TOURISM IN INDIA:
Travel and tourism is the largest service industry in India. It provides heritage, cultural, medical, business and sports tourism. The main objective of this sector is to develop and promote tourism, maintain competitiveness of India as tourist destination and improve and expand existing tourism products to ensure employment generation and economic growth. India has become a popular tourist destination with thousands of people visiting different parts of India each year.

Tourism in India has shown a phenomenal growth in the past decade. One of the reasons is that the Ministry of tourism, India has realized the immense potential of tourism in India during vacations. India travel tourism has grown rapidly with a great influx of tourists from all across the globe who have been irresistibly attracted to the rich culture, heritage, and incredible natural beauty of India. India offers luxury travel to its travellers and tourists. Almost all the cities in India have something to interest tourists.

India tourism with its foggy hill stations, captivating beaches, historical monuments, golden deserts, serene backwaters, pilgrimage sites, rich wildlife, and colourful fairs capture the heart of every tourist. In addition, a variety of festivals, lively markets, vibrant lifestyle, and traditional Indian hospitality, makes one's experience as an Indian tourist truly unforgettable and fantastic.
Some of the major tourist destinations in India are the Himalayas, Agra, Jaipur , Goa, Kerala, Delhi, Orissa and Maharshtra.

FIVE TOURIST SPOTS:
South India: HAMPI:
Hampi is a laid back village that was the last capital of Vijayanagar, one of the greatest Hindu kingdoms in India’s history. Though Hampi is ancient and is also mentioned in the Ramayana and was called Kishkintha according to historians, it truly flourished in the 13th to 16th centuries as the capital of the Vijayanagara kings. Located in the northern part of Karnataka about 350 kilometers from Bangalore,It has some extremely captivating ruins, intriguingly intermingled with large boulders that rear up all over the landscape.The ruins, which date back to the 14th century, stretch for just over 25 kilometers (10 miles) and comprise more than 500 monuments. The most striking monument is the Vittala Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Its main hall has 56 pillars that make musical sounds when struck.
Hampi is also famous for its religious history other than just the architectural beauty of its ruins. There are many well known temples here including the Virupaksha Temple, the Vittala temple and Anjeneyadri. The Tungabhadra, one of the major rivers of Karnataka flows serenely along this town, providing an awe-inspiring natural setting near the ruins. The natural stones of the surrounding hills were the source of huge boulders which were used by the Vijayanagara kings for the impressive stone carved pillars of the temples in Hampi.
Apart from the temples and the natural scenery, there are also numerous water tanks and other public buildings that are beautifully constructed, reflecting the town-planning skills of the Vijayanagara kings. There are Aqueducts and Canals that give a glimpse into the water management system of the 13th to 15th centuries.
There are more 500 places of interest for visitors to check out, with over a 100 of them attracting thousands of visitors annually. The stone chariot at the Vittala Temple stands as an icon of the rock carving traditions of the Vijayanagara kings, and has been adopted as the emblem of the state's tourism department.
Excavation continues in Hampi to this date, with artifacts being unearthed on a daily basis. The Archeological Museum here is also a must-see for visitors to Hampi.
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North India: TAJ MAHAL:
Taj Mahal, India
Location: On the banks of river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India
Year of Construction: 1631- 1653
Built By: Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
Spread Over: 42 acres
Significance: One of the Seven Wonders of the World

Taj Mahal was built in 22 years (1631-1653) with the orders of Shah Jahan and it was dedicated to Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Bano Begum), his wife . 20.000 workers labored and 32 crore rupees were spent during the construction of the monument and it was built according to Islamic architecture. It is one of the Unesco world heritage site.

Taj Mahal of India - "the epitome of love", "a monument of immeasurable beauty". It is believed that the name "Taj Mahal" was derived from the name of Shah Jahan's wife, Mumtaz Mahal and means "Crown Palace". The beauty of this magnificent monument is such that it is beyond the scope of words. The thoughts that come into the mind while watching the Taj Mahal of Agra is not just its phenomenal beauty, but the immense love which was the reason behind its construction. Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan got this monument constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal, with whom he fell in love at the first sight. Ironically, the very first sight of the Taj Mahal, the epitome of love and romance, also leaves visitors mesmerized and perpetually enthralled.

The tomb is the representation of the house of the queen in Paradise, and its setting was based on the palace gardens of the great nobles that lined both sides of the river at Agra India.

