BTT106_Emerging International Tourism (Draft 2)-converted

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UNIT 5: THAILAND - II Structure Learning objectives Introduction Country facts Economy Tourists statistics Passport and visa Major tourists places Summary Keywords Learning activity 5.10.Unit end questions 5.11.References LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this unit, you will be able to: • List about economy and tourists statistics of Thailand • Explain major tourists statistics and tourists places INTRODUCTION Thailand, country located in the centre of mainland Southeast Asia. Located wholly within the tropics, Thailand encompasses diverse ecosystems, including the hilly forested areas of 101 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

the northern frontier, the fertile rice fields of the central plains, the broad plateau of the northeast, and the rugged coasts along the narrow southern peninsula. Until the second half of the 20th century, Thailand was primarily an agricultural country, but since the 1960s increasing numbers of people have moved to Bangkok, the capital, and to other cities. Although the greater Bangkok metropolitan area remains the preeminent urban centre in the country, there are other sizable cities, such as Chiang Mai in the north, Nakhon Ratchasima (Khorat), Khon Kaen, and Udon Thani in the northeast, Pattaya in the southeast, and Hat Yai in the far south. Siam, as Thailand was officially called until 1939, was never brought under European colonial domination. Independent Siam was ruled by an absolute monarchy until a revolution there in 1932. Since that time, Thailand has been a constitutional monarchy, and all subsequent constitutions have provided for an elected parliament. Political authority, however, has often been held by the military, which has taken power through coups. During the last two decades of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st, parliamentary democracy steadily gained wider popular support. Although a crisis emerged in 2006, when the military, aligned with the monarchy, overthrew an elected government, new parliamentary elections were held—as promised by the interim government—in 2007. COUNTRY FACTS Thailand is a land of surprise (and beautiful beach resorts)! Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country that was never colonized by a European country. In fact, in the Thai language, the name of the country is Prathet Thai which means “land of the free.” Very fitting! Thailand is where you’ll find both the smallest and the largest creatures. The smallest mammal in the world, the bumblebee bat, calls Thailand home. You can also find the largest fish, the whale shark, in Thai waters. Males were all Buddhist monks for a while. There was a time when all young men in Thailand (including royalty) were required to become Buddhist monks–even if only for a short period of time–before they turned 20. This practice is not observed as it used to be these days, however. You’re lucky that you know Bangkok as “Bangkok.” Its real name is one of the longest 102 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

names of a place in the world, made up of Pali and Sanskrit root words: Krungthepmahanakhon Amonrattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilokphop Noppharatratchathaniburirom Udomratchaniwetmahasathan Amonphimanawatansathit Sakkathattiyawitsanukamprasit. What does that name mean? It means “City of Angels, Great City of Immortals, Magnificent City of the Nine Gems, Seat of the King, City of Royal Palaces, Home of Gods Incarnate, Erected by Visvakarman at Indra’s Behest.” 5. People often marvel at the forests and jungles of Thailand, but there used to be more. What most people don’t realize is that over one hundred years ago, nearly all of northern Thailand was covered in hardwood forest. Today, about a quarter of that forest is left. Only Singapore has lost more trees. For this reason, logging is completely banned in Thailand. One-tenth of the entire population of Thailand lives in Bangkok. It is the capital of this great nation, and, of course, the largest city. Thailand loves its King, and shows great respect for the monarchy. The well-known Hollywood movie “The King and I” was never shown in Thai theaters because it was considered to be derogatory to the King. How serious are they about their King? Thailand has the lese majeste rule, meaning that if you commit disrespectful acts toward the King, you could be imprisoned for treason. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States. He is the grandson of King Chulalongkorn or Rama V. The King is highly educated, with an engineering degree from Switzerland. His grandfather was credited with bringing modernism to Thailand. There are about 35,000 temples in Thailand. Thailand is truly a land of temples. Visiting them requires modest clothing, meaning no shorts or sleeveless shirts. Showing respect for another person’s head is imperative in Thailand. The head is considered to be the most important part of the body, and so Thai culture forbids touching anyone on the head (even a child). Should you meet someone who is older or more important than you, it is best to lower your head in deference to show proper respect. Thailand is home to many, many animals. About a tenth of all of the animal species on the planet call Thailand home, and a tenth of all bird species. To put that into perspective, Thailand has more birds than Europe and America combined! The national flower of 103 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Thailand is the orchid. If you love exotic flowers, you’ll be pleased to know that 1,500 orchid species can be found growing wild in Thai forest. There’s a reason why it is one of the world’s largest orchid exporters. People associate elephants with Thailand. There are more than 5,000 found there (though more than half are domesticated). Over a hundred years ago, though, there used to be about 100,000 with about one fifth of them wild. There are thousands of elephants in Thailand. Thailand has many flags. If you’re observant, you’ll notice the national flag of Thailand being raised at 8 a.m. each morning, and lowered at 6 p.m. There are also many other flags called the “Royal Flags” which are flown along with the national flag to honor the monarchy. You will only see the Royal Flags in Thailand, but they are a common sight. Like the heat? Bangkok, Thailand was named the world’s hottest city! Be sure to come prepared when you visit, and stay hydrated.Thailand has a few big snakes. You can find the reticulated python in Thai jungles, the world’s largest snake. The biggest one found was over 33 feet long. It doesn’t stop there, though. The longest poisonous snake in the world, the king cobra? Yep. You can find those in Thailand, too. Each year, about 6,000,000 tourists visit Thailand. That number continues to grow by leaps and bounds as the world discovers what a wonderful place it is. Bangkok feels an influx of 11,000,000 non-resident visitors each year.A smile can go a long way, and you’ll find more smiles in Thailand than just about anywhere else. In fact, it’s sometimes known as the “land of smiles” because the people of Thailand seem to be always ready with a smile. They are a peace-loving culture, desiring harmony over conflict. The most important mineral you’ll find in Thailand? It might surprise you, considering all of the beautiful gold jewelry and statues in temples, but it is actually tin. And the most exported crop? Rice, of course! Think of all the tasty Thai dishes that you love. Rice is a staple in Thai cuisine.Thailand used to be known as Siam, and it is the country where Siamese cats originated from. Though there used to be 23 types of Siamese cats originally, there are now only six. Giving a pair of Siamese cats to a bride on her wedding day is considered good luck. 104 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Red Bull, the world-famous energy drink, has its roots in Thailand. It is based on Krating Daeng, a drink made popular in Thailand (and eventually across Asia) since 1976. Red Bull was modified to “suit western tastes.” That street you’re driving on? In the past, it might have actually been water. Bangkok used to be referred to as the “Venice of the East” due to the number of buildings that were built on stilts above the river. Gradually, most of the canals were filled in and became the streets you see today. Thailand has over a thousand islands. Thailand is made up of approximately 1,430 islands. Many of the islands have become famous for being featured in Hollywood films. A popular habit of return visitors is to “try out” new islands to find their favourite. Ever heard of the “Bridge Over the River Kwai”? You can find that bridge near the town of Kanchanaburi. The bridge is a part of the Burma-Siam railway, and an estimated 80,000 people died in the course of making that railway. Have you ever been to a festival for monkeys? The annual Monkey Buffet is held in front of the Pra Prang Sam Yot temple Lopburi province. The local residents see it as a way of thanking the monkeys for bringing thousands of tourists to the village to see these monkeys that live there. It’s no small buffet: two tons of meat, fruit, ice cream, and other treats make up this feast. ECONOMY Prior to the 1960s the Thai economy was based primarily on the production of rice and other foods and goods for domestic consumption and of rice, rubber, teak, and tin for export. The government then began to promote a shift from agriculture to the manufacture of textiles, consumer goods, and, eventually, electronic components for export. By the 1980s Thailand had embarked on a solid path of industrialization; even the economic crisis of the late 20th century only slowed, but did not halt, this economic transformation. From 1963 until 1997 the Thai economy was one of the fastest growing in the world. The adoption of the first national development plan in 1963 spurred the shift from agriculture to industry. During the 1980s and ’90s numerous export-oriented industries emerged, primarily 105 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

