FYBSc Final notes

Tourism Geography: Definition, Nature, and Scope

• Definition:

  • Subfield of human geography studying relationships between places, landscapes, and tourists.

  • Examines spatial distribution of tourism, impacts on environments, and tourist movement.

• Nature of Tourism Geography:

  • Interdisciplinary: Integrates geography, sociology, economics, environmental science, urban planning.

  • Spatial Analysis: Focuses on distribution of activities, locations of attractions, patterns of tourist flows.

  • Human-Environment Interaction: Studies effects of tourism on natural and built environments.

  • Dynamic Evolution: Changes with technology, transportation, cultural trends, and global economics.

• Scope of Tourism Geography:

  1. Spatial Distribution:

     • Analyzes distribution of tourism activities across regions.

     • Studies tourist flows from origins to destinations.

  2. Destination Analysis:

     • Examines characteristics and types of destinations (natural, cultural, urban, rural).

     • Assesses appeal factors and management of tourist locations.

  3. Tourism Impacts:

     • Environmental Impacts: Examines effects on landscapes, ecosystems, biodiversity.

     • Economic Impacts: Studies tourism's contribution to economies at various levels.

     • Socio-Cultural Impacts: Analyzes effects on local cultures, traditions, communities.

  4. Tourist Behavior:

     • Investigates tourist preferences and decision-making processes.

     • Studies influence of cultural, social, and economic factors on choices.

  5. Sustainable Development:

     • Explores sustainable practices minimizing negative tourism impacts.

  6. Global Trends:

     • Analyzes trends like eco-tourism, adventure tourism, and cultural tourism.

  7. Policy and Planning:

     • Examines government roles, policies shaping tourism development.

Importance of Tourism in Geography

• Economic Geography:

  • Contributes to regional economic growth, employment, and infrastructure development.

  • Analyzes spatial distribution and attractiveness of tourist destinations.

• Cultural Geography:

  • Facilitates cultural exchange and interaction, impacting traditions and identities.

• Environmental Geography:

  • Studies environmental impacts of tourism and eco-tourism practices.

• Urban Geography:

  • Examines effects of tourism-driven urbanization, infrastructure development, and gentrification.

• Social Geography:

  • Analyzes social impacts, community dynamics, and migration influenced by tourism.

• Geopolitical Geography:

  • Studies tourism's role in political relations, travel restrictions, and border interactions.

• Transport Geography:

  • Examines tourism-related transportation networks and mobility patterns of tourists.

Determinants of Tourism Development

• Physical Factors:

  • Natural elements like relief, climate, forests, and water bodies attract tourists.

1. Relief:

   • E.g., Himalayas (adventure sports), Western Ghats (nature), Thar Desert (cultural).

2. Climate:

   • E.g., Goa (tropical), Kerala (moderate), Ooty/Kodaikanal (cool).

3. Forests:

   • E.g., Sundarbans (wildlife), Jim Corbett National Park (safaris).

4. Water Bodies:

   • E.g., backwaters of Kerala, Dal Lake in Srinagar, Ganga River in Varanasi.

• Socio-Cultural Factors:

  • Religious tourism is key in India, with Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism driving pilgrimages.

  • Historical tourism showcases India's rich history, with monuments and architecture attracting visitors.