Indian hospitality sector remains vulnerable to terrorism
Today is 26/11, just a year after the gruesome terror attack in Mumbai, India’s financial capital and the whole of the country, hence, has got occupied with commemorating the slain individuals (preys of the onslaught) and also the brave martyrs. There is hardly any doubt that a nation can’t do anything other than this but it can certainly pledge of providing better security to its countrymen. Don’t you think so? How far is India safer then? Perhaps we are not perturbing the Indian administration through any mortifying question. Online media is the envoy of the common people and this scribe is doing the same.
How far is India safer then? The question is indeed vital as being a country under the aegis of mixed economy, private sector plays a commendable role here. Here is the answer. Reports suggest that there has hardly been any improvement and even though the government agencies are found in adopting preventive measures, the private sector, in particular the hospitality sector, is yet to cope with the changing reality. But this has never been desirable since the hospitality sector, one of the fastest growing sectors in India, has been hit to a great extent in the last one year. Both the terror attack and recession have lessened the demand in the industry.
Take for instance Mumbai. Already lots of countries have issued travel advisories against traveling to India, especially Mumbai and the number of tourist arrivals has diminished. The grim realty has been accepted by many hotel officials too, on condition of anonymity. But you don’t have to count on anyone. Both The Oberoi-Trident and the Taj Mahal Hotel, which bore the brunt of the terrorist attacks, have seen occupancy levels go down.What is most appalling is the reluctance of this very sector with regard to security issues. It is true that the annual budget of hospitality sector has increased manifold by now but the majority of security guards are either incompetent or simply ill-trained. Most of them are naïve of explosives, application of ammonium nitrate in modern bombs and also RDX. They are even not well-versed with sophisticated equipments and there is hardly any idea of regular training and periodic rehearsals in emergency response, known as the key to effective security.
Can you depend on Indian hospitality sector then?