in the areas surrounding Bangkok. The large-scale migration of young women and men from rural communities to the greater Bangkok area drained labour from the countryside. Those continuing to pursue agriculture turned increasingly to machines to make up for the shortage of workers, bringing about a shift in the rural economy from subsistence to market-oriented agriculture. Most of the investment in new technology in the agricultural sector came from the savings of family members who had gone to work in the cities. Hydroelectric complexes needed to sustain the growth of the industrial economy have displaced thousands of villagers from their homes and fields, inundated large areas of forest, transformed flood patterns, and reduced the supply of fish, on which many depend for their livelihood. By the 1980s villagers were organizing mass demonstrations to protest the inadequate compensation given to those displaced; they were joined by environmentalists and social activists mobilized by the negative impact of these projects. Other large protests have been mounted against government policies promoting the commercial exploitation of forests. These protests, together with rising concerns among the middle class about the environment, spurred governments of the late 20th and early 21st centuries to undertake projects with greater sensitivity to environmental issues than had been shown by previous governments. Export-oriented industries and financial institutions, especially those created in the 1980s and ’90s, have relied heavily on foreign capital, making the Thai economy more vulnerable to changes in global economic conditions. In 1997 a sudden and rapid decline in the value of the Thai currency, the baht, triggered a financial crisis that quickly spread to other Asian countries. The crisis not only exposed the overdependence of Thailand on foreign capital but also focused attention on the consequences of unequal development and on weaknesses in several sectors of the economy. By the beginning of the 21st century, the economy had begun to recover, but the economic crisis and the emergence of a more democratic political order caused economic policies to become the object of intense public debate. A coup in September 2006 rekindled uncertainties about the future of the Thai economy. While announcing, rescinding, and subsequently reimposing various restrictions on foreign investment, the interim government promoted the king’s philosophy of “sufficiency economy,” an ideal emphasizing self-reliance and moderation in consumption, without rejecting capitalist investment. Agriculture, forestry, and fishing 106 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Rice is not only the main staple crop of the country but also the primary agricultural export. Thailand has for decades been one of the world’s largest rice exporters. Although high-yield varieties of rice were adopted in the 1960s, rice yields are much lower than in East Asia, owing primarily to less-efficient labour inputs. The main commercial rice-producing areas of Thailand are the Chao Phraya basin and the Khorat Plateau. Agricultural production has diversified significantly to meet domestic and world market demand. Among the crops produced for the market are cassava, corn (maize), kenaf (a jutelike fibre), longans, mangoes, pineapples, durians, cashews, vegetables, and flowers. Cash crops such as rubber, coffee, sugarcane, and many fruits are produced mostly on large holdings owned by the agribusinesses that began to emerge in the last decades of the 20th century. Tobacco was once an important cash crop, but it declined considerably as demand dropped. The northeast of Thailand has long been known for its water buffalo and cattle. As agriculture became increasingly mechanized, the demand for water buffalo, once used for plowing and harrowing, decreased markedly. However, cattle production in the northeast increased because of a significant rise in demand for beef in urban areas. The northeast is also a major producer of pigs, to meet a growing demand for pork. Chicken production expanded dramatically since the mid-20th century, but increasingly it has been undertaken in central Thailand by companies rather than by smallholders. The outbreak of bird flu (avian influenza) in Southeast Asia in the early 21st century prompted the government on several occasions to order the destruction of large numbers of chickens, leading to an overall decline in poultry production and heavy revenue losses for producers. Chickens and smaller numbers of ducks continue to be raised for the domestic market. Thailand was once one of the major exporters of hardwoods, especially teak and Dipterocarpus altus, known in Thai as yang. In 1989 the government imposed a ban on logging following a catastrophic landslide in the southern part of the country that was largely blamed on the deforestation caused by excessive logging in the region. Some cutting for local uses has continued, and, although other types of timber from Thai forests have been exported illegally, the ban has generally been successful. Concerted efforts have also been mounted to conserve existing forests and to expand forest reserves, but those actions led to conflicts with peoples who have long lived in the areas affected. Fish and other aquatic life have been the major source of protein in the Thai diet since ancient 107 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

times. As deforestation and pollution of streams and rivers led to a decline in freshwater wild fish, there has been a marked increase in the raising of fish in ponds, especially in northeastern Thailand. Since the 1970s, Thailand has been one of the world’s major exporters of shrimp, fish, and fish products. However, the creation of shrimp farms and the overfishing of the Gulf of Thailand sparked disputes between commercial interests and villagers who depend on fish and shrimp as basic foodstuffs. Many traditional marine fishing areas have become polluted, and shrimp farms have been especially damaging to coastal mangrove forests. Some recovery efforts are under way. Resources and power Tin, mined mostly in the peninsula, has long been among Thailand’s most valuable mineral resources, and the country has become one of the world’s largest producers. Fluctuations in the world tin market, however, have caused output to be reduced. Other important mining and quarrying operations produce coal (lignite), zinc, gypsum, fluorite, tungsten, limestone, and marble. Rubies and sapphires are mined along the east coast of the peninsula. Industrial expansion has increased demand for electricity and fossil fuels. Electricity in Thailand comes primarily from hydroelectric plants in the central plains, the north, the northeast, and Laos, with supplementary power coming from thermal plants using natural gas and lignite. Thailand has significant offshore natural gas reserves and less-abundant onshore oil resources. In the 1990s a controversial pipeline was constructed to transport natural gas from Myanmar to Thailand, but domestic production also expanded rapidly. By the early 21st century, Thailand’s dependency on imported petroleum and natural gas for energy had decreased markedly. Manufacturing The growth in manufacturing since 1970 has been especially dramatic, reflecting the large investments made by private firms. Although growth was initially spearheaded by the garment industry, electronic products assumed the vanguard in the mid-1980s, propelled by investment and transfer of production from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore. Since the late 1990s, Thailand has been a notable exporter of motor vehicles and, more recently, telecommunications equipment. While industrial development has been 108 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

concentrated in and around Bangkok, production has also expanded along the eastern seaboard and, more recently, into northern, especially northeastern, Thailand, where much of the labour for all industries originates. Finance The Bank of Thailand, established in 1942, issues the baht, acts as central banker to the government and to the commercial banks, and serves as the country’s financial agent in dealing with international financial markets, international monetary organizations, and other central banks. Together with the Ministry of Finance, it is at the pinnacle of the government’s economic technocracy and plays the key role in managing the economy. Three other government financial agencies are also important: the Board of Investment, which offers financial incentives to domestic and foreign entrepreneurs; the National Economic and Social Development Board, which formulates the government’s five-year plans; and the Budget Bureau, which compiles the annual national budget. These government bodies focus primarily on creating the proper financial conditions for business to grow and prosper, leaving business decisions themselves to the private sector. Commercial banks grew out of business syndicates established in the 1940s by business families with Chinese roots. In the post-World War II era, these banks have not only controlled the financing of trade; they have also played a key role in industry by channeling loans to business sectors and enterprises with high growth potential and by cultivating close working relationships with foreign investors. A restructuring of Thai commercial banking took place as a result of the economic crisis of the late 1990s; foreign holdings significantly increased, while the number of family-controlled banks dropped sharply. Some of the original family interests and leadership, however, persisted despite foreign ownership. Close ties between commercial banks and political leaders and government officials have been important for coordinating economic policy, but they have also been a breeding ground for corruption. In addition to banks, other important private-sector financial institutions include finance companies, which have become major sources of loans for the real estate market, and the securities firms active in the Securities Exchange of Thailand, the country’s stock exchange. In the mid-20th century foreign investment emerged as one of the most important factors in 109 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

the rapid growth of the national economy. As part of the liberalization of the country’s financial markets in the early 1990s, the government established the Bangkok International Banking Facility (BIBF), an offshore banking entity that became a major conduit for international capital. Originally envisioned as a means to establish Bangkok as a major financial centre rivaling Hong Kong and Singapore and serving all of Southeast Asia, the BIBF in fact became a channel by which foreign funds (primarily in the form of short-term loans) could enter Thailand’s domestic economy. Trade Thailand’s trade patterns have changed dramatically from the early 1980s, when more than two-thirds of export earnings came from agriculture and less than one-third from manufacturing. By the early 21st century, agriculture contributed roughly one-eighth of export earnings and about one-tenth of gross domestic product, while manufacturing accounted for virtually all the rest; the share of import expenditures for machinery, components, and raw materials, moreover, had increased from less than half to more than three-fourths. The country’s main trading partners are Japan, the United States, China, Singapore, and Malaysia. The most important import categories by value are machinery; chemicals and related products; petroleum; iron, steel, and other metals; and raw materials of various types. Machinery is also an important manufactured export, along with chemicals and chemical products, telecommunications equipment, road vehicles, and clothing and accessories. The United States is among Thailand’s largest export markets, and Japan is among the country’s biggest sources of imports. In the 1990s Thailand’s trade deficit grew markedly until the last part of the decade, when a trade surplus was achieved largely as a result of a contraction in imports. Foreign debt declined until the last part of the decade, when it jumped substantially, peaking in 2000, before beginning a descent in the early 21st century. Services Bangkok remains the centre of all retailing in the country, but many regional cities, such as Khorat and Khon Kaen in the northeast, Chiang Mai in the north, and Hat Yai in the south, have become significant subcenters. In those cities, as in many other towns throughout the 110 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

