“All journeys have secret destinations
of which the traveler is unaware.”-Martin Buber
Like the quote says, secret destinations of India await to be explored by
the travelers, when they arrive for the Common Wealth Games in October, 2010
in the capital city, New Delhi.
Predictions and Optimism
Expectations are positive that the travel industry will benefit the maximum
from the influx of spectators and participants from different countries, for
the Games. Government of India is planning to commence the 'Discover India
in CWG 2010' programme to cash in the 10 million tourists that are expected
to step on India's turf, during the second most important sports event. It
is also speculated that foreign tourists in India would increase from 5
percent to around 10 percent in October, 2010.
According to ASSOCHAM, India is going to get around USD 16,915 million in
the year 2010, from tourism alone.
The main objectives of the Indian Government and the Indian Tourism Sector
in this scenario of optimism would be:
1.To enhance the image of India as a tourist destination
2.To design suitable tour packages according to the Common Wealth Games
Schedule
3.To develop the supporting infrastructure of tourism like transportation
systems, communication networks, money exchanger etc.
4.To develop not just the national capital, but also the major tourist
destinations.
5.To make arrangements for an overall convenience and satisfaction of the
travelers.
Gearing Up for the Event
Government is gearing up to keep pace with the influx of opportunities
related to the big event. New AC buses are being launched, new hotels are
being inaugurated, network of metro railway line is being completed to
perfection, stadiums are being equipped with finesse, capacity of the
airports in being increased, new tour packages are being deigned and tourist
destinations are being recreated as travel havens.
No stone is being left unturned as India gears up for the important event
and of course, it cant afford to take a chance, since it has been witnessed
in the past from the experiences of Australia and UK, which benefited a lot
by hosting CWG.
The Common Wealth Games are expected to do more benefit to India as it is a
developing country, and is known for Eco-Tourism, Yoga and Agra's Taj Mahal.
Now it need to be packaged in such a manner that all its ingredients of
cultural heritage, festive radiance, historical architectures, monumental
sites, sumptuous delicacies, flora and fauna, modern technologies and
infrastructure do come in the limelight.
Main Travel Destinations
The main travel destinations which can sell like hot cakes in the CWG
season are Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Ranthambore, Sariska,
Mathura, Vrindavan among others.
A Boost To Businesses
Common Wealth Games 2010 are going to increase employment and bring in
revenue to the Indian economy from all spheres, due to enhanced rate of
tourist activity. The various businesses expected to get a boost from CWG
are mainly :
- Hotel Industry
- Aviation Industry
- Travel Agents and Tour Operators
- Delhi Metro Rail Corporation
- Airport Authorities
It is practical to revamp these various sectors to perform to the best
to suit the needs of enhanced capacity and provide excellent services to the
guests, as it is going to decide the future of India as a travel
destination.
