Tourism may be benefitted

Many events are very successfully marketed as ‘not to be missed’, given that the lure of experiencing something that will never happen again proves irresistible for many humans. The 2012 London Olympics is a current example. Disaster tourism is another flourishing niche market that has proved to be a post-tragedy windfall for many, from the ruins of Pompeii at the foot of Mt Vesuvius to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina’s destructive dance. As no country could possibly remain unmoved when these two tourism magnets come together, Mexico’s intention to cash in on the ancient Mayan prophecy that the world will end on December 21, 2012, is perfectly understandable. Of course, if indeed the Mayans’ predictions are proved right, Mexico will not be able to enjoy the spoils of its tourism campaign for too long.

The Mayan calendar began in 3114 BC and is divided into 394-year periods called Baktuns. The 1,300-year-old Mayan stone tablet’s prognostication is that the Mayan god of war and creation Bolon Yokte would descend from the sky at the end of the 13th Baktun. This sounds a lot like Indian lore’s prophesy of Kalki avatar’s arrival to end the corrupt era of Kali Yug. Even though many experts have disputed the date if not the possibility of an end of the world, the cliché of making hay while the sun shines does assume an extra urgency when seen against the backdrop of a looming apocalypse. So, the 500 Mayan-themed events including ceremonies with priests performing rituals and chanting could very well get a bumper crop of 52 million tourists for Mexico, more than doubling its usual annual haul of 22 million. Could the tourism ministry then consider an Incredible India campaign on the same lines as Mexico?