India safe for foreign tourists, says industry study

83% of respondents viewed current environment 'totally safe' for foreign travellers in India

Countries such as Britain, Canada, New Zealand and Australia might have declared India “unsafe” for tourists, but a majority of respondents in an Indian industry body survey think otherwise.

The Ficci tourism scenario 2013 survey, released by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry today, said 83 per cent of the respondents viewed the current environment as “totally safe” for foreign travellers in India.

Ironically, the survey comes within weeks of the gang-rape of a Swiss tourist in Madhya Pradesh, attempted assault on a British woman in an Agra hotel, and rape and murder of another British national in a house boat in Srinagar. The incidents led to a spurt in travel advisories from several countries.

The survey, however, noted: “Cleanliness and security, in particular for women, in and around the tourist sites is a key concern for foreign tourists and there is an urgent need to improve them.”

The survey was conducted over the past 15 days among 480 people, including stakeholders in tourism such as hotels, tour operators, travel agents, airlines, investors and tourism associations.

More than half of the respondents (66 per cent) felt hotel rates were expensive, but not burdensome, while 75 per cent said the airfare structure for foreign tourist movement in the country was expensive, compared to competing destinations.

The survey recommended rationalisation of the tax structure and the licensing regime to promote mid-range accommodation. Besides, it also stressed on “innovative marketing campaigns and tourist facilitation services to remain attractive to the footloose foreign tourist arrivals”.

Foreign tourist arrivals grew 2.8 per cent in March over the previous year.

However, growth in March 2012 over the previous year was 16.3 per cent. The survey quoted 46 respondents as confident of growth in foreign tourist inflow in the next six months. While it mentioned the March 2013 growth figure, it did not mention the much higher growth achieved last year.

The survey also said the tourism industry contributed around 6.4 per cent to the country’s gross domestic product and 7.8 per cent towards total employment.
^{* 45% say no likely impact of slowdown on tourism till October 2013}

* 45% found the Union Budget 2013 negative
* 75% felt airfares in the country expensive
* 91% rate hygiene and sanitation as very important criteria for choosing India as a destination
* 66% find hotel tariffs expensive but not burdensome

Survey conducted among 480 respondents from the tourism industry