Violence Against Women Affecting India’s Image, Tourism Report Says
NEW DELHI – An independent travel report has said recent cases of violence against women have tarnished the country’s image and recommended strong steps to tackle the problem. The World Travel and Tourism Council India Initiative comes even as the country is agog with the gruesome gang rape and murder of two cousins in Badaun, Uttar Pradesh.
The WTTCII report — that was submitted to the tourism ministry on Tuesday — said, “India tourism is facing immense negative publicity from the international media on reoccurring incidents of incidents of rape/molestation cases against women foreign tourists.”
The report has suggested a two pronged strategy to counter safety and security threats and negative publicity to be implemented by both government of India and by tourism ministry. “The strategy should be developed by the tourism ministry in conjunction with the ministries of home affairs, external affairs and I&B. This includes ensuring speedy trials, sensitization of stakeholders especially state government and law and order apparatus and evolving a strategy to tackle the negative publicity,” it said.
According to UNWTO, India ranks 41st in international tourist arrivals, 16th in world tourism receipts and seventh in Asia Pacific region for tourism receipts during 2012. India is ranked 65th out of 144 countries in the World Economic Forum Travel and tourism competiveness report 2013.
WTTCII chairman Dipak Deva said, “As India seeks to stimulate sustainable economic growth based on employment generation, the opportunities offered by travel and tourism are clear and prominent. What is needed is a clear, focused plan to get the basics right and a sustained effort in delivering the ‘Incredible India’ promise to both domestic and international tourists.”
The report suggests focus on creating adequate accommodation. The WTTCII HVS Report on the Indian hospitality sector said by 2020, India will need 180,000 additional rooms, $25.5 billion for constructing these rooms and about 211,000 people to operate them. It also underlined the need for provision for electronic visas. Improvements in the visa regime could mean an increase of 6 million international visitors for India resulting in $8 million more spend and creating 1.8 million jobs over three years.
The WTTC annual economic impact report 2014 for India shows travel and tourism’s economic contribution is expected to grow by 7.3 per cent this year, outperforming the general economy by 2.5 percentage points. Revenues gained from domestic tourism rose by 5.1 per cent in 2013 and is expected to increase by 8.2 per cent in 2014 the amount that international visitors spent in India rose by 6.2 per cent in 2013 but is forecast to slow to a 2.9 per cent growth rate in 2014.
WTTC research shows in India, $1 million in travel and tourism spending (consumption) generates $1.3 million in GDP. This is roughly the same impact as the mining and communications sector.
