In books we read only of ideas, thoughts and experiences of other men. The knowledge thus acquired is theoretical. It day-to-day life, we cannot be successful with mere theoretical knowledge. We must also know about the habits, manners and ways of living of other persons. We can learn about others by coming in contact with them. Traveling takes us from the field of bookish knowledge to the field of practical knowledge. From the realm of imagination we come down to reality. The advantages of tourism are many. some of them are given below.
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A man who has never gone out of home has very narrow outlook. He feels his own way of living to be the best. He fails to understand the effect of environment on the life of man. but a well traveled man sees for himself the life of different people. He observes for himself the effect of environment on their customs and ways of life. Why do people living in cold places eat meat and drink wine? When he comes in contact with them he earns that the bitter cold makes it necessary for them to eat meat and drink wine. He can easily understand the point of view of others. By traveling mental outlook is broadened.
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Traveling is very important from the point of view of national integration. It brings people of different parts of the sub-continent closer together. Mutual understanding increases and causes of friction are softened.
When a man is away from his home, he comes across many difficulties. Sometimes he does not find a suitable place for his lodging. At other times the food available in the market is not to his taste. On occasions, he comes in contact with persons whose language he cannot understand. He feels helpless. When he has spent all his money and does not get more of it in time from his home, he finds himself in great difficulty. When he faces such difficulties, he begins to develop resourcefulness, initiative and drive. he finds out solution of every new difficulty. These are the lessons, far more valuable than the lessons of books.
That education is good which makes a man readily adjustable to changed circumstances. We cannot acquire this ability from books. While traveling, we have to adjust over selves to the new conditions. Different difficulties which we meet, various new problems advantage of traveling.
The value of excursions, expeditions and tours for college students is very great. Various topics which do not become clear in the classroom are learnt easily by traveling. In modern methods of teaching, great importance is attached to educational tours. Science, History, Geography, Economics etc., cannot be really understood without taking students to different places. The living conditions of slum dwellers can easily be studied by personal visits to some industrial city. The economic problems of rural areas become clear only when we go to villages. A visit to Agra, Delhi and Lucknow makes the history of the Muslim period very real. To make these subjects easy and interesting, students must be taken on tours and excursions.
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A traveler must keep his mind open while on his tour. He must not imitate the fashions, manners, habits of other people. He must adapt from others only what is good and proper. He should avoid the habit of exaggerating his own experiences. He must tell his experiences to others in a realistic way. Traveling can be useful for the young as well as for the old, only if they keep their minds open.
In order to enhance tourism, the government constituted a National Committee on tourism in 1986 to study various issues relating to tourism development. The report of the committee submitted in 1988 laid emphasis on the need for continued state participation in tourism promotion. The government then evolved a National Action Plan for tourism in May, 1992 with a view to achieve significant growth in tourists arrivals, foreign exchange earnings and employment generation through tourism. As a result of these intense efforts, the tourism industry has already become the third biggest export industry and it is estimated that during the year 1997-98 foreign exchange earnings of this sector are likely to be Rs. 9.186 Crore.