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The tourism business of Taj City Agra, which was already in trouble due to the Russia-Ukraine war, has started to suffer further due to the tension in West Asia. There are flights from India to America or Europe via Gulf countries, but due to the tension in West Asia, the flights now have to go via Russian air route, which is longer and more expensive. Due to this, tourists who had made advance bookings to visit Agra in November have started cancelling their bookings.
Tourism industry was affected by Corona
In October too, there has been a 30 percent drop in bookings as compared to last year. Similarly, Israeli citizens have started returning home from Himachal. The tourism business in Agra was badly affected in 2020 and 2021 during the Corona period. When the Corona restrictions were lifted, a war broke out between Russia and Ukraine in February 2022. The number of Russian and Ukrainian tourists remained negligible.
The impact of stress on tourism
In 2023, the inbound tourism (foreign tourism) train somehow came back on track. Then 5.83 lakh foreign tourists came to see the Taj Mahal. The tourist season in Agra is from October to March. Now the tension in West Asia has increased. Its widespread impact is visible on the tourism business of the Taj city.
The impact of the US election
Sandeep Arora, President of Agra Tourism Development Foundation, said that tourists prefer to travel in a peaceful environment. There is peace in India, but the effect of tension in Russia-Ukraine as well as West Asia is being seen. Israeli and Iranian tourists have not come. Presidential elections are to be held in America this year, which will also affect the tourists coming from America.
Israelis started returning from Himachal to support the country
Israeli citizens who had come to Himachal Pradesh to support the country in times of crisis have started returning. Every year many Israeli tourists visit many tourist places in Himachal's McLeodganj and Kullu district. This is the reason why this year fewer Israeli tourists have come as compared to earlier.
300 Israelis stayed
Manikaran and Kasol in Kullu district are the favourite places of Israeli citizens. Kasol is also called Mini Israel. Israelis start coming to Kasol in April and they have built Khabad House (place of worship) here. More than 300 Israeli citizens are staying in Kasol and Manali these days.
Bookings are also decreasing
They will celebrate Yom Kippur from 12 to 15 October and Simchat Torah on 24 and 25 October. After this, most Israeli citizens will return to their country. Kishan Thakur, President of Hotel Association Parvati Valley, said that Israelis come to Kasol from April to September. This time, fewer Israeli tourists have come to Kasol and now bookings are also decreasing.
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