Unit III

Travel and Tourism

1. What according to Twain are the advantages of travelling?

This is one of the distinct advantages that travel writers and readers have over their peers who
make actual journeys rather than virtual ones. In general, travel literature consists of a narrator
who takes advantage of the context of traveling in order to describe natural surroundings, other
cultures, and details of the journey itself. That narrator can take on the role of instructor.
2. What are the advantages of travelling according to William Hazlitt??

Hazlitt's article on travel advocates the benefits of solo travel within one's own country. His
affection for travel is strong. He calls going on a journey "one of the pleasantest things in the
world". Hazlitt stresses that solitude while on a journey is a must, saying "nature is company
enough for me", and "I am never less alone than when alone". Hazlitt insists that sharing in the
experience of nature with a companion takes away from the sensory experience of it
3. What is the opinion of Francis Bacon about travelling?

When a young child travels around in alien places, he learns a lot from the sight and sound
around him. In the process, his awareness grows and his learning process is accelerated. So,
travel for a young child has good educational value. So, the countryside becomes a school for
him, although in an informal way. When travelling over land, there is an overwhelming
abundance of new sights and sounds and myriad things to observe. People generally fail to keep
note of every detail of what they come across.

4. What is the reason given by the government of the USA for advising their citizens
against travelling in India?

Governments issue warnings to let their citizens know about safety concerns that may affect
travel to a particular country or region. In the United States, warnings are issued by the State
Department. U.S. citizens should always practice good personal security. Be aware of your
surroundings (including local customs and etiquette) and keep a low profile. Monitor local news
reports, vary your routes and times in carrying out daily activities, and consider the level of
security present when you visit public places, including religious sites, or choosing hotels,
restaurants, and entertainment and recreation venues. India continues to experience terrorist and
insurgent activities which may affect U.S. citizens directly or indirectly. Past attacks have
targeted public places, including some frequented by Westerners, such as luxury and other
hotels, trains, train stations, markets, cinemas, mosques, and restaurants in large urban areas.
Attacks have taken place during the busy evening hours in markets and other crowded places, but
could occur at any time. Recent incidents include a series of bomb blasts at an election rally
inPatna, Bihar that killed six and injured 85 others in October 2013; a series of explosions at the
Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya on July 7, 2013 that caused damage to the temple complex; an
explosion on April 17, 2013 in Bangalore in which sixteen people were reported to have been
injured; and twin bombings near a bus stop and commercial area in Hyderabad on February 21,
2013, that killed 17 and injured 119 bystanders. The Maoists are the most active insurgent group
in India. The Naxalites typically attack Indian government officials, but have also derailed trains,
targeted other government buildings such as police stations, and kidnapped foreigners. They
operate mostly in the more remote areas of the country. Beyond the threat from terrorism and
insurgencies, demonstrations and general strikes, or “bandh,” often cause major inconvenience
and unrest.
5. Prepare a travel brochure to promote tourism of your state.

Goa is India's smallest state by area and the fourth smallest by population. Located in West India
in the region known as the Konkan, it is bounded by the state of Maharashtra to the north, and by
Karnataka to the east and south, while the Arabian Sea forms its western coast. Goa is India's
richest state with a GDP per capita two and a half times that of the country as a whole. Panaji is
the state's capital, while Vasco da Gama is the largest city. Renowned for its beaches, places of
worship and world heritage architecture, Goa is visited by large numbers of international and
domestic tourists each year. It also has rich flora and fauna, owing to its location on the Western
Ghats range, which is classified as a biodiversity hotspot.
Etymology
The origin of the city name Goa is unclear. In ancient literature, Goa was known by many names
such as Gomanta, Gomanchala etc.
History of Goa
Rock cut engraving at Usgalimal Goa's history goes back to 20,000–30,000 years. The
Sumerians inhabited Goa around 2200 BC which was followed by several waves of Indo-Aryan
people and the Dravidians from the Deccan. The early Goan society underwent radical changes
when aboriginal locals and the migrants amalgamated, forming the base of early Goan culture.
On 19 December 1961, the Indian Army commenced with Operation Vijay resulting in the
annexation of Goa, Daman and Diu into the Indian union. Goa, along with Daman and Diu was
made into a centrally administered Union Territory of India. On 30 May 1987, the Union
Territory was split, and Goa was made India's twenty-fifth state, with Daman and Diu remaining
a Union Territory.
Goa coastline
Most of Goa is a part of the coastal country known as the Konkan, which is an escarpment rising
up to the Western Ghats range of mountains, which separate it from the Deccan Plateau. Goa's
main rivers are the Mandovi, the Zuari, the Terekhol, Chapora River and the Sal. Goa features a
tropical monsoon climate under the Köppen climate classification.
6. What is the message of Atithi Devo Bhava?

