Tour operators complain setback to tourism industry due to swine flu

Jaipur, Aug.26 (ANI): As if global economic slowdown was not enough, the emergence of several swine flu cases is discouraging tourists to visit popular tourist places like Jaipur in Rajasthan.

With the H1N1 virus gripping people in different parts of the world, Jaipur's tourism industry is witnessing a huge plunge.

The tourism industry in Jaipur is facing heavy losses due to swine flu, as the current trend, according to tour operators, indicate that around 10 to 15 percent tourists having either cancelled or postponed their visit to the city.

Due to highlighting of swine flu through media, the tourism business has been affected widely.

"Swine has affected the whole country, bookings have been cancelled and there are domestic market problems too. The only thing that we want is that the media should not hype the situation and should not concentrate more on swine flu, so that our industry can grow. Due to the media coverage from Pune, the tourists cancelled their bookings. There has been a similar effect on Rajasthan too. Presently, there is no movement in Rajasthan," said Piyush Khandelwal, a tour operator.

Due to frequent terror attacks, tourism in Jaipur has been suffering severely for the last two years and now due to swine flu there has been major slowdown in the travel trade.

"Domestic business has surely been affected by swine flu. People coming from different parts of the country have postponed their trips because of swine flu. Otherwise the regular business trips are still on. There are no cancellations from the foreign clients, so they are regular with us," said Rao Khushnoot, another tour operator.

He added that there have been cancellations by ten to fifteen percent tourists booked for Jaipur city.

The H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, emerged in April in the United States and Mexico, and has spread internationally.

The World Health Organization has termed H1N1 swine flu as unstoppable because many countries are not keeping a track and precise count of the virus cases. By Lokendra Singh (ANI)