country, large stores and shopping malls charging fixed prices have been established alongside the smaller shops and traditional markets where bargaining still takes place. Thailand has been one of the most popular tourist destinations in Southeast Asia since the 1960s. The government actively began to promote tourism in the early 1980s, and tourism subsequently became the country’s single largest source of foreign exchange and an important counterbalance to the country’s frequent annual trade deficits. The number of tourists visiting the country each year almost tripled between the early 1960s and the early 21st century, helping to make the service sector more significant than manufacturing as a source of employment. Part of this activity was the result of a highly visible (though illegal) sex trade during those decades. However, by the end of the 20th century the increasing number of AIDS cases in Thailand and other factors had caused the trade to decline. Thailand places great emphasis on providing quality service at its leading hotels and restaurants, which has helped to attract many foreign visitors. The most popular tourist destinations outside of Bangkok are the beach resorts of Pattaya, Phuket, and Koh Samui and the historical cities of Sukhothai, Ayutthaya, and Chiang Mai. Resort areas such as Phuket and Kho Lak were heavily damaged by the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, but they recovered quickly. TOURISTS STATISTICS In their justifications for constructing a new coal-fired power plant in Krabi Province (2015), the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) presumes that by 2032 Thailand will receive more than 100 million tourists a year, 40% of them visiting Phuket and neighbouring areas such as Krabi. On average, the power consumption of a tourist is four times higher than that of a local resident. In 2015 some segments of Thailand's hospitality industry enjoyed their best year in over two decades, according to research firm STR Global. Thailand closed the year with an overall hotel occupancy of 73.4%, an increase of 13.6% over 2014, as arrivals rose to near the 30 million mark, driven by demand from the Chinese market. December 2015 was a particularly strong month as occupancy levels reached 77.4%, the highest level since 1995. Despite the increasing number of tourist arrivals, some businesses catering to the tourist trade 111 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

report declining numbers. Mr. Sompoch Sukkaew, chief legal counsel of the Patong Entertainment Business Association (PEBA) in Phuket, said in January 2016 that entertainment businesses are suffering. \"Over the past three years, most bars were averaging about B90,000 revenue per day at this time of year, now they're making just B40,000. Small bars...used to average B40,000 to B50,000 a day, now they're down to just B10,000 per day PEBA members generated about B1.5 million per day during the peak season. Now it's down to about B540,000 per day.\" PEBA members number 500 in Patong, with about 200 businesses in the Bangla Road entertainment area. PEBA President Weerawit Kuresombat attributed the decline to the rise in Chinese tourism. \" most of them [Chinese tourists] come on complete tour packages....This means they spend very little on extras....They rarely venture out for the nightlife or even visit independent restaurants. They just don't spend much\", he said. The Thai government expects revenue from foreign tourists to increase by 8.5% to 1.78 trillion baht (US$49.8 billion) in 2017. Deputy Prime Minister Thanasak Patimaprakorn attributed the increase to the improving outlook for global tourism as well as Thailand's investments in infrastructure. In 2016, Thailand had 32.6 million visitors, a rise of nearly nine percent from 2015. In 2017 the number of tourists visiting Thailand exceeded 35 million. Thanasak expects daily tourist spending to increase to 5,200 baht per person in 2017, up from 5,100 baht in 2016. Local tourists are expected to contribute an additional 950 billion baht in tourism revenues in 2017. PASSPORT AND VISA REGULATIONS Visa requirements for Thai citizens are administrative entry restrictions imposed on citizens of Thailand by the authorities of other states. As of July 2020, Thai citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 78 countries and territories, ranking the Thai passport 66th in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index.Thailand is also a part of ASEAN and has visa-free access to these countries and vice versa. 112 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Figure 5.1 MAJOR TOURISTS PLACES Thailand is the most popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia, and for a reason. You can find almost anything here: crystal blue beaches, thick jungle, great food, cheap beach front bungalows and some of the best luxury hotels in the world. There is something for every interest and every budget. As the only Southeast Asian country never to be colonized, it is also studded with incredible cultural and historical sites, including ruins that stretch back hundreds of years. And despite the heavy flow of tourism, Thailand retains its quintessential identity with its own unique culture and history and a carefree people famed for their smiles Similar Islands Made up of nine primary islands and two far-flung ones, the Similar Islands archipelago is one of the most popular diving destinations in the country. Situated off the coast of the Phang Nga Province in southern Thailand, the waters surrounding the islands boast gorgeous coral 113 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

reefs and underwater rock formations that take on many unique shapes. Experienced divers particularly enjoy hot spots like East of Eden and Elephant Head Rock. Full Moon Party at Haad Rin The infamous Full Moon Party is an all-night beach party that takes place in Haad Rin on the island of Koh Phangan. It has grown from an improvised wooden disco for about 20-30 people in 1985 to a major event that draws a crowd of about 20,000-30,000 every single month. If you’re not on Ko Pha Ngan during the full moon, don’t worry: there are other parties to be had, including Half Moon, Black Moon and Shiva Moon party. 8. Thai-Burma Railway Death Railway Where to Stay in Kanchanaburi Thai-Burma Railwayphoto/Shutterstock.com The two-hour train journey along the notorious Thailand–Burma Death Railway from Kanchanaburi, via the Bridge over the River Kwai, to Nam Tok is one of Thailand’s most scenic and most popular train rides. Though the views are lovely, it’s the history that makes the ride so special. During WWII, the Japanese built the railroad to connect Yangon, the then- capital of Burma, with Bangkok, enlisting POWs and Asian laborers in a horrifying and deadly race to the finish. Today, only a portion of the original rail line is in operation. Ayuthaya Historical Park Also known as Ayutthaya Historical Park, this popular tourist attraction contains the ruins of the second capital of Siam, which was founded around 1350. By 1700 Ayutthaya had become one of the largest cities in the world with a total of 1 million inhabitants. In 1767 the city was destroyed by the Burmese army, resulting in the collapse of the kingdom. Fortunately, renovations that began in the late 1960s restored the once-vibrant city to much of its former glory, allowing visitors to experience the eclectic array of architectural styles that can be found amid its grid-like patterns of moats, roads and canals. Mu Ko Chang National Park Located in the Trat Province of eastern Thailand, this exquisite national park is made up of more than 50 islands. Without a doubt, Ko Chang is the most notable of the bunch and is 114 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

famous for its steep peaks, lush jungles and relaxed atmosphere. White Sand Beach is where people from around the world congregate to have a great time. The islands also feature white sand beaches, premium snorkeling and diving sites and many waterfalls. From fishing to dining to kayaking, there’s something for everyone here in Kog Chang. Though still far quieter than islands like Phuket or Ko Samui, it’s probably better to go now than later. Northern Hill Tribes Northern Thailand is home to several interesting and colorful ethnic minorities, known as the hill tribes. Most of the hill tribes have migrated into the region during the past 100 years from the Asian interior and have largely preserved their traditional ways. It is possible to go on a trekking tour and visit one of the numerous villages where they are happy to receive tourists. Since most are rural and poor, any economically uplifting opportunities are welcomed. Rai leh Also known as Rai Leh, this popular rock-climbing destination is located in the Krabi Province on the coast of the Andaman Sea. Accessible only by boat, Railay boasts a variety of exciting attractions. It’s more than 700 bolted rock-climbing routes are a major draw. However, there are also several stunning beaches, and visitors can also explore a series of caves. Accommodation on Railay ranges from inexpensive bungalows popular with backpackers and climbers, to the renowned jet-set resort of Rayavadee. Grand Palace As the official residence of the kings of Siam — and, later, Thailand — since 1782, the Grand Palace is perhaps the most famous attraction in the bustling city of Bangkok. Situated on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, the walled-in complex contains a compelling series of pavilions, halls, wats and other buildings interspersed with vast lawns, lavish gardens and stately courtyards. Of the many sights here, Wat Phra Kaew, or the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, is probably the most memorable. Phang Nga Bay Located just over 95 km (60 miles) from the island of Phuket, Phang Nga Bay is one of the top tourist attractions in Thailand and one of most scenic areas in the country. It consists of 115 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

