While the recent German bakery bomb blast in Pune is of course tragic, it has also precipitated the countries of UK, USA and Australia into issuing travel advisories against India.
With the Commonwealth Games 2010 looming on the horizon, are the advisories going to affect the projected visitor numbers? Said Rajji Rai, president TAAI: “It’s a difficult question. The travel advisories have been given by three countries as of now, and our government has pooh-poohed it and is doing its best to contain it.
If this snowballs into a mini controversy then yes, it will have an impact. Unlike Indians who travel at a moment’s notice, Americans and Europeans would have already planned their trip for the CWG.
If the US and UK take a stern stand, then it will have a short-term as well as long-term impact and I fear that, as it will have a spiral effect. It is unfair that the travel trade is targetted every time something happens,” he said sombrely.
