NEW DELHI – Indian Tourism Minister Kumari Selja has postponed her visit to Australia scheduled for next month in the wake of serial attacks on Indian students there, local media quoted her as saying on Thursday.
“I am not going to Australia for the tourism promotional event scheduled in July,” Selja told journalists Wednesday evening.
“The prevailing atmosphere is not conducive for such promotional event and the ministry will work out a new schedule after the situation improves,” she said.
The tourism ministry has planned to hold a series of promotional programs in Australian cities in July to showcase India as an attractive adventure tourism destination.
“We had finalized a package offering trekking, river rafting and mountaineering to attract Australians as part of adventure tourism destinations in India but we will have to wait and watch at the moment,” said the minister.
Local media said that at least 10 Indian students have been attacked by hooligans in Australia within the past one month.
The Indian government has lodged a protest with Australia over the attacks which New Delhi regards as racist, an accusation rejected by Canberra.
The tourism ministry has also carried out a series of road shows in collaboration with Indian Association of Tour Operators in 22 cities across the globe including Melbourne, Singapore, London, Dubai, Beijing, Tokyo and New York.
The proposed program was specifically meant to focus on adventure tourism destinations in India.