beautiful caves, aquatic grottoes and limestone islands. The most famous island in the bay is a sea stack called Ko Ping Kan (more commonly known as James Bond Island) which was featured in the James Bond movie “The Man with the Golden Gun”. A popular way of visiting Phang Nga Bay is by sea kayak as they are the only way to get inside the grottoes and sea caves. Ko Phi Phi Phi Phi is a beautiful archipelago located in the Krabi Province not too far from Phuket. Ko Phi Phi Don is the only island in the group with permanent inhabitants while the smaller Ko Phi Phi Leh is famous as the filming location for the 2000 movie “The Beach”. Travelers go here enjoy the beaches and to participate in a variety of water recreation activities, such as snorkeling, scuba diving and kayaking. As a result of the masses of tourists, Ko Phi Phi is becoming less and less attractive but for now it is still a very beautiful place to visit. SUMMARY • Thailand had no organized tourism industry until the late-1950s. In that era, Bangkok had only 871 tourist-standard rooms to serve its 40,000 foreign visitors per year. In 1959 the first governmental tourist authority was formed. In the early-1960s, Don Mueang Airport completed a runway that could accommodate jet aircraft. Bangkok then became one of the approved R&R locations for US troops serving in Vietnam. Some 45,000 troops visited in 1967, while the number of full-time, Thailand-based US troops swelled to 45,000 in 1969. The number of Bangkok hotel rooms exploded to 7,000 by the mid-1960s. • Prior to the 1960s the Thai economy was based primarily on the production of rice and other foods and goods for domestic consumption and of rice, rubber, teak, and tin for export. The government then began to promote a shift from agriculture to the manufacture of textiles, consumer goods, and, eventually, electronic components for export. By the 1980s Thailand had embarked on a solid path of industrialization; even the economic crisis of the late 20th century only slowed, but did not halt, this economic transformation • The US troop presence turned New Phetchaburi Road into an \"American strip\" of 116 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

bars, massage parlors, brothels, and clubs. After the US quit Thailand in the 1970s, the sex industry was repackaged to accommodate a civilian clientele. By 1979, the number of annual foreign visitors had grown to more than 600,000, rising to 12 million annually by the turn of the 21st century • Among the reasons for the increase in tourism in the 1960s were the stable political atmosphere and the development of Bangkok as a crossroads of international air transport. • The hotel industry and retail industry both expanded rapidly due to tourist demand. It was boosted by the presence of US GIs who arrived in the 1960s for rest and recuperation (R&R) during the Vietnam War. During this time, international tourism was becoming the new trend as living standards increased throughout the world and travel became faster and more dependable with the introduction of new technology in the air transport sector. KEYWORDS • Chiang Mai is the second-largest province (changwat) of Thailand. It lies in upper northern Thailand. • The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, and in Vietnam as the Resistance War Against America or simply the American War, was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. • A state-owned enterprise (SOE) or government-owned enterprise (GOE) is a business enterprise where the government or state has significant control through full, majority, or significant minority ownership. • Chulalongkorn, also known as King Rama V, reigning title Phra Chula Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua, was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. • Thailand in World War II officially adopted a position of neutrality until the five hour-long Japanese invasion of Thailand on 8 December 1941 which led to an armistice and military alliance treaty between Thailand and the Japanese Empire in 117 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

mid-December 1941. LEARNING ACTIVITY 1. Discuss the about how many countries don’t required VISA for Thailand? 2. Discuss and collect the data of how many countries are eligible for VISA on arrival. UNIT END QUESTIONS A. Descriptive Types Questions 1. Explain, what do understand by the Thailand economy status? 2. Evaluate the tourist’s statistics. 3. List out few country fact of Thailand related to its history? 4. Explain, what is mu ko chang national park is famous for? 5. Discuss, what is the significance of Railey? B. Multiple Choice Questions 1. Made up of ……… primary islands and two far-flung ones, the Similan Islands archipelago is one of the most popular diving destinations in the country. a. 9 b. 10 c. 5 118 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

d. 4 2. You can find the reticulated ................ in Thai jungles, the world’s largest snake. a. Anaconda b. Python c. Cobra d. None of these 3. There are about .................temples in Thailand. a. 35000 b. 30000 c. 20000 d. 50000 4.is the only Southeast Asian country that was never colonized by a European country. a. India b. Pakistan c. Afghanistan d. Thailand 119 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

5. Northern Thailand is home to several interesting and colorful ethnic minorities, known as the……. a. Hill tribes b. Mil tribe c. Saban tribes d. Gorkha tribes. Answer 1. a 2. b 3. c 4. d 5. a REFERENCES • A. K. Raina. (2010). Tourism Destination Management: Principles and Practices Paperback. New Delhi: Kanishka Publishing House. • Dimitrios Buhalis, John Crotts, Roger March. (2000). Global Alliances in Tourism and Hospitality Management.UK and New York: Routledge publishing. • A.K Bhatia. (2006). International Tourism Management. Noida: Sterling Publishers. • National geography. (2016) Destinations of a Lifetime (National Geographic). Washington D.C.: National geography publishers. • Yuko, Elizabeth (29 August 2019). \"Pictures of the Thai King's Consort Broke the Internet – But What's a Consort?\". Rolling Stone. • Beech, Hannah (7 November 2019). \"'Extremely Evil Misconduct': Thailand's Palace Intrigue Spills into View\". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 10 November 2019. Retrieved 10 November 2019. 120 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

UNIT 6: MAURITIUS– I Structure Learning objectives Introductions History Background Climate Terrain Map work Summary Keywords Learning activity Unit end questions References LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this unit, you will be able to: • Explain Mauritius, History of country and background • State about terrains, climate and geographical representations INTRODUCTIONS Mauritius (About this soundlisten) mə-RISH-(ee-)əs, maw-; French: Maurice [mɔʁis, moʁis] (About this soundlisten); Morisyen: Moris [moʁis]), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is 121 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

an island nation in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) off the south-east coast of the African continent. It includes the eponymous main island of Mauritius and Rodrigues, Agaléga and St. Brandon. The islands of Mauritius and Rodrigues form part of the Mascarene Islands, along with nearby Réunion, a French overseas department. The capital and largest city, Port Louis, is located on Mauritius, where most of the population is concentrated. The country spans 2,040 square kilometres (790 sq mi) and has an Exclusive Economic Zone covering 2.3 million square kilometres. Arab sailors were possibly the first to discover the uninhabited island around 975, which they called Dina Arobi. The earliest confirmed discovery was in 1507 by Portuguese sailors, who otherwise took little interest in the islands. The Dutch took possession in 1598, establishing a succession of short-lived settlements before abandoning their efforts in 1710. France took control in 1715, renaming it Isle de France. In 1810 the island was seized by Great Britain, and four years later France ceded Mauritius and its dependencies to the former. As a British colony, Mauritius included Rodrigues, Agalega, St. Brandon, Tromelin, the Chagos Archipelago, and, until 1906, the Seychelles. Sovereignty over Tromelin is disputed between Mauritius and France, as it was not specifically mentioned in the Treaty of Paris. Mauritius remained a primarily plantation-based colony of the United Kingdom until independence in 1968. In 1965, three years prior to the independence of Mauritius, the UK split the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritian territory, and the islands of Aldabra, Farquhar and Desroches from the Seychelles, to form the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT). The local population was forcibly expelled and the largest island, Diego Garcia, was leased to the United States. The UK has restricted access to the Chagos Archipelago to casual tourists, the media, and its former inhabitants. The sovereignty of the Chagos is disputed between Mauritius and the UK. In February 2019, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion ordering the UK to return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius as rapidly as possible, in order to complete the decolonisation of Mauritius. Owing to its geographic location and centuries of colonialism, the people of Mauritius are highly diverse in ethnicity, culture, language and faith; it is the only country in Africa where Hinduism is the largest religion. The island's government is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system, and Mauritius is highly ranked for democracy and for 122 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

economic and political freedom. Mauritius is categorised as \"high\" in the Human Development Index. According to the World Bank, the country is classified as a high-income economy. Mauritius is ranked as the most competitive and one of the most developed economies in the African region. The country is a welfare state; the government provides free universal health care, free education up to tertiary level and free public transport for students, senior citizens, and the disabled. Mauritius was ranked among the safest or most peaceful countries by the Global Peace Index 2019. Along with the other Mascarene Islands, Mauritius is known for its varied flora and fauna, with many species endemic to the island. The island was the only known home of the dodo, which, along with several other avian species, was made extinct by human activities relatively shortly after the island's settlement. HISTORY The island of Mauritius was first discovered by Arab sailors, at some time in the 9th century, the exact date is unknown. At that time the island was uninhabited and covered in a dense forest. The Arab sailors were not interested in settling on the island which they named Dina Arobi or Dinarobin. Diogo Fernandes Pereira, a Portuguese sailor found the island in 1505 and decided to give it the name of Cerne. However, the Portuguese did not settle permanently on the island either. The first to colonize the island were the Dutch. They took possession of the island in 1598. The Dutch settlers landed on a bay in the south-eastern part of the island which was named Warwyck Haven after the commander VanWarwyck, the bay is now known as Grand Port. Mauritius also got its name during this period; the island was named after the Prince of Holland Mauritz de Nassau. His father William of Orange, (also known as William the Silent), was the head of the Duch East India Company and forefather of the legendary Scottish Clan comprising the Dukes of Atholl, and the Murray and Smythe families, through Mauritz' sister Charlotte of Brabantina. In 1710, the Dutch abandoned the island, leaving behind macaques, the java deer, sugar cane, fugitive slaves and, also, an irreversible damage to the endemic and indigenous flora and fauna of the island - the Dodo was, by then, extinct due to extensive hunting, the bird being 123 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

