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Foreign tourists head for Rajasthan's cattle fair
by Lokendra Singh
Pushkar
(Rajasthan): A large number of tourists are thronging the town of
Pushkar in Rajasthan for the annual cattle fair, touted as one of the
world's biggest fairs for the sale of camels, horses and cattle. While
it's a major attraction for domestic as well as foreign tourists, hundreds
of traders and buyers from neighbouring states also took part in the fair.
Over the years, the Pushkar fair has become a big draw internationally
for the state as it gives a boost to tourism. However, a drop in the number
of livestock has been witnessed this year. "The cattle arriving for the
fair last year were 22,000 but this year the number has decreased. The
tourist arrival is expected to be on a rise by 15-20 percent more this
year. The tourists are still coming in and all the accommodation is fully
booked," said Rishiraj Singh, a tour operator. Tourists flocking the place
say the riot of colours, camel rides, handicraft exhibitions are all too
enticing. "I love the colours, love the interaction between the animals
and people. It's fantastic! I've enjoyed it very much," said Neo, a tourist
from the United States. "This is extraordinary. I've been to many-many
countries throughout the world and India is the most exciting, the most
complex, many ways the most beautiful. There is so much to it that its
impossible to describe or impossible to understand for a westerner. It's
truly an exquisite experience and I would love to come back," Joe Howell,
another tourist from the United States. The Rajasthan Government promotes
the fair by adding colourful folk dances, musical events and other cultural
events. The World Travel and Tourism Council expects India to be among
three boom areas for tourism, even though it now accounts for barely 0.4
percent of the global tourism market. Analysts say Indian tourism suffers
mainly from poor marketing, with the sector unable to exploit the potential
of the country's snow-clad Himalayas, jungles, palaces and sun-soaked
beaches. India presently spends just 10.5 million dollars a year promoting
itself globally.
-Nov 15, 2005
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