The Taj Mahal is one of the most wonderful tourism destinations in India and is aptly considered one of the greatest wonders of the world. People all over the world desire to see the grandeur of the Taj Mahal and only a lucky few get to see this wonder in marble. The Taj Mahal signifies and glorifies human love, has withstood the test of time, and still stands in all its glory. Emperor Shahjahan has firmly put Agra on the travel and tourism map of the world.

The purity of the white marble, the exquisite ornamentation, precious gemstones used and its picturesque location, all make a visit to the Taj Mahal gain a place amongst the most sought-after tours in the world.
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EAST INDIA: Sunderbans National Park
Where the land meets the sea at the southern tip of West Bengal lies the Indian Sunderbans, a stretch of impenetrable mangrove forest of great size and bio-diversity. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sunderbans is a vast area covering 4264 square km in India alone. The Indian Sunderbans forms the largest Tiger Reserve and National Park in India. A paradise for birdwatchers, the list includes such rarities as the Masked Finfoot, Mangrove Pitta and the Mangrove Whistler.

Wildlife of Sunderbans
The Sunderbans forest is home to more than 250 tigers. The Bengal Tigers have adapted themselves very well to the saline and aqua environs and are extremely good swimmers. As you enter the adventurous wild land of the Sunderbans you'll be thrilled to see the chital deer and rhesus monkey. The aqua fauna of Sunderbans include a variety of fishes, red fiddler crabs and hermit crabs.There are crocodiles, which can be often seen along the mud banks. Sunderbans National Park is also noted for its conservation of the Ridley Sea Turtle. There is an incredible variety of reptiles also found in Sundarbans, which includes king cobra, rock python and water monitor. The endangered river Terrapin, Batagur baska is found on the Mechua Beach, while the Barking Deer is found only in Holiday Island in Sunderbans.

The Sunderbans are a part of the world's largest delta formed by the mighty rivers Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna. Situated on the lower end of the Gangetic West Bengal, it is also the world’s largest estuarine forest. The Sunderbans is criss-crossed by hundreds of creeks and tributaries. It is one of the most attractive and alluring places remaining on earth, a truly undiscovered paradise, attracting tourists worldwide.
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WEST INDIA: Ajanta &Ellora caves:

Ajanta and nearby Ellora caves are one of the most bewildering archaeological places in India. located in the Maharashtra, the site is about 300 kilometers northeast of Mumbai, has been designated as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. These caves are not natural but man-made, built by cutting huge granite hillside. It is said that caves were built by Buddhist, Hindu and Jain monks, who worshiped and meditated in the caves.On the walls and the pillars of caves are carved ,elegant status, in addition there are separate places in the caves believed to be as a meditation rooms.The caves were discovered by a British army officer in 1819, John Smith till it was enshrouded in oblivion.

Ajanta caves are the relics of Buddha’s two phases, separated from each other by good four hundred years. The architectural marvels concurred with two school of thoughts in which one thought says of older Hinayana, which represent Buddha in pillar, stupas, footprints or throne. Another thought known as Mahayana gives lord Buddha a human form. There are 29 caves those were reclusive place for Buddhist monks who used simple chisel and hammer to carved elegant figures on the walls of caves. Carved paintings are depicting the story of Jatakas, stories of various avatars of Lord Buddha. There are beautiful images of nymphs and princesses well portrayed. Among various Hinayana caves are those of number 9, 10 both chaitayas(stupas) and 8, 12, 13 and 15 are of only viharas (old Buddhist monasteries). the carved figures are dressed that resemblance of the Sanchi and Barhut stupas. The caves are not numbered chronologically, for example Mahayana monasteries comprise of 1,2,16 and 17 and chaitayas are in the caves 19 and 26. Here the paintings and sculptures depicts the Lord Buddha’s life as well as several tales of incarnations.
The major difference between Ajanta and Ellora caves is that the latter were never ‘lost’. These are 34 in numbers and carved into sides of basaltic hill.

Ajanta and Ellora caves upholds an artistic legacy that will be an educative lesson for the generation to come.

