For the prospective traveler, India conjures up several images: the iconic Taj Mahal, the snow-covered peaks of the Himalayas, the bustling chaos of crowded cities, the gorgeous architecture of the temples of south India.
But these enchanting scenes might be overshadowed by another picture of India, one that is far grimmer.
While India attempts to enhance its image in the eyes of foreign tourists, a high-profile rape case in Delhi has raised concerns about the safety of female travelers to the country. On Dec.16, a 23-year-old woman was gang-raped and beaten on a moving bus by six people, while her male companion was brutally attacked. The crime and the woman’s subsequent death garnered international attention.
The media scrutiny comes after a solid year for Indian tourism. A year-end review by India’s Department of Tourism found that during the period January to November 2012 India saw approximately 5.9 million foreign tourists, an increase of about 6 percent from the same period in the previous year.
In 2012, the department introduced a number of initiatives aimed at improving the image of the country overseas. An ongoing advertising campaign called “Incredible India” has made its way to billboards across the world, in an attempt to create awareness and boost tourism in India.
In the days following the attack, while thousands poured out onto the streets of New Delhi to protest the rape, the embassies of the United States and Britain issued advisories advising their citizens to avoid parts of New Delhi. An advisory issued by the United States on Dec. 22 told American citizens to avoid the areas near India Gate and Rashtrapati Bhavan on Raisina Hill, where large demonstrations were being held to protest the government’s inaction on crimes against women. The notice further advised citizens to stay tuned to local newspapers for the latest news and warned that “demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn violent.”
Officials in India greeted the advisories with disdain. Indian politicians from across party lines issued statements saying that they felt that the warnings were uncalled for. At the event to introduce the “Incredible India” calendar, the tourism secretary, Parvez Dewan, said that the travel advisories issued by the United States and the United Kingdom had not affected the flow of foreign tourists to the country.
“So far there has been no adverse impact on tourism. Since the advisory not a single cancellation of booking has taken place, according to tour operators,” he said.
Tour operators say that while some prospective visitors have raised concerns, there have not been any cancellations. “Some tourists have e-mailed in asking whether it would be safe to travel, but no one has said that they have changed their mind about traveling to India,” said Gour Kanjilal, the executive director of the Indian Association of Tour Operators. “A heinous act took place, and people have protested peacefully as is expected in a democracy.”
Parikshat Laxminarayan, managing director and co-founder of the tour agency Enchanting India, said his company had not received any cancellations over safety concerns. “We believe that India is still among the safest countries in the world for men and women and especially for travelers,” he said.
However, travel agencies routinely recommend specific safety measures for female tourists in India. Mr. Kanjilal said that tour operators always recommend that female travelers exercise vigilance and visit tourist spots within certain hours.
Arun Varma, the chief executive at Prime Travels, said that following the Delhi gang rape he had received some queries about safety from clients in the United States and Europe. “We issue, as part of our standard operating procedures, an advisory to clients not to have ladies travel alone late nights or venture out to areas that are not part of the itinerary unless accompanied by a male friend or a local trustworthy contact,” he said.
For some tourists, the recent events have only reaffirmed concerns about their safety in India. Alyse Andalman, a 26-year-old from Chicago, was en route to India to attend a wedding when she heard about the rape case. While she did not consider canceling her trip, she recalled being frightened by the reports of the case.
“Even Indian friends of mine warned me that, as a single female, there were certain things I should steer clear of due to safety concerns,” she said. “I had my guard up before I left, and this story verifies that I was justified in that regard.”
