New Delhi: India will launch a massive campaign in the US tomorrow to promote itself as a global tourist destination.
Christened as "India Calling", the two-day campaign
would be organised in Los Angeles by the Ministry of Tourism
in collaboration with National Geographic.
Various road show, photo exhibitions, handicraft festival
and cultural show would showcase India`s tourism potential, a
senior Tourism Ministry official said.
Guests in the event would be served Indian delicacies as
part of a cuisine programme jointly organised by the ministry
and Experience India Society in Los Angeles.
In 2004, 5,26,120 tourists from the US had visited India
and their number rose to 6,96,739 in 2006.
Several Indian artistes will also participate in the
programme, the official said.
The campaign was earlier supposed to be inaugurated by
Tourism Minister Kumari Selja. However, she has cancelled her
programme to travel to the US due to impending Haryana
Assembly elections.
The official said similar promotional programmes would be
launched in Australia, Russia and Dubai soon.
India has witnessed a dip in the foreign tourist arrival
as 32.57 lakh overseas travellers visited the country from
January to August this year against 35.40 lakh during the same
period last year.
However, the revenue from such tourism rose to Rs 4,115
crore in August 2009 from Rs 3,226 crore in the same month
last year.
Bureau Report
