Published on : Saturday, July 14, 2018
Officials said that currently, the average time spent in Delhi by foreign tourists is around 1.8 days and the aim is to increase this to 3.6 days. Delhi’s economy is primarily driven by services, among which tourism is important. The capital also has the largest and busiest international airport, handling 58 million passengers in 2016-17, as per the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). WTTC also found that the city generated Rs. 320 crore in tourism in 2016, but only a third from foreign tourists, with American tourists accounting for 11% of total foreign visits.
The tourism officials said that problems in attracting foreign tourists ranged from increased concerns about air pollution, especially during winter to safety of travellers, particularly women, in the capital.
The officials said that the strategy will see the government create specialized itineraries, which in turn will be circulated for prospective tourists. “Right now, people come to Delhi and make their way elsewhere. But the idea is that they should know, for instance, that Friday is a good day to be in the city as there are cultural events that take place at monuments,” said a tourism official.
The Delhi Arts, Culture and Language departments will create these itineraries, said officials.