Celebrity tourism : Destination India
Posted on January 23, 2009
Filed Under East meets West, NEWS | 1 Comment
 Angelina with Brad take the famous Auto ride
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I feel that with the Mumbai attacks in Nov 08, there has been a lot said about the number of tourists that visit the country in the winter months of December and January. With a famous personality like Julia Roberts visiting India, I’m sure that more foreign tourists would visit and plan to see this beautiful country which becomes  even more prettier in the winter months.  The country has so many delegations and high profile visitors in these months who come to visit areas like Goa, Kerala, Amritsar, Haridwar, Mathura, Agra, Jaipur, Jaisalmer. These places are so decked up so to say during the winter months with the local tourist guides welcoming people and also their livelihood depends on these foreign tourists. At times, this takes an ugly shape with some straggler chasing young foreign girls or boys asking them to buy his stuff or take a ride in his rickshaw.
Julia at the Taj Mahal
This brings a bad name to the country as a whole. Add to this the amount of begging which goes on as a profession here in huge numbers, which incidentally is all organised by big goons. The overall picture that comes to one’s mind is that that is projected in the now nearly Oscar winner movie, Slumdog millionaire.
Dev Patel and Frieda Pinto in Slumdog Millionaire
 Although projection of India has improved from snake charmers to a land of opportunities since the population which was once a curse is now turning out to be a boon for the biggies of world industry like McDonald’s and Citibank. More and more people can afford luxury cars and flyovers are becoming a regular feature in our lives rather than a road which made you feel closer to the heavens. I still remember the time when Delhi got its first flyover of the modern times during the Asiad games of 1982 and we  would go as small children and watch the giant road coming up.
Angelina enjoys the company of locals in India
The celebrity tourism is however waiting for some big names this winter and would like to thank Julia for visiting us. I’m sure she would go back a happy woman like Madonna and Brangelina did a couple of months ago and her visit would boost celebrity tourism in India again.
Madonna in India
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People are attracted to the exotic beauty of India.
The culture and traditions of an exciting country.
To the western eye the women have regal beauty and the men are elegant and sophisticated.
Traditional craft has attraction for people.
As well as architecture.
The influence of the the English occupation still has a shadow that brings intrigue to one that did not understand the harsh conditions were the rule of law.