Opinion | Why Foreign Tourists Hesitate To Visit India

India as a travel destination suffers from an image issue. And its popular tourism mottos, 'Atithi devo bhava' or 'Incredible India', aren't doing much to change the perception. 

According to the findings of a survey conducted by Booking.com, as many as 32% of foreign travellers to India listed "getting sick" as their biggest concern, while 27% international travellers to India mentioned "safety and security" as their biggest worry. Cultural differences (13%) and language barriers (12%) were also cited as other concerns. Health and safety issues were also the biggest factors cited by foreign tourists who visited India but did not wish to return.

The survey, specific to India's inbound travel trends, was conducted in August and involved 2,000 adults from 19 countries, also mentions that other Southeast Asian countries are attracting more travellers due to their easy visa regimes and value-for-money propositions for tourists.