Indian agents give Oz the all-clear

Imtiaz Muqbil, executive editor, Travel Impact Newswire, reports from Melbourne

Indian travel agents and tour operators attending the Australian Tourism Exchange have given the all-clear to visiting Australia. None of them said they had any cause for concern over the recent spate of reports of attacks on Indian students in Australia, and would be advising their clients accordingly.

Having spent considerable time going around Melbourne and talking to Indian students and residents, all of them felt that the issue had been blown out of proportion.

They said they found no cause for concern anywhere and didn’t expect any long term damage if the matter dropped out of the headlines over the next few days.

New Delhi’s Weldon Tours and Travels representative, Guldeep Singh Sahni, said that as a bearded and turban-wearing Sikh, he had seen himself as a perfect target.

“I went around everywhere, including some of the places where these attacks are supposed to have taken place,” he said. “I had no problems.”

He said he had been told that while some of the attacks on Indian students may be racial in nature, most of the incidents are either random violence or people just settling personal scores.

He said Indians had short memories and that the matter would soon fade from memory if it faded from the headlines.

Mr Sahni said negative perceptions had been formed, but that he would be going back to tell his clients they had nothing to worry about.

“But I am just one person,” he said. “If 10 million Indians see all these reports on TV, how much impact can one person have?”

Akshaya India Tours and Travels managing director, Padmini Narayanan, agreed with Mr Sahni’s sentiments, but said that her business had been directly affected by some cancellations of incentives to Australia in the upcoming July-August season.

She spoke to Indians in Melbourne but found no reason for any untoward concern.

“Most of them said these were just normal incidents that occur in many cities. If there is any reason for concern over health and safety, it is more related to the swine flu”.

Kolkata-based, Travellers director, Vikash Tibarewala, said he had an upmarket group of three couples checking into a hotel in Sydney right at this very moment.

“They saw no reason to go elsewhere.” He added: “Look, these things happen in our own country. Why worry about this anywhere else?”

Vayuseva Tours & Travels director, Sajan Gupta, said he had spoken to several Indian boys driving taxis in Melbourne.

“They said some of the attacks were racially motivated, but most of them were just acts of violence that could happen anywhere.”

Victoria’s Minister for Tourism & Major Events, Tim Holding, said he felt Melbourne was one of the safest cities in Australia and that Victoria generally had the lowest violent crime rate.

However, he said, the state government recognised the fact that these attacks on Indian students had taken place and considered them to be “completely unacceptable.”

He said that the state government was doing “everything we can to address the issues”, including working closely with the Victorian police authorities and channelling more resources to those parts of Melbourne that were considered vulnerable, including some public transport.

“Melbourne will continue to be a safe place for visitors from overseas,” he said.