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CENTRAL INDIA: Khajuraho erotic temples:

Spread over an area of approximately 20 square kilometers on the north eastern part of Madhya Pradesh, Khajuraho is a major tourist and archaeological site in Madhya Pradesh.
Khajuraho at times referred to as the Kamasutra temple is world renowned for its sculptured temples dedicated to Shiva, Vishnu, and Jain deities, and the sexually explicit carvings both inside and outside the temple. A UNESCO world heritage site
Khajuraho is believed to have had over 75 temples of which 22 remain today.The creators of Khajuraho claimed descent from the moon.
In the temple architecture of India, the Khajuraho complex remains unique. One thousand years ago, under the generous and artistic patronage of the Chandela Rajput kings of Central India, 85 temples, magnificent in form and richly carved, came up on one site, near the village of Khajuraho. The amazingly short span of 100 years, from 950 AD - 1050 AD, saw the completion of all the temples, in an inspired burst of creativity.

Khajuraho group of temples: The temples in Khajuraho are divided into three complexes. The most popular temple complex in Khajuraho of the three is the western complex on the western side as the name suggests, which houses the Kandariya Mahadeva Temple - the largest temple at Khajuraho.
The eastern group of temples of Khajuraho is about half an hour away from the western temple comples. Brahma Temple, Vamana & Javari Temples and the Parshvanatha Temple the largest Jain temple in Khajuraho is in the eastern complex.
The southern group of temples in Khajuraho comprises of Duladeo temple and the Chaturbhuja temple .

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TOURISM DEVELOPEMENT:
Early Development
The first conscious and organized efforts to promote tourism in India were made in 1945 when a committee was set up by the Government under the Chairmanship of Sir John Sargent, the then Educational Adviser to the Government of India (Krishna, A.G., 1993). Thereafter, the development of tourism was taken up in a planned manner in 1956 coinciding with the Second Five Year Plan. The approach has evolved from isolated planning of single unit facilities in the Second and Third Five Year Plans. The Sixth Plan marked the beginning of a new era when tourism began to be considered a major instrument for social integration and economic development. But it was only after the 80’s that tourism activity gained momentum.

Present Situation and Features of Tourism in India:
Today tourism is the largest service industry in India, with a contribution of 6.23% to the national GDP and providing 8.78% of the total employment. India witnesses more than 5 million annual foreign tourist arrivals and 562 million domestic tourism visits. The tourism industry in India generated about US$100 billion in 2008 and that is expected to increase to US$275.5 billion by 2018 at a 9.4% annual growth rate. The Ministry of Tourism is the nodal agency for the development and promotion of tourism in India and maintains the "Incredible India" campaign.
According to World Travel and Tourism Council, India will be a tourism hotspot from 2009-2018, having the highest 10-year growth potential. As per the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2009 by the World Economic Forum, India is ranked 11th in the Asia Pacific region and 62nd overall, moving up three places on the list of the world's attractive destinations. It is ranked the 14th best tourist destination for its natural resources and 24th for its cultural resources, with many World Heritage Sites, both natural and cultural, rich fauna, and strong creative industries in the country. India also bagged 37th rank for its air transport network. The India travel and tourism industry ranked 5th in the long-term (10-year) growth and is expected to be the second largest employer in the world by 2019.
India is among the top 5 coutries in the best country brand for authenticity and art & culture, and the fourth best new country for business. India made it to the list of "rising stars" or the countries that are likely to become major tourist destinations in the next five years, led by the United Arab Emirates, China, and Vietnam.

Initiatives to Boost Tourism:
Some of the recent initiatives taken by the Government to boost tourism include grant of export house status to the tourism sector and incentives for promoting private investment in the form of Income Tax exemptions, interest subsidy and reduced import duty. The hotel and tourism-related industry has been declared a high priority industry for foreign investment which entails automatic approval of direct investment up to 51 per cent of foreign equity and allowing 100 per cent non-resident Indian investment and simplifying rules regarding the grant of approval to travel agents, tour operators and tourist transport operators.
The first-ever Indian Tourism Day was celebrated on January 25, 1998.The Year 1999 was celebrated as Explore India Millennium Year by presenting a spectacular tableau on the cultural heritage of India at the Republic Day Parade and organising India Tourism Expo in New Delhi and Khajuraho. Moreover, the campaign ‘Visit India Year 2009’ was launched at the International Tourism Exchange in Berlin, aimed to project India as an attractive destination for holidaymakers. The government joined hands with leading airlines, hoteliers, holiday resorts and tour operators, and offered them a wide range of incentives and bonuses during the period between April and December, 2009.