Introduction of Tourism Essay

God’s earth in all its fullness and beauty is for the people, Thomas Cook Yes god’s earth is very charming and beautiful ones. Travel from the ancient time has held a fascination for mankind . The urge to explore new places and seek a change of environment is not new. In all the epics whether it is â€Å"The Ramayana’’ or â€Å"The Mahabharata† or â€Å"The Bible† every where travel has been mentioned. nly reasons were different. Somewhere travel was to escape from one to another because of cruel king and somewhere it was because of parent’s order or a condition in gambling . But there is no doubt that rapid development in the means of transport and communication has made the whole world practically one neighborhood and has made travel an easy affair. â€Å"Tourism is fourth Extension of Modern Economics† Frayad According to a study Conducted by the Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates (WEFA group ) on behalf of the American Express Travel Related service company â€Å"Travel and Tourism is the largest industry in the world in terms of employment in almost every country of the world† The study further points out that â€Å"Travel and tourism employment investment output and value added exceed those of such major industries as steel automobiles textiles and electronic in Virtually every country† The estimates about tourist says that the numbers of tourist leaving their homes is 694 millions in 2001 and this number likely to swell to 1600 millions by 2020 and the receipts from it are estimated to Cross $ 2000 billion. One of the leading futurologists in the world Hermann Khan Predicting a golden era for tourism says â€Å"In sum I see a very bright future ahead for tourism and travel industry. There are clouds on the horizon to be sure but †¦.. it will become a larger giant than it already is in the next 50years. Today the benefits of tourism are not to be judged in terms of economic enefits alone Tourism has wider implications encompassing not only economic benefits but also social and cultural benefits as well. From the social and cultural point of view there is enough evidence to support the fact that tourism and travel unquestionably produces an interaction between the cultural customs of the visitors and those of the host population. Cultural tourism is a fertile g round for exercising creative talents, festering special kinds of relations between the visitors and the host population between the tourists and the host environment. The economic benefits to a country by way which of earning foreign exchange on the other hand are however the prime motive for various nation to promote tourism Those responsible for managing the affairs of nations have almost universally recognized the economic advantages of tourism . Tourism is an important sources for maximizing scare foreign exchange earning for not only the developing countries but of many developed countries of the world as well. In short the tourism phenomenon has attracted almost the entire world. Those responsible for managing the affairs of nations have almost universally recognized the economic advantages of tourism . Besides economic benefits to a country by way of earning foreign exchange and employment generations. Tourism also makes a tremendous contribution to the improvement of social and cultural trends of the country. Tourism emerged as the largest global industry of the 20th century. In the new millennium global economy will be governed by technology, telecommunication and tourism. Tourism has potentials to create the maximum numbers of jobs. According to an assessment, in India alone 100 million additional jobs will be created by the tourism industry in the next 25 years. It helps to earn valuable foreign exchange also. We should always remembered that development does not mean increase in GDP and GNP alone. It must add to prosperity and happiness. An important feature of the tourism industry is its contribution to the National integration and creation of harmonious social and cultural environment. It also encourages respect for preservation of Monuments and Heritage properties. It should help the promotion of arts, crafts, culture and bring a prosperity and sustainable development. Thus contribute to the creations of prosperous, healthy and peaceful world. By 2020, tourism is poised to be the single most important influence on global trade and commerce. Tourism is an economic activity and every activity depends on demand. Tourism also creates demand from its activities and we cannot ignore its importance in economical growth. Tourism is related with many industries also. Tourism plays an important role in enhancing jobs opportunity. According to Jag Mohan, ex- tourism ministers of India ‘On 10 lakh investment only 12 persons can be employed in any industry, but tourism industry can employ 47 persons on the same investment. † It is also believed that in INDIA only tourism is providing direct job opportunity to 93 lakh persons. The activities involved in travel and tourism industries are accommodation, transportation, restaurant entertainment and other services related with travel. The effect of improvement in travel and tourism is on travel and tour economy and hence whole economy. One more important fact that more employment opportunity can be speedily generated on lower costs. These opportunities are at small industries and local community level. These years there is tremendous like in tourism of all over the world. Even tourism has got the status of largest export industry of the world. There are only 16,800 foreign tourists in INDIA in 1951, which has increased to 1. 7 million in 1990 and further increased to 2. 75 million in 2003. The growth rate of tourism between 1990 to 2000 was 4. 46 percent annually. The growth rate achieved in year 2000 was much more than that of previous year. But if compare it with respect to tourist arrival, than share of India in world is constant at 0. 38 percent from 1995. In south Asia India has share of 42 percent of foreign tourist’s arrival in year 2000. It means that tourism growth rate of INDIA is 4. 7 percent as compare to 3. 2 percent average growth rate of the world in the time span of 1995-2000. But the Indian tourism growth rate of 5. 3 percent in 2000 was very little with compare to our neighboring countries like China (15%) , Hong Kong (10. 7%), Malaysia (27%), Thailand (12. 