GARVI GUJARAT IS A HIT WITH FOREIGN TOURISTS

Terror threat and swine flu hold no sway; number of foreign and NRI visitors highest in past five years

DILIP PATEL

Despite the double threat of terror attack and swine flu hanging over their heads, foreigners and NRIs are flocking to Gujarat. The state has posted the highest number of tourists in the past five years.
The state saw 31,728 visitors from abroad in December 2008. This rose to 36,378 in December 2009. Looking at the annual figures, the state received 2.28 lakh foreigners and NRI visitors between April 2008 and March 2009. And, by March 2010, tourism officials expect to register more than 3 lakh tourists.
Ahmedabad receives 30 per cent of the total tourist traffic that the state witnesses.
Tourism minister Jaynarayan Vyas said, “In the past five years, the state has witnessed a rise in the number of tourists from foreign countries.”
The dip in the number of visitors in December 2008 has been attributed to the July 26 blasts and recession
Vyas added, “This year, we have received the highest number of foreign tourists and NRIs. Gujarat’s image makeover as destination for business tourism and medical tourism is doing wonders.”
Awareness among the international community has significantly increased following the global investors’ summits. Earlier, international tourists used to come to Gujarat via Delhi and Mumbai. Now, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel airport in Ahmedabad is directly connected to seven international destinations, resulting in an increase in foreign tourists to the state.
The Gujarat Industrial and Technical Consultancy Organisation conducts surveys on tourists and supplies the data to the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Limited. GITCO’s tourist researcher Rohit Patel said, “We count tourists who fly in and stay at hotels. There are many NRIs who either own/rent a house or stay with relatives and friends.
“They are not part of our survey. This means that the state is receiving more tourists than recorded.”
He added, “Several foreign countries have released advisories warning against travel to India due to terror threat and the swine flu problem. This has affected tourism in the country. But Gujarat has recorded an increase foreign visitors.”
As part of its new drive to woo investors, the state government has also allowed foreigners and non-resident Indians visiting Gujarat to get liquor permits on the basis of their passports. This has put the shine back in the tourism sector too.
Meanwhile, TCGL is developing tourism on a ‘hub and spoke’ model. It is making a major city with urban infrastructure and facilities a base camp for tourists to visit about tourism destinations in the vicinity. The government is also developing 40 new destinations and 14 beaches across the state.
Patel said, “The government has been working hard at projecting the state as a hub for medical, religious and business tourism. The improvement in facilities like hotels, transportation etc draws the foreign crowd. Tourists from France and Italy came here to see the jain temples of Palitana. They are interested in its architecture and are fascinated by its archaeology.”
He added, “Since the past couple of years, a lot of NRGs and foreigners have come to India during November and December for medical treatment. Such people rarely cancel their plans, swine flu or no flu.”