very easy to capture, while the once abundant black ebony tree population was almost completely depleted due to over-exploitation for its timber. The French settled on the island in 1713, also landing at the bay in the south-east. They renamed the bay Port Bourbon and renamed the island Ile de France. They settled on the north-western side of the island and established their main harbour there, Port Louis, the present-day capital of Mauritius. During the French settlement there was a lot of development in the country. Mahé de Labourdonnais, whose statue can be seen across from the harbour in Port Louis, is known as the founder of the capital city and the island prospered under his governance (1735-1746). In August 1810, the British tried to take over the island but lost after a fierce battle against the French in the famous Battle of Grand Port. However, the British came back in December 1810 and successfully defeated the French. From then on, the island was renamed Mauritius and remained under British rule until it attained independence. In 1835, slavery was officially abolished and, as most of the African slaves chose to abandon the agricultural fields and move to small coastal villages, indentured labourers (coolies) were brought in from India (chiefly from Tamil Nadu & Bihar) to work in the growing sugarcane industry. On 12 Mar 1968, Mauritius became an independent nation within the Commonwealth led by Prime Minister Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, also known as the \"Father of the Nation\", led the island to independence and did a lot to develop the country. A stable democracy with regular free elections and a positive human rights record, Mauritius has attracted considerable foreign investment and has one of Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth leading to some protests over standards of living in the Creole community. BACKGROUND Mauritius was first discovered by the Arabs as early as in the 10th century, but officially explored by the Portuguese in the 16th century and subsequently settled by the Dutch in the 124 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

17th century. The Dutch were the ones who named the island in honor of Prince Maurits van NASSAU. Mauritius was occupied successively by the Dutch (1598-1712) and later by the French (1715-1810). The French assumed control in 1715, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing the Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. The British captured the island in 1810, during the Napoleonic Wars through the Treaty of Paris. Mauritius remained a strategically important British naval base, and later on, an air station playing an important role during World War II for anti-submarine and convoy operations, as well as the collection of signals intelligence. On 12 March 1968, Mauritius became Independent. CLIMATE Tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May); Natural hazards: tropical cyclones (November to April), most cyclones usually occur from the end of December until March. Mauritius has only two seasons, winter and summer. There is not much temperature difference between the two seasons of the year. The climate on the central plateau is cooler than on the coastal areas. • Hottest part is the west coast • Windiest part is the East coast • December to February are the hottest months of the year • The driest month of the year is October • Coolest months are from June to August TERRAIN Mauritius lies about 500 miles (800 km) east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Its outlying 125 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

territories are Rodrigues Island, situated about 340 miles (550 km) eastward, the Cargados Carajos Shoals, 250 miles (400 km) northeastward, and the Agalega Islands, 580 miles (930 km) northward from the main island. Mauritius also claims sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago (including Diego Garcia), some 1,250 miles (2,000 km) to the northeast, although this claim is disputed by Britain. MAP WORK The total land area of the country is 2,040 km2 (790 sq mi). It is the 170th largest nation in the world by size. The Republic of Mauritius is constituted of Mauritius Island and several outlying islands. The nation's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) covers about 2.3 million km2 (890,000 sq mi) of the Indian Ocean, including approximately 400,000 km2 (150,000 sq mi) jointly managed with the Seychelles. Mauritius is 2,000 km (1,200 mi) off the southeast coast of Africa, between latitudes 19°58.8'S and 20°31.7'S and longitudes 57°18.0'E and 57°46.5'E. It is 65 km (40 mi) long and 45 km (30 mi) wide. Its land area is 1,864.8 km2 (720.0 sq mi). The island is surrounded by more than 150 km (100 mi) of white sandy beaches, and the lagoons are protected from the open sea by the world's third-largest coral reef, which surrounds the island. Just off the Mauritian coast lie some 49 uninhabited islands and islets, several of which have been declared natural reserves for endangered species. 126 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Figure 6.1 SUMMARY • Mauritius, known officially as the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation located off the southeast coast of the African continent in the Indian Ocean. It is a volcanic island of lagoons and palm-fringed beaches with coral reefs surrounding most of the coastline. • The island is situated approximately 2400 kilometers off the South East Coast of Africa. The island covers an area of 1,865 square kilometers or 720 square miles, with 330 kilometers of coastline. Mauritius is 45km in width and 65km in length. • Mauritius lies about 500 miles (800 km) east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Its outlying territories are Rodrigues Island, situated about 340 miles (550 km) eastward, the Cargados Carajos Shoals, 250 miles (400 km) northeastward, and the Agalega Islands, 580 miles (930 km) northward from the main island. Mauritius also claims sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago (including Diego Garcia), some 1,250 miles (2,000 km) to the northeast, although this claim is disputed by Britain. 127 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

• The total land area of the country is 2,040 km2 (790 sq mi). It is the 170th largest nation in the world by size. The Republic of Mauritius is constituted of Mauritius Island and several outlying islands. The nation's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) covers about 2.3 million km2 (890,000 sq mi) of the Indian Ocean, including approximately 400,000 km2 (150,000 sq mi) jointly managed with the Seychelles. KEYWORDS • The Human Development Index (HDI): is a statistic composite index of life expectancy, education, and per capita income indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development. • The Democracy Index: is an index compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a UK-based company • The wildlife of Mauritius: is composed of its flora and fauna. Mauritius is located in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar. • Universal healthcare: is a health care system in which all residents of a particular country or region are assured access to health care. • The World Bank: is an international financial institution that provides loans and grants to the governments of poorer countries for the purpose of pursuing capital projects. LEARNING ACTIVITY 1. Discuss about several historical events in Mauritius History. 2. Discuss and prepare the detail report of the changing climate of Mauritius and its effect on Tourism 128 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

UNIT END QUESTIONS A. Descriptive Types Questions 1. Briefly explain the history of Mauritius. 2. Describe, what is the background of Mauritius? 3. Explain, what is the climatic culture in country? 4. Do you understand by Terrain of country, explain. 5. Discuss, how many total states in Mauritius? B. Multiple Choice Questions 1. Mauritius lies about 500 miles (800 km) east of..................in the Indian Ocean. a. Singapore b. Australia c. India d. Madagascar 2. Mauritius also claims sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago (including Diego Garcia), some 1,250 miles (2,000 km) to the northeast, although this claim is disputed by ……… a. Britain b. India c. Europe 129 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

d. America 3. Mauritius is a densely populated island of around ............million people. a. 1 b. 2 c. 5 d. 1.2 4. The French assumed control in………, developing the island into an important naval base overseeing the Indian Ocean trade, and establishing a plantation economy of sugar cane. a. 1715 b. 1730 c. 1761 d. 1710 5. The British captured the island in……. , during the Napoleonic Wars through the Treaty of Paris a. 1810 b. 1830 c. 1840 d. 1844 130 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Answer 1. d 2. a 3. d 4. a 5. a REFERENCES • A. K. Raina. (2010). Tourism Destination Management: Principles and Practices Paperback. New Delhi: Kanishka Publishing House. • Dimitrios Buhalis, John Crotts, Roger March. (2000). Global Alliances in Tourism and Hospitality Management.UK and New York: Routledge publishing. • A.K Bhatia. (2006). International Tourism Management. Noida: Sterling Publishers. • National geography. (2016) Destinations of a Lifetime (National Geographic). Washington D.C.: National geography publishers. • Bahadur, Gaiutra (2014). Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture. The University of Chicago. ISBN 978-0-226-21138-1. • Moree, Perry J. (1998). A Concise History of Dutch Mauritius, 1598–1710: A Fruitful and Healthy Land. Routledge. • Vink, Markus (2003). \"'The World's Oldest Trade': Dutch Slavery and Slave Trade in the Indian Ocean in the Seventeenth Century\". Journal of World History. 14 (2): 131– 177. doi:10.1353/jwh.2003.0026. 131 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

