Tourism – Detailed Summary
Book: Samacheer Kalvi 7th Social Science
Term: Term 2
Subject: Geography
Unit: Unit 2
Lesson Name: Tourism
About the Lesson
“Tourism” is an important Geography lesson in the Samacheer Kalvi 7th Social Science book. This lesson explains the meaning of tourism, basic components of tourism, types of tourism, tourist attractions in India, and tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu.
Tourism is not only travelling for enjoyment. It is also connected with culture, education, economy, society, environment, international relations, and employment. Tourism helps people understand different places, people, customs, food, festivals, monuments, natural beauty, and traditions.
Learning Objectives
- To understand the concept of tourism.
- To learn the basic components of tourism.
- To understand the A3 concept.
- To know the types of tourism.
- To learn about religious, historical, cultural, eco, adventure, and recreational tourism.
- To understand inbound, outbound, and international tourism.
- To learn the role of VISA, passport, foreign currency, and travel insurance.
- To identify tourist attractions in India.
- To identify tourist attractions in Tamil Nadu.
- To understand the positive and negative impact of tourism on the environment.
Detailed Summary of the Lesson
1. Meaning of Tourism
Tourism means travelling from one place to another for different purposes such as recreation, religion, business, education, history, culture, health, adventure, or relaxation.
The word tourist is derived from the old English word “tourian”. A tourist is a person who travels outside his or her usual environment for a short period.
2. Importance of Tourism
Tourism has become an important source of income for many regions and countries.
It has a direct impact on the social, cultural, educational, and economic sectors of a nation. It also improves international relations by creating contact between people of different countries.
3. Purpose of Tourism
People travel for many purposes. Some people travel to visit religious places, some travel to enjoy nature, some travel to study history and culture, and some travel for business or medical treatment.
- Religious purpose
- Recreation and relaxation
- Business purpose
- Historical interest
- Cultural learning
- Adventure activities
- Health and medical treatment
- Education and research
4. Basic Components of Tourism
The three main components of tourism are:
- Attraction
- Accessibility
- Amenities
These three components are together known as the A3 concept.
5. Attraction
Attraction means the special feature of a place that attracts tourists.
Attractions may be natural or cultural. Natural attractions include landscape, seascape, beaches, forests, climate, mountains, waterfalls, and wildlife. Cultural attractions include monuments, temples, forts, museums, fairs, festivals, art, and architecture.
6. Accessibility
Accessibility means reachability to a tourist destination.
A place becomes suitable for tourism only when people can reach it through transport facilities such as road, rail, water, and air. Transport decides the cost and time of travel.
7. Amenities
Amenities are the facilities available for tourists.
They include hotels, restaurants, cafes, travel agencies, tour operators, foreign exchange centres, passport and visa agencies, travel insurance, safety, security, and medical facilities.
8. Types of Tourism
Tourism can be divided into different types based on nature, utility, time, and distance.
- Religious tourism
- Cultural tourism
- Historical tourism
- Eco-tourism
- Adventure tourism
- Recreational tourism
9. Religious Tourism
Religious tourism is one of the oldest types of tourism.
In this type of tourism, people travel individually or in groups to religious places such as temples, churches, mosques, dargahs, monasteries, and other holy places.
Examples include Kasi or Varanasi for Hindus, Jerusalem for Christians, and Mecca for Muslims.
10. Historical Tourism
Historical tourism focuses on visiting historically important places.
Museums, monuments, archaeological sites, forts, temples, palaces, and ancient buildings are part of historical tourism. Taj Mahal in India, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and the Pyramids of Egypt are examples.
11. Cultural Tourism
Cultural tourism is connected with the culture, lifestyle, food, dress, music, dance, festivals, fairs, crafts, traditions, and customs of people.
Gastronomy refers to an aspect of cultural tourism because it is connected with food and food culture.
12. Eco-Tourism
Eco-tourism involves travel to places where plants and animals thrive in a naturally preserved environment.
It gives importance to nature, wildlife, forests, environmental protection, and responsible travel. Amazon rain forest, African forest safari, and trekking in the Himalayas are examples of eco-friendly attractions.
13. Adventure Tourism
Adventure tourism involves travel to remote or exotic places to take part in physically challenging outdoor activities.
Skydiving, bungee jumping, mountaineering, trekking, river rafting, skiing, and rock climbing are examples of adventure tourism.
14. Recreational Tourism
Recreational tourism aims at enjoyment, amusement, pleasure, and fun activities.
Waterfalls, hill stations, beaches, theme parks, amusement parks, and picnic spots are attractive places for recreational tourism.
15. Modern Types of Tourism
Apart from the main types, some modern types of tourism have developed in recent years.
- Annual holiday tourism
- Industrial tourism
- Seasonal tourism
- International tourism
- Group tourism
- Sports tourism
- Health tourism
- Farm and rural tourism
16. Inbound and Outbound Tourism
Inbound tourism means touring within the native country.
Outbound tourism means touring in foreign countries.
17. International Tourism
International tourism means travelling to places of international importance.
Tourists travel to foreign countries to learn about international culture, customs, monuments, nature, business, education, or health facilities.
18. Travel Documents for International Tourism
International tourism requires certain travel documents and formalities.
- Passport
- VISA
- Foreign currency
- Air ticket
- Travel insurance
- Immigration details
19. VISA
VISA is a document issued to a person or a stamp marked on the passport of a person who wants to visit another country.
VISA is important for international travel because it gives permission to enter, stay, study, work, or receive treatment in another country.
20. Types of VISA
- Tourist VISA – for recreation and sightseeing.
