India asks foreign govts not to issue travel advisories

NEW DELHI: India on Friday urged foreign governments not to issue advisories cautioning their nationals against travelling to areas affected by terror attacks and crime as such incidents "are unpredictable in any region".

"Travel advisories by major source countries would have an adverse impact on the livelihood of the local populations in countries whose economies are wholly dependent on tourism", Tourism Minister Ambika Soni said while addressing the executive council meeting of United Nations World Tourism Organisation at Jeju Islands in South Korea.

Travel advisories are issued from time to time by countries, including the US and the UK, and recently Washington and London had come out with such advisories against travelling to Rajasthan hit by terror attacks in Jaipur and Gujjars agitation.

The US had also issued an advisory asking its citizens in Mumbai to "beware of open manholes without warning signs, non-existent sidewalks and flooded streets."

However, the US consulate aplogised for the Mumbai travel advisory later.