No decline in foreign tourist arrival: Chiranjeevi

Tourism minister K Chiranjeevi on Thursday said that recent incidents of violence against foreigners may have short term impact but there is no dip in foreign tourist arrival. When such a thing happens then knee jerk reaction will be there but long term it will not be there..The recent data did not show any dip in the number of foreign tourist arrivals, he told a press conference in New Delhi.

Chiranjeevi also announced that India would host United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Commission's Conference on Sustainable Tourism Development and 25th Joint Meeting of the UNWTO Commission for East Asia, Pacific and South Asia will be held at Hyderabad from April 12-14.

Twenty-one countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Fiji, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, LAO PDR, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam - have confirmed their participation in the event.

"India accords great importance to the issue of sustainable tourism," union Minister for Tourism K. Chiranjeevi told reporters adding that the need of the hour was not the tourism growth alone but development in sustainable manner.
Over 250 delegates are expected to participate in the conference. The meeting will have over 100 delegates from the UNWTO member countries.

"The event will provide a great opportunity for Andhra Pradesh and particularly the city of Hyderabad to showcase the varied attractions and facilities to the international tourism fraternity and would help in promoting tourism in the state," the minister added.