- Student VISA – for higher education.
- Employment VISA – for work in another country.
- Medical VISA – for medical treatment in a reputed hospital of another country.
21. Basic Elements of Tourist Attractions
Certain elements are important to attract tourists to a destination.
- Pleasant weather
- Scenic beauty
- Historical and cultural monuments
22. Geographical Components of Tourism
Geography plays an important role in tourism. Natural and human-made geographical features attract tourists.
- Landforms: Mountains, plateaus, canyons, valleys, caves, sand dunes, coral reefs, cliffs.
- Water: Rivers, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, geysers, snow, glaciers, tides, waves.
- Vegetation: Forests, grasslands, moors, deserts.
- Climate: Sunshine, clouds, pleasant temperature, rain, snow.
- Animal life: Wildlife, birds, game reserves, zoos.
- Settlement features: Towns, cities, villages, monuments.
- Culture: Ways of life, traditions, folklore, arts, and crafts.
23. Game Reserves
A game reserve is an area of land set aside for the protection of wild animals.
Game reserves are important for wildlife tourism and conservation.
24. Tourism Attractions in India
India is known for its hospitality, spicy food, culture, heritage, colourful fairs, and festivals.
India has varied landforms, varied climate, eco-tourism resources, adventure tourism resources, technological parks, science museums, pilgrimage centres, wonderful art, architecture, yoga, Ayurveda, and health resorts.
25. Religious Tourism in India
India is a multi-religious country. Religious tourism is one of the most popular types of tourism in India.
People travel to attend religious rituals and visit places of religious importance.
- Rameswaram – Tamil Nadu
- Kanchipuram – Tamil Nadu
- Varanasi or Kasi – Uttar Pradesh
- Sarnath – Uttar Pradesh
- Vaishno Devi Temple – Jammu and Kashmir
- St. Francis Xavier Cathedral – Goa
- Amritsar – Punjab
- Monasteries of Ladakh – Jammu and Kashmir
26. Scenic Attractions
Scenic attraction is a very important factor in tourism.
Mountains, lakes, waterfalls, glaciers, forests, deserts, deep valleys, rolling hills, and snow-covered mountains attract tourists.
27. Hill Stations in India
Hill stations are important tourist places because of their cool climate and natural beauty.
- Kodaikanal
- Ooty
- Nainital
- Mussoorie
- Darjeeling
- Gulmarg
- Shillong
- Munnar
28. Beaches in India
Beaches are attractive tourist destinations. They are suitable for relaxation, sightseeing, water sports, and recreation.
- Dhanushkodi – Tamil Nadu
- Varkala Beach – Kerala
- Tarkarli Beach – Maharashtra
- Om Beach – Karnataka
- Aguada Beach – Goa
- Marari Beach – Kerala
29. Tourist Attractions in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu has many tourist attractions such as religious centres, spiritual retreat centres, beaches, hill stations, waterfalls, wildlife, art, culture, architecture, crafts, and heritage monuments.
Tamil Nadu is popularly known as the land of temples. It has thousands of ancient temples, mostly belonging to the Dravidian style of architecture.
30. Religious Places in Tamil Nadu
- Thanjavur Big Temple
- Madurai Meenakshi Temple
- Rameswaram Ramanathaswamy Temple
- Temples of Kanchipuram
- Velankanni Madha Church
- Nagore Dargah
31. Beaches in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu has many beautiful beaches. Beaches are important for recreational tourism.
- Kanyakumari Beach
- Rameswaram Beach
- Golden Beach
- Elliot Beach
- Mahabalipuram Beach
- Marina Beach
32. Marina Beach
Marina Beach in Chennai is one of the most important beaches in Tamil Nadu.
It is mentioned in textbook-back answers as the second largest urban beach.
33. Waterfalls in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu has many attractive waterfalls. Waterfalls are important for recreational tourism and nature tourism.
- Courtallam Falls
- Hogenakkal Falls
- Kumbakkarai Falls
- Suruli Falls
- Monkey Falls
34. Courtallam Falls
Courtallam Falls is located in Tirunelveli district.
It is a famous tourist attraction in Tamil Nadu, especially during the monsoon season.
35. Suruli Falls
Suruli Falls is located in Theni district.
It is also called Cloud Land Falls or Meghamalai Falls.
36. Wildlife and Bird Sanctuaries
India has a wide range of forests and grasslands. These provide suitable habitat for animals and birds.
Bird sanctuaries attract attention because of their exclusive variety of birds. Birds from distant places come to Indian bird sanctuaries to feed, breed, and nurture their young ones.
37. Kaziranga National Park
Kaziranga National Park is located in Assam.
This is an important textbook-back one-mark question.
38. Bird Sanctuaries in India and Tamil Nadu
- Nal Sarovar – Gujarat
- Koonthakulam – Tamil Nadu
- Bharatpur – Rajasthan
- Vedanthangal – Tamil Nadu
- Vettangudi – Tamil Nadu
- Karaivetti – Tamil Nadu
39. Tourism Organisations
Tourism is supported by many organisations, departments, travel agents, and corporations.
- TAAI: Travel Agents Association of India
- TTDC: Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation
- IATA: International Air Transport Association
- ITC: Inclusive Tour Charter
40. Environmental Impact of Tourism
Tourism creates both positive and negative impacts on the environment.
The quality of the environment is very important for tourism. Beautiful landscapes, clean water, forests, wildlife, beaches, mountains, and monuments attract tourists.
41. Positive Impacts of Tourism
- Creates awareness about na
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