious problem and improper disposal can be a major despoiler of the natural environment - rivers, scenic areas, and roadsides. In mountain areas of the Himalayas and Darjeeling, trekking tourists generate a great deal of waste. Tourists on expedition leave behind their garbage, oxygen cylinders and even camping equipment. Such practices degrade the environment particularly in remote areas because they have few garbage collection or disposal facilities (www.gdrc.org/uem/eco-tour/envi/index.html).
(iii) Sewage: Construction of hotels, recreation and other facilities often leads to increased sewage

pollution. Wastewater has polluted seas and lakes surrounding tourist attractions, damaging the flora and fauna. Sewage runoff causes serious damage to coral reefs because it stimulates the growth of algae, which cover the filter-feeding corals, hindering their ability to survive. Changes in salinity and siltation can have wide-ranging impacts on coastal environments. And sewage pollution can threaten the health of humans and animals. Examples of such pollution can be seen in the coastal states of Goa, Kerela, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, etc.

3. Destruction and Alteration of Ecosystem

An ecosystem is a geographic area including all the living organisms (people, plants, animals, and microorganisms), their physical surroundings (such as soil, water, and air), and the natural cycles that sustain them. Attractive landscape sites, such as sandy beaches in Goa, Maharashtra, Kerela, Tamil Nadu; lakes, riversides, and mountain tops and slopes, are often transitional zones, characterized by speciesrich ecosystems. The threats to and pressures on these ecosystems are often severe because such places are very attractive to both tourists and developers. Examples may be cited from Krushedei Island near Rameswaram. What was once called paradise for marine biologists has been abandoned due to massive destruction of coral and other marine life. Another area of concern which emerged at Jaisalmer is regarding the deterioration of the desert ecology due to increased tourist activities in the desert. Moreover, habitat can be degraded by tourism leisure activities. For example, wildlife viewing can bring about stress for the animals and alter their natural behavior when tourists come too close. Safaris and wildlife watching activities have a degrading effect on habitat as they often are accompanied by the noise and commotion created by tourists.
CONCLUSION

Tourism industry in India is growing and it has vast potential for generating employment and earning large amount of foreign exchange besides giving a fillip to the countrys overall economic and social development. But much more remains to be done. Eco-tourism needs to be promoted so that tourism in India helps in preserving and sustaining the diversity of the India's natural and cultural environments. Tourism in India should be developed in such a way that it accommodates and entertains visitors in a way that is minimally intrusive or destructive to the environment and sustains & supports the native cultures in the locations it is operating in. Moreover, since tourism is a multi-dimensional activity, and basically a service industry, it would be necessary that all wings of the Central and State governments, private sector and voluntary organisations become active partners in the endeavour to attain sustainable growth in tourism if India is to become a world player in the tourism industry.

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Tourism and Information Technology

G. Raveendran Department of Tourism, Transport Bhawan, New Delhi-110 001. Introduction Tourism is essentially an expression of natural human instinct for experience, education and entertainment. The motivations for tourism also include social, religious and business interests. The economic consequences of this phenomenon are wide ranging. International tourism was worth about 321 billion U.S. Dollars during 1994 involving 528 million tourist visits (WTO, 1994). Significance of Tourism International tourism receipts form part of the balance of payment accounts of individual countries and are of major significance to both developed and developing countries. The main consideration for the development of tourism in several countries is, therefore, its balancing impact on the foreign trade account. Tourism generates income and employment in the tourist receiving regions, be it a country, region, town or village. It makes the best use of resources which may not be used otherwise. Tourism can, thus, become an effective instrument of growth if it is developed through proper planning as a positive force to stimulate economic activity, improve ecology, foster national integration and mutual understanding of people of every nation. The spectrum of employment generated by tourism varies from highly trained communication and computer specialists to room boys, sales girls, receptionists, waiters and unskilled workers. The airlines, travel agencies and tour operators also need several men and women with a variety of skills which are not too difficult to master. Tourism also provides high potential for self employment in a variety of ancillaries such as horticulture and handicrafts. Tourism is also a source of amenities for the resident population of the tourist destinations. Because of visitor's arrival, the residents may enjoy a higher standard of public transport, shopping and entertainment facilities than they would be able to support otherwise (Burkart, A.J. and Medlik, S., 1976). The provision of employment, income and amenities for the resident population are, thus, the three main beneficial effects of tourism which apply to a greater or lesser extent to any tourist destination. These benefits are of particular significance to developing countries as no sophisticated technology is required to establish such facilities. In some locations, tourism may provide an infrastructure, which in turn forms the base and stimulus for the diversification of the economy and for the development of other industries. Over and above, an established infrastructure often acts as an attraction to new and less directly related economic activities. Tourism expenditure, thus, stimulates an economy beyond the sectors concerned with tourism.

