‘Incredible India’ continues to draw foreigners looking to be part of the experience, travel advisories from countries like the United States, notwithstanding.
Statistics suggest that there has not been a significant dip in tourist arrivals into India in 2009, say Cox & Kings, a major global travel operator. “Travellers are aware of travel advisories. However, people continue to travel,” says Mr Karan Anand, Head of Relationships and Supplier Management, Cox and Kings.
“I equate an attack in India to an attack in the US. I won’t stop going to the country because of a few attacks, I’ll just be more aware,” said Mr Narayan Bhargava, a US citizen and frequent visitor to India.
Following the US attacks of September 11, 2001, terrorism took on a whole new significance and became part of popular vocabulary for millions. A routine search of the word ‘terrorism’ on Google yields 40.9 million results. After a spate of terror attacks globally - 9/11, Madrid bombings - global citizens seem to have come to accept that terrorism is not exclusive to hostile parts of the world.
Tourists do not necessarily co-relate occasional acts of terrorism as a representation of poor security infrastructure of a country. “I am not concerned about my safety travelling in India any more than I would be concerned about my safety if I were travelling to Mexico or even parts of Europe,” says Mr Scott Parks, an undergraduate at the University of Texas- Austin who is planning to travel through India with his friends in December. “Most of my friends respond with envy that I am going to get to experience this part of the world,” he adds.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that present concerns for travelling to India by foreigners are much similar to what they have been in the past. Tourists are confident that the Indian administration would take the necessary steps to ensure safety of tourists. “I don’t think I’ll feel insecure while there (India). I plan on taking every safety precaution and I’m confident in the steps the Indian government has taken since the attacks to ensure safety for tourists,” says Mr Chad Zidow, Scott’s classmate who will be joining him on his India trip.
Health concerns
Interestingly, health concerns were a dominant theme amongst these travellers — perhaps more than safety. “I personally wasn’t concerned about the safety in India or the Mumbai attacks, but my mom did express some concerns over safety - mostly health concerns though,” quipped Mr Zidow.
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