UNIT 7: MAURITIUS– II 132 Structure Learning objectives Introductions Country facts Economy Tourism statistics Passport and visa regulations Major tourist resources and activities Summary Keywords Learning activity 7.10.Unit end questions 7.11.References LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this unit, you will be able to: • Mauritius country and its interesting facts • Country’s economy and statistics of tourism • Also about the major destinations in Mauritius INTRODUCTIONS CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Mauritius, island country in the Indian Ocean, located off the eastern coast of Africa. Physiographically, it is part of the Mascarene Islands. The capital is Port Louis. Republic of Mauritius; also, Republique de Maurice (French) or Republic Moris (Creole). Its Population is roughly 1.3 million people live in the country (2020) and its Capital is Port Louis with 150,000 inhabitants. The first settlements were established by the Dutch in 1638. The island is named after the Prince Maurice van Nassau, who governed Mauritius in 1598. Later the French and British arrived on the island. Mauritius became independent from Britain only in 1968. Mauritius is a small island country in Africa with the main islands called Mauritius and Rodrigues. The island of Mauritius, called Île Maurice in French, is the biggest island of the Republic of Mauritius. Mauritius is situated in the Indian Ocean to the east of the African continent. It is located about 800 km/ 500 miles to the east of Madagascar. Mauritius and Rodrigues belong to the Mascarene islands in the Indian Ocean Mauritius is the second biggest island belonging to the group of islands called the Mascarenes or 'Mascareignes' as they are called in French. The biggest island of the Mascarenes islands group is Réunion, which belongs to France. COUNTRY FACTS The island of Mauritius was created by volcanic activity and emerged from the water more than 8 million years ago. Mauritius has a coastline of about 150 km/ 93 miles and the Indian Ocean island is known for its stunning white sandy beaches such as the one at Le Morne. Mauritius is five times smaller than The Gambia, the smallest country in continental Africa. Comparing the land area of Mauritius with countries in Europe or North America, Mauritius is smaller in size than Luxembourg or a bit bigger than the state of Delaware in the USA. To reach Mauritius, it takes a 4-hours flight from Johannesburg/South Africa, 12-hours flight from Paris/France or 13-hours flight from London/UK. The largest city of Mauritius is Port Louis, the capital city of Mauritius. It is also the most populous city of the island with roughly 150,000 inhabitants. Mauritius is the most densely populated country on the African continent and one of the most 133 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

densely populated in the world. This Indian Ocean country is also one of the most prosperous and rich countries on the continent - together with the Seychelles. The island's highest mountain is the Piton de la Petite Riviere Noire, which means 'Peak of the Little Black River', with a height of 828 m/ 2,717 ft. Mauritius is known for its underwater waterfall, which is in fact an optical illusion! The underwater currents off the coast of Le Morne Brabant mountain create the impression of a huge underwater waterfall which in reality does not exist! Mauritius is home to two of the rarest stamps in the world: the Blue Penny and the Red Penny stamps. These were among the first stamps distributed worldwide and were issued by the British government in 1847.The Caudan Waterfront in Port Louis is the main shopping and entertainment hub of the capital city. A visit to the Post Office Museum at the Waterfront comes highly recommended. There you can see the famous 'Blue Mauritius' stamp, which is the first stamp ever issued! It shows Queen Victoria on a blue background. The 'Seven Coloured Earths' in the Chamarel plains is known for the multi-coloured hues of the soil.Le Morne Brabant is popular with people hiking and climbing the monolith in the southwest of the island. Le Morne is one of the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Mauritius - the other one is Aapravasi Ghat in Port Louis which is another monument to the abolition of slavery. In Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens you can explore the endemic tree and plant species of the island and admire the giant waterlilies in the huge pond Mauritians are friendly and welcoming people. The Mauritian people form a multiethnic society which means they are mainly of mixed races and the local people have ancestors of Asian, Indian, French, British and Chinese origins. The majority of Mauritians are descendants from Indian people and are referred to as Indo-Mauritians. The Mauritian folk dance is the sega dance. This dance shows influences from the Indian dance style, where the whole body moves with the music - interestingly however, the feet of the dancer don't leave the ground. The Sega dance is also popular on the Seychelles islands and La Réunion. The most famous Mauritian story is probably that of Paul et Virginie, or as they say in English 'Paul and Virginia'. These two characters stem from a French novel by Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre dating back to the late 18th century. This is a tragic 134 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

love story which is very famous on the island. French, English and Creole are the main languages in Mauritius. English is the official language and considered by many as the main business language, however newspapers and TV and radio news are mainly broadcasted in French or Creole. Most people speak Mauritian Creole at home. Furthermore various Asian languages such as Tamil, Urdu, Hindi or Mandarin are spoken by the local Indian and Chinese population. Mauritius is known for some of the rarest plants and wildlife. Due to human activities, the Mauritian national animal called dodo has become extinct in the 17th century. Less than 2% of the land is still covered by native forest and thus much of the habitat of the introduced animals has been destroyed. The Mauritian economy is based mainly on tourism, sugar, fish processing, textile manufacturing as well as financial and IT services. Mauritius also houses some of the most advanced tuna processing facilities in the world. About one quarter of the canned tuna processed in Mauritius is exported to the EU. Sugarcane, tea, corn, potatoes and bananas are the main agricultural products in Mauritius. Pineapple plantations can also be seen all over the island. ECONOMY Mauritius has a mixed developing economy based on manufactured exports, agriculture, tourism, and financial services. Government efforts to diversify the economy after 1980 have been successful, and the island is no longer as completely dependent on sugar production as it was throughout most of its history. The gross domestic product, among the highest of African countries, grew more rapidly than the population in the 1990s and 2000s. TOURISM STATISTICS According Statistics Mauritius, total passenger arrivals to Mauritius in 2011 was 1,294,387 and tourist arrivals for the year attained 964,642. In 2012, two emerging markets, the Russian Federation and People’s Republic of China, registered positive growths of 58.9% and 38.0%, respectively. According to the Bank of Mauritius, the gross tourism receipts was Rs44 billion in 2012. The forecast number of tourist arrival for 2013 was 1 million. 135 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Data from State smauritius.govmu.org on tourism arrivals for 2018 shows that \"1.The number of tourist arrivals for the year 2018 increased by 4.3% to attain 1,399,408 compared to 1,341,860 for the year 2017 2. Tourist arrivals by air increased by 3.6% from 1,312,295 in 2017 to 1,359,688 in 2018 while those arriving by sea increased by 34.3% from 29,565 to 39,720. 3. The performance of our main markets, which accounted for 71% of total tourist arrivals for the year 2018\". PASSPORT AND VISA REGULATIONS Visa requirements for Mauritian citizens are administrative entry restrictions by the authorities of other states placed on citizens of Mauritius. As of 7 April 2020, Mauritian citizens had visa-free or visa on arrival access to 148 countries and territories, ranking the Mauritian passport 32nd overall and 2nd in Africa in terms of travel freedom according to the Henley Passport Index. As of April 2019, Brunei, Grenada, Seychelles and Mauritius are the only countries whose citizens may travel without a visa to China, Russia, Schengen Area and the United Kingdom. Figure 7.1 MAJOR TOURIST RESOURCES AND ACTIVITIES Sparkling like a gem in the southern Indian Ocean, Mauritius is an island nation located east 136 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

of Madagascar and southeast of Seychelles. Port Louis is the capital city and the largest port of the nation. Mauritius is one of the top holiday destinations in the world and also among the best honeymoon destinations. Mauritius is well known for its breathtaking beaches. Apart from beaches, Exhilarating mountainous landscapes, rolling valleys, a dormant volcano and easily accessible waterfalls makes Mauritius Tourism so charming and ideal for a memorable holiday. The amazing beauty and natural aesthetics of this country will definitely leave you spellbound. There are so many places of attractions in Mauritius and all of them are worth visiting. Grand Bay / Grand Baie Grand Bay or Grand Baie is a seaside village and a large tourist beach in Riviere du Rempart district of Mauritius. Once called De Bogt Zonder Eyndt (Bay without End) by the Dutch in the 17th century, the resort town of Grand Bay is popular for its enchanting quality of emerald waters and is the most popular holiday destination in Mauritius. It offers facilities for safe swimming, sailing, windsurfing and water skiing. It is the departure point for deep sea fishing trips and for boat excursions to the islands to the north of Mauritius like Gunners’ Quoin, Flat Island, Round Island, and Serpent Island. This is also a great place to discover the breathtaking underwater marine life of Mauritius with underwater sea walk, submarine excursion and the underwater scooter. Grand Bay and its surroundings also offer a large choice of fashion and craft shops. It is also popular for its bay view Mauritius hotels and restaurants. It is also known for its night-life as it hosts most of the island best bars and night- clubs. Ile aux Cerfs Island Ile aux Cerfs Island, also known as Deer Island is a beautiful island near the east coast of Mauritius in the Flacq district. This Mauritius Island is sprawling over an area of 100 hectares. The island has an undulating terrain and natural vegetation and is dotted with outcrops of volcanic rock, little lakes and magnificent white sandy beaches. It is one of the must include places in Mauritius Tour Packages. It is famous for the sandy beaches, beautiful lagoon and various activities. Considered as 137 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

