DELHI: The Delhi tourism industry fears losing the Golden Triangle of Delhi-Agra-Jaipur from the list of ‘must-see’ places if the air quality in the capital does not improve soon. The industry gears up for business with the onset of winter.
However, the alarming air pollution levels in the capital this year have resulted into a fall in the number of tourists, especially from foreign countries, reports NDTV.
Olga Smirnova from Russia said that she was disappointed to see Delhi’s famous monuments, not because they were not impressive but because she could hardly see them, given the heavy smog.
Ms Smirnova arrived in the capital from Rajasthan on Diwali, following which the capital was shrouded in smog.
“Everywhere they were bursting crackers. The next day the whole city was cloudy,” Ms Smirnova said.
The hit taken by the tourism industry this year has become most evident on the Delhi government’s Hop-on-Hop-off bus service for tourists.
Surbhi Duttarya, an intern working as a tour guide with the Hop-on-Hop-off buses said that they’ve seen a fall in the number of tourists over the last week.
Ms Duttarya said that last week, even though some tourists got on to the buses, they chose not to get off into the polluted air. They preferred sightseeing from their bus-seats.