Apart from its direct contribution to the economy, tourism has significant linkages with several other sectors of the economy like agriculture, horticulture, poultry, handicrafts, construction, etc. Several items of tourist expenditure induce a chain of transactions in various other sectors. Each such transaction calls for the supply of some kind of goods and services. Further those directly or indirectly employed following the development of tourism may also demand more goods and services as a result of such employment that what they would have demanded otherwise. The additional consumption demand, thus emanating from tourist expenditure, will not only induce more employment, but also generates a further multiplier effect through a successive chain of transactions. As a result of this twin set of multiplier effects indirect and inducedadditional income and employment opportunities are generated through each successive transaction. The impact of tourism on regional development and distribution of income is also significant. Tourists normally seek out areas in the interior of the countries for reasons of purity of environment, privacy, scenic beauty and its outdoor appeal. These national resources would otherwise be underutilised as there are few competing claims for their use. Tourism, thus, offers itself as a way of economically utilising resources which would otherwise remain either idle or underutilised, but attract the attention of visiting tourists. The exploitation of rural areas and the less developed countrysides through schemes such as outdoor treks, beach and mountain resorts, etc. far from the maddening crowds of urban areas will lead to the development of such areas. Such an involvement of the rural and interior areas can have a constructive effect on re-distributing the earnings from tourism. Tourism also contributes significantly to the development of art and handicrafts. The millions of international tourists who are constantly on the move in search of recreation and pleasure support the promotion of such arts and crafts, while contributing substantially to the economy of the region. Tourism in India India is a democracy at its best with more than 900 million people steering the path of progress. This vast land with its enormous diversity of history, people, culture and human life, makes for a product mix that can take in almost the entire world. The rich beauty of its ancient monuments, the beat and rhythm of its folk and classical dances, its colourful crowded bazars, the grandeur of its snow-capped mountain tops, the quiet back waters and beautiful beaches and above all its friendly and charming people make India a land of tourist paradise. It is also a secular country with a heritage of an all encompassing ancient culture and cosmopolitan tinge. Despite these favourable factors, the international tourist traffic to the country still continues to be comparatively less though there has been considerable growth over the years and it has emerged as one of the largest foreign exchange eraners of the country.

Tourism is presently the third largest export industry in India - the first two being gem and jewellery and ready made garments. The foreign exchange earning from tourism is estimated to be about Rs. 7400 crores as against Rs. 7.7 crores in 1951. The most beneficial impact of tourism is its capacity to generate large scale employment opportunities, particularly in remote and backward areas. The direct employment in the sector during 1994-95 was about 7.8 million persons accounting for about 2.4% of the total labour force. The labour-capital ratio per million rupee of investment at 1985-86 prices in the hotel and restaurant sector is 89 jobs as against 44.7 jobs in the case of agriculture and 12.6 jobs in the case of manufacturing industries. In the case of tourism, after combining the relevant individual segments. the ratio becomes 47.5 jobs and is still higher than most other segments. It is thus clear that tourism can play a major role in resolving the problem of large scale unemployment in the country provided it is developed on the desired lines with major inputs and initiatives from the Central Government. A third impact of tourism, which is of particular significance to India is its contribution to national integration. Over 100 million domestic tourists visiting different parts of the country every year return with a better understanding of the cultural diversity of people living in different regions and carry with them a feeling of friendship and peace. Technology & Tourism Tourism in its present form is a post war phenomenon developed essentially as a consequence of technological developments in the fields of automibiles, railways, ships, aircrafts, computers and communication systems. Although sails were the earliest means of transport, the invention of steam powered automobile by Nicholas Joseph Cugnot in 1769, the assembly of the first commercial steamer by Robert Fulton in 1807 and the production of first successful locomotive by George Stephenson in 1814 introduced several means of mass transport. It was, however, the advent of air transportation during twentieth century which revolutionalised the phenomenon of international tourism. It reduced the distances between the nations to a matter of few hours. The developments in computer and communication technologies have made it possible to have rental cars with computerised driving directions and self-service video-terminals at rental counters in high traffic airports. Fully automated rental transaction systems n National's "Smart Key" machine and Budget's "Remote Transaction Book" came into existence. Yet another major contribution of technological developments in computers and communication systems to tourism is the computerised reservation systems (CRS). These systems can now inform subscribers about schedules, fares and seat availability, issue tickets and boarding passes, record bookings, maintain waiting lists, display preferred airlines or classes, search for the lowest fare available or the first available non-stop flight and calculate fares for domestic and international itineraries. The system can also make reservations