5%) , Makau (25%), Iran (28. %) . NATURE OF TOURISM : The term ‘tourism is used to describe the temporary short –term movement of people to destinations out side the places where they normally live and work. The word ‘TOUR’ has its origin from the Latin term ‘TORNUS’ which means lathe or wheel. The full turn of the wheel or lathe forms a circle or a circuit lust like this tour involves the process of a jou rney in which one returns to the starting point. The word ‘tour’ it is noted was first used to refer a journey in which one travels and visits a number of places in a circuit. A tourists leaves home to get away from routine grind but the end of all is that he is only eager to go back to his sweet home’ (Robinson, 1976) â€Å"Tourism is travel and visiting places for pleasure often involving sightseeing and staying in overnight accommodation. Regarded as an industry, tourism can increase wealth and jobs opportunities in an area although the work is often seasonal and low paid among the negative effects of tourism are traffic and people congestion as well as damages to the environment† (Hutchinson, 2002) Journey effected for pleasure and holiday, health business and trade, pilgrimage and social purposes, studies, training and research, foreign affairs and other similar purposes are covered under tourism. Tourism provides business for travel agents, transporters, hotels, retailed dealers and many others. It is a direct product of technological and scientific progress associated with industrialization ,urbanization and population explosion (Sarngadharan, M 1995) Travel and tourism has come to occupy a Prime position in the global economy. It generates foreign exchange to a considerable extent, boosts the economy and promotes peace and understanding between different countries. Tourism is an industry which has a social phenomenon with economic consequences. It gave a number of social and economic benefits. Leaving about the cultural diversities and lifestyles of different people helped in promoting international brotherhood as the millions who travel all over the world really build up on ethos of integration and relations. It is conglomeration of various industries and related activities forming a single entity and generates employment in a big way. There is no doubt that over the past two decades tourism has become one of the fastest growing industries in the world. For the collection of statistics it is usually necessary to determine a boundary which must be crossed by travellers if they are to be enumerated as tourists. This is frequently though not necessarily an international boundary Motivation to travel is many and varied and complicate the enumeration problems. Business travelers are usually included, while students abroad are excluded from most international tourist statistics. International tourism is dominated by the western world which constitutes both the major source of tourists and the most frequented destination areas (Williams and Zelinsky, 1970) . This feature of tourist flow is largely explained by the relatively high incomes of the western world which permit the luxury of the long distance movement and the availability of efficient transportation and superior accommodations which facilitates travel in comfort. Several developing countries possess the attraction of warm climates, interesting landscapes and cultural and low living expenses. Reduction in the costs of long distance travel has put them within reach of the more prosperous traveler in the western world. The large sums of money involved in international tourism have attracted the attention of many developing countries eager to gain a larger share in the expanding tourist trade. Tourism is seen as a source of income, foreign exchange, jobs and amenities for the resident population (United Nations Conference on Trade & Development, 1973) It may help to diversify economies, provide a stimulus for the development of other industries and contribute to the dispersal of economic activities. However it would be wrong to assume that tourism is a panacea for the economic ills of the developing world. In many cases tourism has been a mixed blessing and economic gains have only been achieved at social and environmental costs. Even the economic benefits have been over estimated. But this is particularly the where development has been based upon foreign capital imported labour and materials, generous tax incentives and expatriated profits. Tourism and recreation must be planned as carefully as any other industry should be minimized if maximum benefits are to accrue to the reception area. In India the travel and tourism industry has really come of age . India being one of the most sought after destination in the world the potential of the industry as a foreign exchange earner is well known. Being an employment –Oriented and labour – intensive industry and set to become number one in the world in these aspects. It provides high growth prospects for specialists. The industry is and has always been a good employer and pay packets are promising. Tourism is accorded the status of industry because investment is required for the infrastructure, it employs labour and profit is recorded. The significant feature of the tourism industry is that it employs a large number of women – educated, uneducated, skilled or unskilled, generate employment opportunities particularly to remote and backward areas and also contribute to national integration. Women actually outnumber men in hotels, airline services, travel agencies, handicraft and cultural activities. The tourism industry is a limitless industry with immense growth potential the world over. Tourism has a tremendous positive impact on the economic and social aspects of the host country. To reap the economic and social benefits of tourism countries are vying with each other to woo more international and domestic tourists. India is no exception, though to its achievements are not astonishing. It is very necessary to have a clear concept and more precise definition of tourism for more insight about the tourism. Tourism is a painless procedure for transfer of real resources from industrially capital surplus developed countries to low income developing countries. It is very important source not only maximizing scare foreign exchange earning not only developing countries but many development countries.