water sports paradise, Ile aux Cerfs Island offers various water sports like swimming, snorkeling, water skiing, glass bottom boats and more. The coral reef is beautiful and full of marine life, and together with the large black rocks that protrude into the water, it is an ideal place to snorkel and to enjoy the rich underwater world. It also has restaurants, and a five stars hotel with a golf course. The island hosts the world renowned Bernard Langer 18-hole championship golf course managed by Le Touessrok hotel. Black River Gorges National Park Black River Gorges National Park is the only national park situated in south-western part of Mauritius. Spread over 6754 hectares, the park covers around 3.5% of the total land area of Mauritius and conserves the remains of the island’s indigenous tropical forests. It is famous for its waterfalls, vistas and hiking trails. It can be a spectacular place for all the bird watchers and also one of the top places to experience Mauritius Tourism. Many endemic plants and animals can be found in the park including the Mauritian flying fox, Mauritius kestrel, pink pigeon, Mauritius parakeet, cuckoo-shrike, Mauritius bulbul, etc. It nurtures around 311 rare species of plants out of the 700 of the Mauritian Islands. The Black River Gorges National Park is the largest protected forest of Mauritius, providing over 50 km of hiking trails. Mauritius Botanical Garden The Botanical Garden, formally known as Sir Seewoosagur Botanical Garden, is located in the proximity of Port-Louis in the district of Pamplemousse. After London’s Kew Gardens the SSR Gardens is one of the world’s best botanical gardens and also one of the most visited attractions in Mauritius. The garden was initially opened as a private garden by the French governor of Mauritius nearly 300 years ago, later it became the national botanical garden of Mauritius. The botanical garden stretches over endless acres of land. It is populated with more than 650 varieties of plants among which the famous ones are Baobabs, Palmier Bouteille, Giant Water Lilies, dozens of medicinal plants, a large spice garden and many more. The centerpiece of the gardens is a pond filled with giant Victoria Amazonica water lilies, native to South America. Various international dignitaries have planted trees in the garden, 138 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

including Nelson Mandela, Indira Gandhi and a host of British royals. Besides a wide variety of trees and plants, one can also find an old colonial castle called ‘Chateau Mon Plaisir’, a sugar mill and a farm with deer and turtles here. Chamarel Falls & Seven Coloured Earths Chamarel is a small village on the west coast of Mauritius, near Tamarin and Le Morne. However, Chamarel is better known for Coloured Earths and Chamarel Falls. The seven colored earth is a natural phenomenon and a prominent places to visit in Mauritius. The colors evolved through conversion of basaltic lava to clay minerals. It is said that if you mix the colours together, they will separate on their own. Another interesting place to see at Chamarel is the Chamarel Falls on the St. Denis River. There are three distinct streams of water plunging down from a height of 272 feet into a gorge. Many consider this is the most beautiful waterfall of Mauritius. The sight of this impressive waterfall against the scenic forest and mountains is truly breath-taking. La Vanille Nature Park Located in the southern village of Riviere des Anguilles, La Vanilla Nature Park unfolds a sanctuary hosting species such as Nile crocodiles, Alligators, Giant tortoises from Seychelles and Madagascar respectively. La Vanille is also the largest Giant Aldabra tortoises’ center of reproduction in the world with more than 500 tortoises of all ages roaming freely in the park. Its insectarium uncovers the different butterflies and insects. Mr. Jacques Siedlecki the conservative of this collection has spent more than 30 years to collect these species of insects, Paguroidea from all over the globe. The Vanille Nature Park of Mauritius features also an Aquarium, a tortoise museum, an ammonite fossils museum including an incursion in the world of Mauritian marine mammals. There is also a ‘Jungle Adventure Playground’ in the park which offers fun attractions and activities for children. Trou aux Cerfs Trou aux Cerfs, also known as Murr’s Volcano, is a dormant volcano located about half a mile west of the city of Curepipe, Mauritius. The astonishing natural formation is a fantastic 139 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

example of ‘cone and crater’ volcano, which essentially means that it has a large concave valley at the peak of the volcano. This imposing dormant volcano stands nearly 2,000 feet above the surrounding landscape and is 80 m deep. It is covered with lush flora and is a favourite spot for joggers. According to experts, the volcano is lying dormant but could become active at any time within the next thousand years. The crater is only accessible down a steep embankment which is considered dangerous. Water and silt have clogged the crater, making it even less accessible. From here, one can get lovely views of the surroundings. Grand Bassin Grand Bassin or Ganga Talao is a crater lake situated in a secluded mountain area in the district of Savanne, Mauritius. Situated at an altitude of 1800 feet, Ganga Talao is considered the most sacred Hindu place in Mauritius and one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage sites outside of India. The Sagar Shiv Mandir is located on the bank of the lake and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. There are temples dedicated to other Gods including Lord Hanuman, Goddess Ganga, and Lord Ganesh along the Grand Bassin. There is also a 108 foot tall statue of Lord Shiva at the entrance which is a faithful copy of the Shiva statue of Sursagar Lake in Vadodara, Gujarat, India. During Shivaratri, many pilgrims in Mauritius walk bare feet from their homes to the lake. Casela World of Adventures / Casela Nature Park The Casela World of Adventures is a scenic nature park situated beside the Rempart Mountain in the southwest region of Mauritius. Casela, is one of the two animal parks of the island, the other one being La Vanille. It is the oldest park and also one of the top sightseeing places to visit in Mauritius. Casela World of Adventures forms part of the Yemen Reserve. The Casela World of Adventures is spread over an area of 250 hectares of rugged terrain, lush forest, scorched-earth safari and breath-taking gorges in the mountain area. It is a haven for indigenous and exotic species like Java deer, wild boars, hares, macaque monkeys, mongoose and fruit bats, as well as to ebony, cassias, tamarind and pink pepper plants. The dynamic and vibrant park stands out for its diversity of leisure activities including authentic safari tours, speedy rides on off-road vehicles and extreme adventures. ‘Interaction with big 140 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

cats’ and the hour-long ‘walking with lions’ are the popular activities at Casela and also one of the top things to do in Mauritius. Ile_Aux_Agrettes Ile aux Aigrettes is a tiny coral island 800 m off the south-east coast of Mauritius near the small town of Mahebourg. The island has been declared a nature conservation site and is being preserved by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation. It has an area of 27 hectares and is the largest islet in the Grand Port bay. It is made of coralline limestone partially overlain by sand and soil deposits and is the last refuge of dry, coastal forest remaining on Mauritius. Ile aux Aigrettes became a nature reserve in 1965. The Mauritian Wildlife Foundation (MWF) has put tremendous efforts in this coral island, to get rid of exotic species and let the original forest recover. A few of the world’s rarest birds, including the kestrel, rare Pink Pigeon, the Green Gecko Phelsuma and the Aldabra giant tortoise can be seen here. Other species such as birds and the giant tortoise have also been re-introduced. Thus Ile aux Aigrettes has become a beautiful ecological spot that is worth discovering. SUMMARY • Tourism in Mauritius is an important component of the Mauritian economy as well as a significant source of its foreign exchange revenues. The tourism industry is also a major economic pillar on the island of Rodrigues; however, tourism has not been developed in Agaléga Islands. Mauritius is mostly appreciated by tourist for its natural environment and man-made attractions, the multi-ethnic and cultural diversity of the population, the tropical climate, beaches and water sports. • The tourism sector is supervised by the Ministry of Tourism and Leisure. The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) promotes Mauritius by conducting advertising campaigns, participating in tourism fairs and organizing, in collaboration with the local tourism industry, promotional campaign and activities in Mauritius and abroad. The Tourism Authority (TA) is responsible for licensing, regulating and supervising the activities of tourist enterprises, pleasure craft, skippers and canvassers. It also contributes to the uplifting of the destination and provides technical assistance to Rodrigues island. The Association des Hôteliers et Restaurateurs de l'île 141 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Maurice (AHRIM) is a non-profitable organization set up in 1973 to represent and promote the interests of hotels and restaurants in Mauritius. • Major Mauritian hotel groups include LUX* Resorts & Hotels, Beachcomber Resorts & Hotels, Sun Resorts, Constance, Long Beach resorts, Attitude and VLH/Heritage. • According Statistics Mauritius, total passenger arrivals to Mauritius in 2011 was 1,294,387 and tourist arrivals for the year attained 964,642. In 2012, two emerging markets, the Russian Federation and People’s Republic of China, registered positive growths of 58.9% and 38.0%, respectively. According to the Bank of Mauritius, the gross tourism receipts was Rs44 billion in 2012. The forecast number of tourist arrival for 2013 was 1 million. • Data from State smauritius.govmu.org on tourism arrivals for 2018 shows that \"1.The number of tourist arrivals for the year 2018 increased by 4.3% to attain 1,399,408 compared to 1,341,860 for the year 2017 2. Tourist arrivals by air increased by 3.6% from 1,312,295 in 2017 to 1,359,688 in 2018 while those arriving by sea increased by 34.3% from 29,565 to 39,720. 3. The performance of our main markets, which accounted for 71% of total tourist arrivals for the year 2018\". • Mauritius has a mixed developing economy based on manufactured exports, agriculture, tourism, and financial services. Government efforts to diversify the economy after 1980 have been successful, and the island is no longer as completely dependent on sugar production as it was throughout most of its history. The gross domestic product, among the highest of African countries, grew more rapidly than the population in the 1990s and 2000s. KEYWORDS • Freedom: in the World is a yearly survey and report by the U.S.-based and U.S. government funded non-governmental organization Freedom House that measures the degree of civil liberties and political rights in every nation and significant related and disputed territories around the world. • Hinduism: is an Indian religion and dharma, or way of life. It is the world's third- 142 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

