Tour operators ask govt for confidence building steps

Move made after a survey recorded 25% fall in tourist arrivals

Tour operators have demanded the government strengthen tourism police and launch a 24-hour multi-lingual helpline after a a survey report claimed that number of foreign tourists in India fell 25% in last three months due to sexual assault incidents.

Foreign tourists inflow into India has registered a significant drop of 25% in the last three months that too in the busy tourists season after unfortunate rape incidents reported internally in India, according to quick random survey undertaken by ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation (ASDF).

The report released on Sunday also states that from December 2012 onwards the number of women foreign tourists coming to the country has reduced by 35% and the overall tourist arrivals are 25% less.

ASSOCHAM Secretary General, D S Rawat said, the tourism industry has primarily been impacted due to deteriorating standards of safety and security. "In-bound foreign tourists have opted other Asian countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam etc. The situation has been further aggravated by the advisory issued by various countries to their citizens visiting India to be cautious and avoid the country,'' he said.

While Arjun Sharma, managing director of Le Passage to India, the largest  inbound tour operator questioned the authenticity of the survey and termed it sensational, Indian Association of Tour Operators has demanded that the government take stringent measures to ensure safety following recent incidents.

"There is an urgent need to revive the confidence amongst tourists about safety and security in India,'' said Subhash Goyal, president of IATO. He has demanded strengthening of tourism police and launch of 24 hours helpline for tourists. Goyal also said three star and four star hotels should be also put in place security arrangements.

Last week tourism minister K Chiranjeevi spoke with home minister  Home Minister  SushilKumar Shinde following a rape attempt on a British tourist in Agra  and requested him to put in place a proper system to ensure the safety and security of tourists especially women and children. The tourism ministry has written to  all the chief ministers urging them to institute an adequate safety mechanism for tourists in their respective states.

The Tourism Minister said that his Ministry has set a target to double the receipt of international tourist arrivals by 2016 taking 2011 as base. He said “This would mean that our foreign tourist arrivals need to register a growth of 12% per annum. Last year, foreign tourist arrivals to the country registered a growth of 5.4% and foreign exchange earnings in rupee terms registered an impressive growth of 21.8%

"We have taken up with the tourism ministry to step up advertising and marketing efforts,'' said Sharma. According to him there has been a slow down in arrival of foreign tourists and concern expressed over recent crime incidents but no cancellations. "Instead of 8-10% growth in arrivals we may see 4-5% growth,'' he said.