for other services like hotels, car rentals, cruises, railways, tours, boat charters, theartres and sporting events. Information Needs in Tourism Travel is a basic human instinct. Technological revolutions in the last few decades and the consequent changes in the social systems accelerated its intensity in the current century. Thus, tourism is presently a mass phenomenon involving every human being in the world. They need detailed information about each place they intend to visit. The specific elements of such information needs are : Geographical information on location, climate, landscape, etc. Attraction features Social customs, culture and other special features of the place Accessibility though air, water, rail and road and availability of scheduled means of transport Accommodation, restaurant and shopping facilities Activities and entertainment facilities Seasons of visit and other unique features Quality of facilities and their standard prices including exchange rates Entry and exit formalities and restrictions if any on tourists, etc. Though the ultimate users of this information are the consumers ie. the tourists, the actual benefits in money terms accrue to the tourism industry consisting of the destination managers and service providers. There is, therefore, a strong competition amongst various destination countries in the world to produce and package such information in the most attractive format to attract the consumers from the tourist generating countries. The travel intermediaries like travel agents, tour operators, and reservation system store such information in respect of each destination to service their clients and improve their business. They need the information in the easiest retrieval format so that the information needs of the clients are met as quickly as possible. Tourists generally need both static and dynamic information. Information on those features which do not change rapidly over time is termed as static information. It includes details information about location, climate, attraction features, history, facilities available, etc. Information about airline, train and bus schedules, tariffs of transport and accommodation units and current availability of such facilities is considered as dynamic as they can change very frequently. These items of information have to be gathered, stored and disseminated on a real time basis. All types of reservation systems including air, rail and accommodation sectors contain such information. Aplication of Information Technologies

Till a few years ago, the basic sources of information in the tourism sector were pamphlets, brochures, directories, guide books, etc. produced and published by different countries. These sources prevail even today, though they are the most inefficient means of information. The last few decades witnessed the application of computer and communication technologies in the field of tourism. Two distinct streams of information sources viz, (i) online and (ii) offline came into existence. Databases containing information about places, tourist attractions and facilities became available for online access in several countries. The emergence of computerised reservations system (CRS) like Galileo, Amadeus, Sabre, PARS, JALCOM, QAMTAM and ABASUS, etc. opened up a new source of online information on tourism and are being expanded continuously. The latest sources of online information is INTERNET which contains some pages on most of the tourist destinations in the world. The CD-ROM technology also took the tourism industry by storm. CD titles which came in the market during the initial period mostly contained geographical information. Soon multimedia CDs on specific tourism products made their appearance. Several such titles are presently available in the market. The next few years are likely to witness a rapid growth in CD titles covering every aspect of tourism due to improved marketing efforts and increased competitions. Further hotel management and catering technology is fast emerging as an area of information technology application in the field of tourism. The Indian Scenario In India, the Department of Tourism took the first initiative to introduce information technology in tourism in the year 1989 by establishing TOURNET with the technical assistance of CMC Ltd. The network consisted of 35 information nodes installed in the field offices of the Department of Tourism located in different parts of the country. Each node contained a CD-drive apart from the usual configuration of floppy drives and hard discs. Each node was provided with a CD containing textual database on all the major tourist destinations in the country. Recently, multimedia databases on tourism have been developed by Rajasthan and Maharashtra Tourism Departments with the assistance of some of the private software development firms. Apart from the government initiatives, a few private firms are also active in the field and a few CDs on Indian tourism are already available through their efforts. The Central Department of Tourism is presently trying to tie-up with some of the private software development firms to produce a series of multimedia CDs covering all the tourist destinations in India. The intention is to bring out a marketable product for sale within India and abroad. In the online field, the CRS Amadeus and PARS are already operational in India. Amadeus was established in 1993 and PARS came in 1995. INTERNET facilities are also presently available in India.

The Problems and Issues The problems and issues concerning information technology applications in tourism are the following: 1. Tourism in India is relatively young and is not well organised to absorb the advances in information technology. They generally lack technical and financial resources and their scale of operation it too limited to take advantage of information technology. 2. There has not been any specific policy or co-ordinated approach so far for the development of information products on tourism at the national level. It is yet to be evolved and implemented. 3. The information industry in India presently consists of a few software development firms, and some information centres in the Government sector. However, there are no database vendors in India who prepare their own databases and market them. In the absence of such units, all efforts are Government dominated and the products are generally not available in the market. It is, therefore, essential to provide adequate Government support and incentives for the development of such industries in India. MADHYA PRADESH Tourism
Location : Central part of India Capital City : Bhopal Major Attractions : Pachmarhi, Bandhavgarh National Park, Bhedaghat Mostly Visited For : Khajuraho Temples

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op 5 Reason s for Madhy a Prades h Touris m

Because It Is The Heart of India

Madhya Pradesh is called the heart of India, not only because of its location in the centre of the country, but also because it has been home to a rich cultural heritage in the form of innumerable monuments, exquisite temples, magnificent stupas that doll up the verdant landscape of MP.
Many Moods of Men At Khajuraho

MP is famous throughout the world for the temples of Khajuraho, built in the 10th and 11th century, whose internal and external walls are embellished with exquisite stone carvings which portray every moods of life, from the erotic to the divine, from apparent to sublime.
High On The Hills

During your holiday visit to MP, do visit the picturesque hills of Satpura with their soul at Pachmarhi, a pretty hill station on the crown of this riverine state. Lose yourself in the cascading waterfalls, deepblue pools, ravines and a maze of gorges sculpted in red sandstone offer a quiet escape into nature.
The Cradle of Buddhism

Renowned for the oldest Buddhist stupas in the world, the Sanchi Stupa is the finest example of ancient classical art. The