Agra :

At 12%, US nationals formed the largest chunk of international tourists to the Taj Mahal in 2013 followed by UK (8%) and Germany (7%), stated a June 2014 World Bank presented to the Agra district administration. The report titled ‘Destination profiling, tourism enterprises and value chain assessment’ aimed at assessing Agra’s potential to be developed as a tourism hub under a pro-poor tourism development programme.

The programme aims to provide better tourist facilities in the state so that the poor can earn a livelihood via revenue generated off tourism. The report states that every year, over 7 lakh foreigners visit the Taj – one of the Seven Wonders of the World and the focal point of tourism in Agra. But only one-third of foreign nationals who visit the 17th century mausoleum make a trip to the equally noteworthy Agra Fort and Fatherpur Sikri.

Delhi tops the list of domestic visitors to the Taj with 17.9% share, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat and Rajasthan. However, the report cautioned that the figures, based on ticket sales at the ASI monuments and check-ins at Agra hotels are approximations only. Agra’s potential for development as a pro-poor tourist hub remains unrealized as only a little over 50% of foreign tourists stay overnight, while others prefer leaving the city by evening after visiting the Taj.

In other words, out of 7.4 lakh foreign tourists who came to Agra in 2013, 4.03 lakh stayed overnight. On the other hand, only 5% domestic tourists stayed overnight. “Overnight stays can have greater impact on the local economy.

Hoteliers largely attribute this decline to opening of the Yamuna Expressway facilitating day trip from the national capital. Adverse publicity (crime) and lack of tourism options beyond major monuments are other factors for less night stay” the report said, adding that in comparison to 94-330 US dollar a foreign tourist should spend on a one-day tour in Agra, only 40-110 Us dollars are spent. The 2013 Uttarakhand deluge has also affected the number of tourists visiting Agra, it stated. Foreign tourists’ inflow to Taj Mahal decreased by over 29% in June 2013 as compared to June 2012.

This is attributable to the rising number of crimes in the country sand the 2013 Uttarakhand flashfloods. According to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), 4.29 lakh foreigners visited Taj between June and December 2012, while only 3.29 lakh turned up during the corresponding period in 2013. The trend continues in 2014 as well with 1.55 lakh visitors in January and February, compared to 1.75 lakh in 2013 fort he same period.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Agra / Aditya Dev, TNN / July 22nd, 204