Click to play videoLondon: The travel industry in the United Kingdom is beginning to feel the impact of the Mumbai’s terror attacks.
Travel agents are reporting cancellations and postponements in what is the peak season for tourists travelling to India. Sharon Bamford heads the UK-India business council in London. She is a frequent business traveller to India as her work involves fostering business ties between the two countries. She says the Mumbai attacks will not deter her personally and she is all set to travel to India in January.
“It (the terror attack) wont stop me, and I don’t think it will stop British businesses. We will just be more alert, more sensitive like we did after the London bombings. This could happen anywhere,” says Bamford.
The UK Travel industry though is not too optimistic. The sector was already facing the brunt of the financial crisis and now the Mumbai attacks have made matters worse. In immediate aftermath of the attacks, most business travellers have postponed their trips and most holidaymakers have simply cancelled.
“We have had 50 per cent of our travellers cancelling, others have put their plans on hold for the time being. They just want to wait and watch some more,” says Ruby Wadhwa, Prime Travels, UK.
Last year more than 5 million foreigners travelled to India and the sector boasted an annual growth of over 14 per cent. With the peak season already underway, this year the numbers will be lower.
First the recession and now the terror attacks on Mumbai- its been a double blow for the travel and tourism sector. Remember this is the peak season for Britons and NRIs living here to travel to the country. Last year, more than 7. 5 lakh Britons travelled to India but this year that number will be much, much lower.
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