Tourists flee ‘Incredible India’

f as a tourist you were to travel overseas, would you consider going to a country where nine terror strikes have claimed over 400 lives in just over six months?
Worse, if official travel advisory cautions against the possible threat a visitor would face “anytime” at all tourist sites, hotels, public places, shopping malls, markets and public transport?
If the answer is in negative, then perhaps the number of foreign tourists from westerns countries visiting “Incredible India” is bound to fall drastically as their travel advisories issued post-terror strikes in Mumbai portray the country as a destination where foreign visitors are not safe anymore.
Take the case of advisory issued by the USA, which emerged as top tourism generating market for India last year. It says while terrorist attacks are not new to India, the 26 November Mumbai terrorist attacks in part targeted American citizens and other westerners for the first time and tragically demonstrate that even in five-star luxury hotels, security is not equipped to deter such attacks.
“US citizens should take into account this new reality and exercise caution when visiting India” it says while warning of heightened security concerns in India.
The travel advisory issued by the United Kingdom which is the second largest tourism generating market for the country also warns that: “There is a high threat from terrorism throughout India including attacks targeting places frequented by foreign visitors and expatriates”. The list of number of terror strikes in last one year in various part of the country follows this information in the advisory.
It also warns of insurgency campaign by an ultra nationalists and violent extremist groups active in the rural areas of Bihar, Jharkland, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Orissa.
The Australian advisory advises its citizens to “reconsider” their need to travel to India “at this time” because of the very high risk of terrorist activity by terrorists and militant groups.
“The Mumbai attacks show terrorists in India are deliberately targeting Westerners. Further attacks cannot be ruled out. These attacks could take place at any time, anywhere, including in places frequented by foreigners,” it cautions.
The tourism ministry and the tour operators admit that the advisories issued by the western countries will hit the foreign tourist arrival in the country.