Introduction

Early Travel Earlier travel was essentially to seek food or to escape danger. Travel was also under taken for trade. Growth of city along fertile river banks like Nile etc encouraged water travel. Ancient empires like Romans helped shape modern travel.

History
Father of Tourism and travel.

Thomas cook is a father of tourism. He first organized trip was Leicester to Louthborough in 1841. It covers the distances of 22km for 570 members. He acted acted as a agent by buying tickets in bulk and selling it to others on a non profit basis. This gave him an idea to package tours in a profitable manner He organized travel arrangement, accommodation, transport at the destination and return to the homeland. He organized the first inclusive tour to paris Exhibition in 1855. Hotel voucher was introduced by Thomas Cook in 1867 which made travel easier First Round the world Tour in 1872

Global scenario
Popular destinations are London Newyork Paris Rome Costal Areas such as spain The Caribbean (west indies) Thailand

 Tourism in Brazil is a growing sector and key to the economy of several regions of the country. The country had 5.1 million visitors in 2010, ranking in terms of the international tourist arrivals as the second main destination in South America, and third in Latin America after Mexico and Argentina

London is one of the world's leading tourism destinations, and the city is home to an array of famous tourist attractions. London attracted 15.3 million international visitors in 2011,[1] making it one of the world's most visited in terms of international visits.[

Indian scenario
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.

Delhi is the capital state 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.

 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.

Kerala is a state on the tropical Malabar Coast of south-western India. Nicknamed as one of the "10 paradises of the world" by National Geographic, Kerala is famous especially for its Eco-tourism initiatives.

Maharashtra is the most visited state in India by foreign tourists, 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

Uttar Pradesh has much to offer. Places of interest in include: Varanasi-The origin of Hinduism and world's one of the oldest cities. Also known as City of temples it is Most popular holy place of lord Shiva devotees. Some of the finest Textiles are produced here. A view of the Ghat of Varanasi from the River Ganges. Agra Taj Mahal and several others historical monuments and gardens

Forms of tourism
Cultural tourism & Round Trips covering the popular circuits comprising of the Golden Triangle, Rajasthan, N. India & in South the well known temples, backwaters & beaches. Mass tourism Goa is a tourism based economy and a leader in this sector, is all set to promote mass tourism. Goa also won the 2nd most popular winter destination in UK. Commonwealth Games 2010 the government is investing in infrastructure, to further develop tourism in and around Delhi.

Modern Day Tourism

Many leisure-oriented tourists travel to the tropics, both in the summer and winter. Places of such nature often visited are: Bali in Indonesia, Colombia, Brazil, Cuba, Grenada, the Dominican Republic, Malaysia, Mexico, the various Polynesian tropical islands, Queensland in Australia, Thailand, Saint-Tropez and Cannes in France, Florida, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, in the United States, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, St.Lucia, Sint Maarten, St. Martin's Island in Bangladesh, Saint Kitts and Nevis, The Bahamas, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Turks and Caicos Islands, Boracay Island in the Philippines and Bermuda.

Medical tourism
Medical tourism (MT) is patient movement from highly developed nations to other areas of the world for medical care, usually to find treatment at a lower cost. Medical tourism is different from the traditional model of international medical travel where patients generally journey from less developed nations to major medical centers in highly developed countries for medical treatment that is unavailable in their own communities.

Religious tourism
Religious tourism also commonly referred to as faith tourism, is a form of tourism, whereby people of faith travel individually or in groups for pilgrimage , missionary, or leisure (fellowship) purposes

PROMINENT RELIGIOUS SPOTS IN INDIA

The most popular Christian pilgrim destinations are

Abrahamic Holy Land, or Jerusalem, Israel Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes in France St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in Rome

Amarnath Vaishno Devi Ajmer Sharif Tirupati Balaji Haridwar Nalanda Bardinath & Kedarnath Mathura

About Rural Tourism

Rural tourism focuses on participating in a rural lifestyle. It can be a variant of ecotourism. Any village can be a tourist attraction, and many villagers are very hospitable. Agriculture is becoming highly mechanized and therefore requires less manual labor. This is causing economic pressure on some villages, leading to an exodus of young people to urban areas. This segment has been rapidly growing in the past decade and has led to Rural tourism becoming a good business prospect.

 Benifits
Rural tourism allows the creation of an replacement source of income in the non-agricultural sector for rural dwellers. The added income from rural tourism can contribute to the revival of lost folk art and handicrafts. It is an ideal and natural method of rural and urban economic exchange.

Relevance in developing nations

o Rural tourism is particularly relevant in developing nations wherein farmland has become fragmented due to population growth. o The added incomes that rural tourism can provide to the poor households holds great prospects for development.