The Hindu : National : 26/11 had minor impact on tourism: Soni

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26/11 had minor impact on tourism: Soni

Vinay Kumar

Centre striving to ensure India remains a safe destination

Ministry planning to declare 2009 as “Visit India Year”
The sector still growing at the rate of 12 to 14% annually

NEW DELHI: Tourism and hospitality sectors may be facing minor hiccups in the wake of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks but Union Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni reiterated that the government was pulling all stops to ensure that India remained a safe destination for all visitors, including foreigners.

Ms. Soni said that up to November this year, nearly 4.85 million foreign tourists visited India as compared to 4.48 million last year. Considering that it was the peak tourist season, she said that the Mumbai terror attacks did not have substantial impact on the sector, which was still growing at an annual rate of 12 to 14 per cent as against six per cent of growth the world over.

She said that her Ministry was planning to declare 2009 as “Visit India Year.”

Security organisation

Even before last month’s Mumbai terror strikes, Ms. Soni had taken up with the Union Home Ministry a proposal to set up a Tourist Security Organisation comprising ex-servicemen but it could not be implemented due to lack of adequate funds.

With P. Chidambaram taking over the reins of the Home Ministry, Ms. Soni has suggested that the Ministry meet up to 50 per cent of the recurring expenditure on the salaries of the employees of the proposed Tourist Security Organisation for five years.

‘Positive response’

Pointing out that she had already written to the former Home Minister, Shivraj Patil, on the safety concerns of tourists, Ms. Soni said that all States and Union Territories had responded in a positive manner for setting up such a force.

In a letter to Mr. Chidambaram recently, she urged him to grant “in principle” approval to the suggestion of meeting 50 per cent of the recurring expenditure on Tourist Security Organisation so that her ministry could work out other modalities, logistics and financial implications in coordination with the States.

Concerns relating to security in all segments of hotels, particularly after the Mumbai terror attack at the Oberoi-Trident and Taj hotels, came to the fore during a meeting of the Tourist Advisory Council. The meeting was presided over by Ms. Soni.

Advisories

She said that the External Affairs Ministry had already sent out advisories to all missions and embassies abroad, stressing that India remained a safe destination.

Frisking planned

The Minister said that all hotels had agreed to cross-check and verify antecedents of their security personnel, more so if they were outsourced, in a bid to streamline and tighten security measures in hotels.

She said that baggage scanners and frisking would be among the measures to be introduced by the hotels to ensure security of the people and their guests.

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