REGIONAL IDENTITY AND TOURISM POTENTIALS OF POTHOLES LANDFORMS

Tourism is important economic activity which also related to natural landscapes and beauty and bounties of nature. In modern economics, tourism plays a vital role in accelerating the progress of the countries and communities. It is also induces employment generation and infrastructural development that facilitates the overall development of a region on the one hand. On the other, the excessive and misfit utilization of resources for tourism leads to disturbance to the natural and socio-cultural environment. All round development of tourism in present era has been found to induce large scale degradation of geographical environment at a faster pace. Although it is said that geo-tourism is an environment sensitive activity which touches conservation of natural environment, it has not been total reality. In fact, geo-tourism is also studied by the researchers with narrowed perspectives while just focusing upon different geographical aspects of tourism and their spatial interpretation. Hence, to plan and develop geo-tourism as an important activity needs awareness and detailed study at a grass root level. After field observations the researcher felt that there is a need to look into the issues for awareness level of geo-tourism aspects and also suggests effective strategies for the same to make ecotourism important and useful. The trend of tourism in India with special reference to Maharashtra gives some hints of the potentials and drawbacks of tourism. The present study investigates the geo-tourism potentials of Potholes at Takli Haji in Shirur (Pune district) or Nighoj in Parner (Ahmednagar District). Physical environment is explained by using secondary sources of information and personal visits for observation. The tourism potentials and problems are studied by conducting the survey using the schedules and questionnaires. Different methods are used for analysis of the data and it is interpreted with evidences. The opportunities, drawbacks and remedies are also suggested for the geo-tourism.