1. Introduction, 2. Spiritual Heritage Tourist Centres in Tamil Nadu, 3. Cultural Heritage Tourist Centres in Tamil Nadu, 4. Natural Heritage Tourist Centres in Tamil Nadu, 5. Fairs, Festivals and Folk Entertainments in Tamil Nadu, 6. Tourism Plant Facilities in Tamil Nadu, 7. Conclusion and Suggestions. - PREFACE: “Tourism in Tamil Nadu - Growth and Development” is a captivating theme. Man has been fascinated by travel and tourism from the earliest historical period. He always has had the urge to discover the unknown, to explore new and strange places, to seek changes of environment and to undergo new experiences. Travelling to achieve these ends is not new, but tourism is of a relatively modern origin. Tourism is distinguishable by its mass character from the travel undertaken in the past. This is largely a post-second world war phenomenon. Until recently only affluent people participated in tourism. Increased leisure, higher incomes and greatly enhanced mobility have combined to enable more people to participate in Tourism. Revolution in transport, technological progress and the emergence of a middle class with time and money to spare for recreation, has led to the growth of tourism—”the modern holiday industry”. Thus tourism is no longer the prerogative of a few but is an accepted part of life of a large number of people. India is one of the oldest civilizations with a kaleidoscopic variety and rich cultural heritage. For centuries India has been a centre of attraction for different people for different reasons. The ancient invaders viewed it as a goldmine with unlimited wealth to plunder; the learned were fascinated by its mystic spiritualism and profound philosophy; the uninitiated saw it as a land of naked fakirs and snake charmers; while the others were simply charmed by the sheer beauty of its natural attractions and amazing variety of its flora and fauna.

Taking a global and multidisciplinary approach, The SAGE International Encyclopedia of Travel and Tourism examines the world travel and tourism industry, which is expected to grow at an annual rate of four percent for the next decade.

In fewer than three hundred years tourism has become a global service industry of great economic, cultural and political importance. Published to critical acclaim, the Encyclopedia of Tourism - now available as a Routledge World Reference title - is the definitive one-volume reference source to this challenging multisectoral industry and multi disciplinary field of study. Comprising over one thousand entries, this volume has been written by an international team of contributors to provide a comprehensive guide to both the manifest and hidden dimensions of tourism. It explores the wide range of definitions, concepts, perspectives and institutions and includes: comprehensive coverage of key issues and concepts definitions of all terms and acronyms entries on the significant institutions, associations and journals in the field country-specific tourism profiles, from Greece to Japan and Kenya to Peru thorough analysis of the trends and patterns of tourism development and growth. The extensive cross-referencing and comprehensive index will assist the reader in making links between the diverse aspects of tourism studies, and the suggestions for further reading are invaluable.

Marine tourism has become one of the fastest growing areas within the tourism industry. With the increased use of marine environments comes the need for informed planning and sustainable management as well as for the education and training of planners, managers and operators. Combining the disciplines of marine scientists and tourism researchers, this encyclopedia will bring together the terms, concepts and theories related to recreational and tourism activities in marine settings. Entries range from short definitions to medium and long articles.

Different tourism sites and destinations require different management approaches to maintain resources for both tourists and native populations. Through evaluating ongoing patterns in the industry, businesses are able to maintain an equilibrium between the local community and tourist populations. Managing Sustainable Tourism Resources is a scholarly publication that takes an in-depth look at the different aspects of tourism as well as its impacts on cultural awareness, ecological harmony, and diversity. Additionally, it analyzes the operational functions within varying types of tourism and business strategies including women entrepreneurship, tourism in national parks and sanctuaries, and sustainable management. This book is a vital resource for entrepreneurs, policy makers, managers, economists, business professionals, academicians, and researchers seeking coverage on the management and sustainable tourism.

When asking the question what is wine? there are various ways to answer. Wine is extolled as a food, a social lubricant, an antimicrobial and antioxidant, and a product of immense economic significance. But there is more to it than that. When did humans first start producing wine and what are its different varieties? Are wines nutritious or have any therapeutic values—do they have any role in health or are they simply intoxicating beverages? How are their qualities determined or marketed and how are these associated with tourism? Concise Encyclopedia of Science and Technology of Wine attempts to answer all these questions and more. This book reveals state-of-the-art technology of winemaking, describing various wine regions of the world and different cultivars used in winemaking. It examines microbiology, biochemistry, and engineering in the context of wine production. The sensory qualities of wine and brandy are explored, and the composition, nutritive and therapeutic values, and toxicity are summarized. Selected references at the end of each chapter provide ample opportunity for additional study. Key Features: Elaborates on the recent trends of control and modeling of wine and the techniques used in the production of different wines and brandies Focuses on the application of biotechnology, especially genetic engineering of yeast, bioreactor technological concepts, enzymology, microbiology, killer yeast, stuck and sluggish fermentation, etc. Illustrates the biochemical basis of wine production including malolactic fermentation Examines marketing, tourism, and the present status of the wine industry Concise Encyclopedia of Science and Technology of Wine contains the most comprehensive, yet still succinct, collection of information on the science and technology of winemaking. With 45 chapters contributed by leading experts in their fields, it is an indispensable treatise offering extensive details of the processes of winemaking. The book is an incomparable resource for oenologists, food scientists, biotechnologists, postharvest technologists, biochemists, fermentation technologists, nutritionists, chemical engineers, microbiologists, toxicologists, organic chemists, and the undergraduate and postgraduate students of these disciplines.