Atithi Devo Bhavah is a Sanskrit verse which simply means – consider the guest as god. This
value-laden statement is drawn from an ancient scripture Hindu religion which has always been
the ethos of Indian culture. Recently, this value laden verse has found its place in the tagline of
Ministry of Tourism to improve the treatment of the foreign tourists coming in the country due to
the popularity India has gained in the recent times as a favorite tourist destination. Atithi Devo
Bhava” is part of the verse mentioned in the Taittiriya Upanishad, Shikshavalli I.20. “Tithi” in
Sanskrit or even in Hindi language means a (calendrical) date. “A-tithi” means who does not
have any date. In olden times, there were no fast modes of communication as compared to today
and thus if anyone wants to visit or meet his near and dear ones, there were no ways he could
communicate his arrival. So he used to pay visit without any information and therefore in course
of time guest used to be called “athithi” one who does not have any fixed time of
arrival. “Devo” in Sanskrit means God-like and “bhava” means to assume/understand. Atithi
Devo Bhava means to assume or understand a guest as God-like and so pay respect and homage
in the similar way one would give to his God. Once a guest is assumed to be God-like, then
comes the process he should be treated. As the God is treated with reverence and respect and
there are proper ways to show that respect, those ways are called rituals. Similarly, the guest
should also be shown the respect through the same rituals. In Hinduism, these rituals comprise of
five-steps which is known as Panchopchara Puja. These five rituals – Dhupa, Dipa, Naivedya,
Akshata, Pushpa from the worship similarly become the five “code of conduct” to be followed
while receiving guests.
 7. Why do you think hygiene has been listed as a thrust area of training in the
programme of Atithi Devo Bhava?

The government of India adopted the ancient verse from the ancient Hindu scripture to promote
the increasing tourism influx in the country. The tourists had some complaints when they used to
visit the country like overcharging from the vendors, misbehavior and unfriendly attitude.
Responding to the need of the tourists, Ministry of Tourism came up with the Social Awareness
Campaign for attitudinal and behavioural change towards the tourists and so adopted so that it
gives a psychological impact upon the local populace to treat the guests with love, respect and
warmth. The main aim of the government in this nationwide “Atithi Devo Bhavah” campaign is
to sensitize key stakeholders in the tourism industry through a process of training & orientation.
Extending it to one notch further, the campaign takes into account the general public as a whole
focusing on their attitudinal and behavioural change. The campaign aims to train and orient taxi
drivers, guides, police, immigration officers and other personnel who are the first levels to
interact with the tourists. The different stages in "Atithi Devo Bhavah" campaign are
Sensitization, Screening, Induction, Certification and Feedback of key stakeholders so that a
process-chain is created resulting into desired tourist-friendly environment created over a period
of time. The Union Ministry of Tourism has chosen actor - Aamir Khan as brand ambassador for
the campaign of 'Atithi Devo Bhavah' who endorses it at various platforms across the mass
media. ndia attracts millions of tourists each year. The country had 3.3 million in 2003, but it still
lags far behind other destinations. To attempt to improve the number of tourists traveling to
India, the Tourism Department of India started the Atithi Devo Bhavah campaign with the
theme Incredible India. 'Atithi Devo Bhavah' is a social awareness campaign that aimed at
providing the inbound tourist a greater sense of being welcomed to the country. The campaign
targets the general public, while focusing mainly on the stakeholders of the tourism industry. The
campaign provides training and orientation to taxi driver, guides, immigration officers, police,
and other personnel who interact directly with the tourist. After Aamir Khan’s term of 10 years
as brand ambassador, Amitabh Bachchan replaced him as the brand ambassador of Incredible
India campaign run by the Tourism Ministry of India. he Minister of State for Tourism
(Independent Charge), Culture (Independent Charge) and Civil Aviation, Dr. Mahesh
Sharma launched the new edition of “Atithi Devo Bhava” television commercials and
a brochure titled “India- The Land of Yoga” at a function organized in New Delhi in
on 19 June, 2015. In another important step to promote tourism, Dr Mahesh Sharma announced
four new theme based circuits under the Swadesh Darshan scheme that will be developed. These four
circuits are Wildlife Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Desert Circuit and Ramayana Circuit. Lyricist and poet
Prasoon Joshi said that ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ is the core of our culture and we must promote is as our
USP for the purpose of tourism.

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