Delhi To Join The List Of Top 10 Most Popular Cities In The World Among Tourists According to Euromonitor International, a global market research company, Delhi which currently ranks 11th, will jump three positions and enter the list of the top 10 cities in the world.
By Tahira Noor Khan •
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The Top 100 City Destinations report from global market research company Euromonitor International ranks Hong Kong as the number one destination city despite the political unrest in the last six months. Bangkok comes at number two and London at number three.
The projected jump of Delhi for 2019 from the eleventh position to number eight, brings an Indian city in the top 10 list for the first time. "Delhi currently ranks 11th and is forecast to increase its ranking up to 8th place in 2019. It is witnessing rapid development in its tourism infrastructure, having a world class airport and is focusing on luxury, medical, sports and cultural tourism," says the report. It further goes on, "With health and wellness tourism on the rise, India has gained noteworthy attention for its yoga retreats and Ayurveda practices. Delhi's connectivity to important locations across North India has boosted inbound arrivals to the city."
Continent wise, "Asia continues to outpace other regions, accounting for 43 of the top 100 cities. This number has steadily increased from 34 cities in 2013." The report further claims that, "growing economic base and lower cost of travel have positively impacted the business travel market in the region, with massive improvement in the development of the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) segment."
Gateway To Travel Destinations
Harish Khatri, founder of India Assist credits the huge amount of footfall in Delhi to the fact that it acts as an entry point to visit numerous other travel destination in India. "85 per cent of international traffic comes from two airports - Delhi and Mumbai. Delhi alone accounts for 45 per cent of international tourist traffic," claims Khatri. He believes India has a rich cultural heritage and varied travel experiences to offer within the country.
"Delhi itself has a lot to offer but it gets an edge by acting as a gateway. If tourists have to visit Taj Mahal or the Himalayas, they come to Delhi first. What we really need to work on is giving the tourists a safe and friendly experience when they visit our country to capitalize on our culture and heritage and earn more for the travel industry," signs off Khatri.
