India’s dance of democracy to attract 25,000 tourists
From participating in rallies to dining with local netas, visitors will get a variety fare
India’s upcoming general elections are catching the interest of foreign tourists. Travel companies are capitalising on the twomonthlong “festival of democracy” to offer “election tourism” to a growing niche market.
Tour operators anticipate that at least 25,000 tourists will arrive to witness the polls. Manish Sharma, chairman of Gujarat’s Akshar Travels, a pioneer in election tourism, said: “During the last Lok Sabha elections, close to eight thousand tourists visited India.” This year, he anticipates a surge.
Among those expected are political enthusiasts, students, journalists, G20 delegates, and leisure travellers from the US, UK, Germany, France and Japan. Akshar Travels’ tour pack
Among those expected are political enthusiasts, students, journalists, G20 delegates from the US, UK, Germany, France, and Japan
ages include participation in rallies, meetings and gatherings, as well as opportunities to meet and dine with local political figures. Additionally, travellers can visit gram panchayats and jan sabhas, and engage in local sightseeing activities, according to Sharma who piloted this concept during the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The packages feature destinations such as Varanasi, Delhi and
parts of Maharashtra. Sudesh Rajput, consulting partner of Delhibased Incredible Holidays, said they have had 28 confirmed bookings so far, which include both domestic and international clients.
“We’re offering more customised packages... clubbing religious travel along with electoral travel,” he said. Packages start from a minimum of ₹25,000 per person, combining electionrelated activities with sightseeing tours.
Despite the burgeoning interest, the Election Commission maintains its restrictions on tourists observing the voting process firsthand or visiting polling booths.
Rajiv Mehra, President of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), said, “We want to show foreign tourists how elections work in our country, just like our Prime Minister wants. Without visiting the booths, travellers do not get a clear picture of how elections are held in India,” he explained. However, the Election Commission is yet to respond to two request letters in this regard. On the flip side, Rajeev Kohli, Joint Managing Director of Creative Travels, said some clients have raised specific queries about the election dates to avoid travel during that time.