Geography Notes Chapter 12 Tourism Class 9 Maharashtra Board

Notes For All Chapters – Geography Class 9th

1. What is Tourism?

• Tourism means traveling to places away from home for fun, relaxation, learning, or other purposes.
• People travel for festivals, family events, sports, adventure, or just to explore new places.
• Before traveling, we plan the route, transport, and pack essentials.
• At the destination, we enjoy sights, use facilities (like hotels), and pay for services.
• Example: Visiting a beach or a historical fort.

2. Types of Tourism

Based on Boundaries:

• Domestic Tourism: Traveling within your own country.
  • Example: A person from Mumbai visiting Taj Mahal in Agra.
• International Tourism: Traveling to another country.
  • Example: An Indian going to Japan.
  • Needs: Passport, visa, travel insurance, and foreign currency.

Based on Purpose:

• Religious Tourism: Visiting holy places like temples or shrines.
  • Example: Char Dham Yatra.
• Cultural Tourism: Exploring traditions, festivals, or heritage.
  • Example: Goa Carnival.
• Health Tourism: Traveling for medical treatment or wellness.
  • Example: Naturopathy in Kerala.
• Agro-Tourism: Staying on farms to experience rural life.
  • Example: Hurda party in Pune.
• Eco-Tourism: Nature-friendly tourism to protect the environment.
  • Example: Visiting a sanctuary without harming it.
• Adventure Tourism: Activities like trekking or scuba diving.
  • Example: Scuba diving in Tarkarli.
• Film Tourism: Visiting places where movies are shot.
  • Example: Ramoji Film City.

3. Why Places Become Famous for Tourism?

• Natural beauty: Beaches, mountains, forests (e.g., Himalayas).
• Pleasant weather: Hill stations like Lonavala.
• Historical sites: Forts, monuments (e.g., Taj Mahal).
• Religious spots: Temples, mosques (e.g., Ajmer Durgah).
• Wildlife: Sanctuaries, national parks (e.g., Tadoba).

4. Planning a Trip

Steps:

1. Choose a destination.
2. Find the route using maps or apps like Google Maps.
3. Decide transport (bus, train, car).
4. Pack essentials (clothes, food, money).
5. Estimate travel cost per person.

Tools: GPS helps find routes, distances, and nearby facilities (petrol pumps, hotels).

5. Importance of Tourism

Economic Benefits:

• Creates jobs (guides, drivers, shopkeepers).
• Earns money from tourists, especially foreign currency.
• Improves roads, water, and electricity in tourist areas.

Social Benefits:

• Shows the world a country’s culture and nature.
• Helps preserve traditions and heritage.

Environmental Benefits:

• Encourages protection of forests, parks, and wildlife.
• Eco-tourism promotes care for nature.

6. Problems in Tourism and Solutions

Problems:

1. Littering and pollution spoil places.
2. Too many tourists damage sites or disturb animals.
3. Lack of facilities like toilets or water.

Solutions:

1. Put dustbins and fine people for throwing garbage.
2. Limit visitors and make strict rules.
3. Build more amenities and keep them clean.

7. New Forms of Tourism

Eco-Tourism: Travel without harming nature.

• Example: Avoiding litter in forests.

Agro-Tourism: Living on farms to see rural life.

• Example: Kolhapur agro-centres.

Film Tourism: Visiting movie shooting spots.

• Example: Mumbai Film City.

Reason for New Forms: People want unique experiences, and cities are getting too crowded or polluted.

8. Tourism in Maharashtra

Famous Places:

• Near the Sea: Tarkarli (scuba diving), Mumbai (Gateway of India).
• Historical: Ajanta-Ellora Caves, Sinhagad Fort.
• National Parks: Tadoba (tigers), Sanjay Gandhi (caves).
• Hill Stations: Mahabaleshwar, Lonavala.
• Religious: Nashik (temples), Ajmer (nearby influence).

Special Efforts:

• MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) builds guest houses and promotes water sports.
• Trains like Deccan Odyssey and Palace on Wheels for luxury tourism.

9. Tourism and Development

Economic Development:

• Tourism is an “invisible trade” (earns money without goods).
• Shops, hotels, and transport grow, helping the economy.

Environmental Development:

• Parks and sanctuaries are protected for tourists.
• Eco-friendly hotels use less water and electricity.

Health Development:

• People visit for Ayurveda, Yoga, or cheap medical care.

Social Development:

• Shows rural or tribal life (e.g., Melghat tribes).
• Creates awareness about villages like Ralegansiddhi.

10. Safety Tips for Tourists

• Check tide timings at beaches; don’t swim in deep water.
• Avoid risky selfies near cliffs or wild animals.
• Don’t go to jungles or caves without a guide.
• Keep places clean and follow rules on boards.

11. “Atithi Devo Bhava” (Guest is God)

• Indian idea of treating tourists with respect and kindness.
• Makes tourists feel welcome and safe.
• Helps India become famous as a friendly country.
• Encourages more visitors, boosting tourism.