No. of foreign tourists falls 25% after fatal Delhi gang rape
India's image of `Incredible India' suffered a big blow following the fatal gang rape of a young physiotherapist student on a running bus in Delhi last December.
The number of foreign tourists arriving in India slipped 25 per cent year-on-year in the three months starting this year, mainly due to fears about the risk of sexual assaults in the country.
The number of female foreign tourists slipped 35 per cent during the same three-month period, giving a clear signal that female tourists are now more concerned about their safety in the country.
The findings are a part of industry body Associated Chambers of Commerce & Industry of India's ASSOCHAM's study based on a survey of nearly 1,200 tour operators.
While the government's is depicting a rosy picture of the country's tourism business, the study revealed that 72 per cent of tour operators reported a considerable rise in the number of cancellations, particularly by women travelers.
Around a month following the Delhi gang rape, Tourism Secretary Parvez Dewan had claimed, "So far there has been no adverse impact on tourism."
Since then, at least six female tourists have complained to police about being attacked or traumatized by males at tourist destinations.
Several countries, like the United Kingdom and Switzerland, have already issue travels advisories for India.