largest religion with over 1.25 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global population, known as Hindus. • The dodo: is an extinct flightless bird that was endemic to the island of Mauritius, east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. • The wildlife of Mauritius: is composed of its flora and fauna. Mauritius is located in the Indian Ocean to the east of Madagascar • Free education: is education funded through government spending or charitable organizations rather than tuition funding. Many models of free higher education have been proposed. LEARNING ACTIVITY 1. Discuss the about how many countries don’t required VISA for Mauritius? 2. Discuss how the beaches of Mauritius are different from other countries. UNIT END QUESTIONS 143 A. Descriptive Types Questions 1. Explain, what do you understand by country economy? 2. Discuss, what is the tourism statistics of Mauritius? 3. Do you know how many countries not required VISA for country visit? 4. Explain what is the significance of Trou aux cerfs? 5. Discuss, what is the economy stand of Country? CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

B. Multiple Choice Questions 1. According Statistics Mauritius, total passenger arrivals to Mauritius in .......................was 1,294,387 and tourist arrivals for the year attained 964,642. a. 2012 b. 2010 c. 2009 d. 2011 2. The Casela World of Adventures is spread over an area of ............. hectares of rugged terrain, lush forest, scorched-earth safari and breath-taking gorges in the mountain area. a. 250 b. 300 c. 150 d. 400 3. Country is a small island country in Africa with the main islands called ................. and Rodrigues. a. Mauritius b. India c. Africa 144 d. Antarctica CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

4. There are temples dedicated to other Gods including Lord Hanuman, Goddess Ganga, and Lord Ganesh along the………. . a. India b. Grand Bassin c. Madagascar d. Africa 5. Tourism sector of Mauritius is supervised by…………….. a. The Mauritius Tourism and Travel Promotion Authority b. The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority and Company c. The Tourism Authority d. The Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority Answer 1. d 2. a 3. a 4. b 5. a REFERENCES • A. K. Raina. (2010). Tourism Destination Management: Principles and Practices Paperback. New Delhi: Kanishka Publishing House. • Dimitrios Buhalis, John Crotts, Roger March. (2000). Global Alliances in Tourism and Hospitality Management.UK and New York: Routledge publishing. • A.K Bhatia. (2006). International Tourism Management. Noida: Sterling Publishers. • National geography. (2016) Destinations of a Lifetime (National Geographic). 145 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Washington D.C.: National geography publishers. • Bahadur, Gaiutra (2014). Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture. The University of Chicago. ISBN 978-0-226-21138-1. • Moree, Perry J. (1998). A Concise History of Dutch Mauritius, 1598-1710: A Fruitful and Healthy Land. Routledge. • Vink, Markus (2003). \"'The World's Oldest Trade': Dutch Slavery and Slave Trade in the Indian Ocean in the Seventeenth Century\". Journal of World History. 14 (2): 131- 177. doi:10.1353/jwh.2003.0026. 146 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

UNIT 8: ITALY I 147 Structure Learning objectives Introductions History Background Climate Terrains Map work Summary Keywords Learning activity Unit end questions References LEARNING OBJECTIVES After studying this unit, you will be able to: • Explain Italy History and its Background, • State Country’s Climatic conditions and Terrain, • Discuss the geographical representations on Map work INTRODUCTIONS CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

Italy, country of south-central Europe, occupying a peninsula that juts deep into the Mediterranean Sea. Italy comprises some of the most varied and scenic landscapes on Earth and is often described as a country shaped like a boot. At its broad top stand the Alps, which are among the world’s most rugged mountains. Italy’s highest points are along Monte Rosa, which peaks in Switzerland, and along Mont Blanc, which peaks in France. The western Alps overlook a landscape of Alpine lakes and glacier-carved valleys that stretch down to the Po River and the Piedmont. Tuscany, to the south of the cisalpine region, is perhaps the country’s best-known region. From the central Alps, running down the length of the country, radiates the tall Apennine Range, which widens near Rome to cover nearly the entire width of the Italian peninsula. South of Rome the Apennines narrow and are flanked by two wide coastal plains, one facing the Tyrrhenian Sea and the other the Adriatic Sea. Much of the lower Apennine chain is near-wilderness, hosting a wide range of species rarely seen elsewhere in western Europe, such as wild boars, wolves, asps, and bears. The southern Apennines are also tectonically unstable, with several active volcanoes, including Vesuvius, which from time to time belches ash and steam into the air above Naples and its island-strewn bay. At the bottom of the country, in the Mediterranean Sea, lie the islands of Sicily and Sardinia. HISTORY Italy in the early Middle Ages The Roman Empire was an international political system in which Italy was only a part, though an important part. When the empire fell, a series of barbarian kingdoms initially ruled the peninsula, but, after the Lombard invasion of 568–569, a network of smaller political entities arose throughout Italy. How each of these developed—in parallel with the others, out of the ruins of the Roman world—is one principal theme of this section. The survival and development of the Roman city is another. The urban focus of politics and economic life inherited from the Romans continued and expanded in the early Middle Ages and was the unifying element in the development of Italy’s regions. The late Roman Empire and the Ostrogoths The military emperors of the late 3rd century, most notably Diocletian (284–305), reformed 148 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)

the political structures of the Roman Empire. They restructured the army after the disasters of the previous 50 years, extensively developed the civil bureaucracy and the ceremonial rituals of imperial rule, and, above all, reorganized and enlarged the tax system. The fiscal weight of the late Roman Empire was heavy, given the resources of the period: its major support, the land tax, collected by local city governments, took at least one-fifth, and probably one-third, of the agricultural produce. On the other hand, the administration and the army that the tax system paid for reestablished a measure of stability for the empire in the 4th century. Central government was not always stable; there were several periods of civil war in the 4th century, notably in the decade after Diocletian’s retirement and in the years around 390. But succession disputes had been a normal part of imperial politics since the Julio-Claudians in the 1st century AD; in general, self-confidence in the 4th-century empire was fairly high. Aggressive emperors such as Valentinian I (364–375) could not have imagined that within a century nearly all of the Western Empire was to be under barbarian rule. Nor was this lack of a sense of doom a simple delusion; after all, in the richer Eastern provinces the imperial system held firm for many centuries, in the form of the Byzantine Empire. Italy since 1945 When World War II ended in Europe in May 1945, all the anti-Fascist parties formed a predominantly northern government led by the Resistance hero and Party of Action leader Ferruccio Parri. The CLNs continued to administer the northern regions and the larger northern factories for a short time. Up to 15,000 Fascists were purged or killed, and in some areas (such as Emilia and Tuscany) reprisals continued through 1946. Women “collaborators” had their heads shaved and were paraded through the streets. A commission was set up to purge Fascists throughout the country. (A similar body had been operating in the south since 1943.) The purges caused much alarm, as virtually anybody with a job in the public sector had had to be a member of the Fascist Party. Soon there was an anti-purge backlash, supported by the Liberals. In reality, the purges were short-lived and superficial, and even leading Fascists were able to benefit from a series of amnesties, the most important of which was backed by the Communist minister of justice, Togliatti. In November 1945 Parri was forced to resign and was replaced by the Christian Democratic leader, Alcide De Gasperi, who formed a more moderate—and “Roman,” or southern—interparty government. It soon gave up attempts at a purge, returned the large industrial firms to their previous owners, and 149 CU IDOL SELF LEARNING MATERIAL (SLM)