Tourism industry gets a blow in Agra due to riots

At a time when the tourist traffic began to show upward trend in Agra, Wednesday's communal riot, that broke in morning, has acted as a deterrent, thus crushing down the hopes of tourism industry of having a good year ahead.

With the blocking of Mahatma Gandhi road, which leads to the city, due to curfew in six police station areas, the tourist traffic into the town remained disrupted throughout the day and a number of package tours, due to arrive in Agra, are reported to have cancelled their plans following the news of the riots.

Talking to Business Standard, Prahlad Agarwal, convener, Agra Foreign Tourist Traders & Exporters Association said the tourism business was highly sensitive and slightest disruption of peace in the city dissuaded the tourists from visiting a place. He said each day's disruption in tourist traffic could cause a loss worth Rs 1crore-1.5 crore to the tourism industry in the city.

He said they had been receiving reports of tours to Agra being cancelled in Delhi and this trend was expected to continue for quite a long time before the tourists could be assured of peace in the town.

But the state government officials denied any effect of the riots on tourism. "We have ensured that the tourist traffic remains flowing unhindered through the city and though the Tajganj area is under curfew, the Taj Mahal has not been closed," said Mahesh Gupta, UP Home Secretary, while talking to Business Standard.

Apart from tourism, footwear industry has also received a huge blow due to the riots. With a couple of footwear units burnt by the violent mob, the small-scale footwear units located near the epicentre of riots are expected to remain closed throughout this week.