Demonetisation hits tourism hard in Taj City of Agra

Agra: Tourism in Taj city of Agra has been a major casualty in the wake of demonetisation by the government as the cash crunch causing great inconvenience to the domestic and foreign tourists.

The activities at the money exchange centres have virtually come to a halt in the absence of cash coupled with the cap on withdrawal from the banks. The current scenario has jolted the tourism a big way despite this being a favourable season for the travellers across the country and the world.

Tourism mechanism in Agra:

• Tajmahal, being one of the most favoured destinations of the tourists, has not receiving adequate numbers after November 8 order.
• About 65 lakh doemstic and six lakh foreign tourists visit Agra every year.
• The city has about 150 authorised and unauthorised money exchangers where the foreign tourists convert dollors, pounds ,euros and other currencies to Indian currency.
• Also, they hotels, souvenir shops and handicrafts stores also accept foreign currencies which get changed at money exchanger centres.
• The cash crunch at the banks is further aggravating the problems coupled with limit of withdrawal or exchange of notes at Indian banks.
• In fact, money exchangers are not getting small denomination notes posing problems on day to day basis.

What Money Exchangers say:

• Money Exchanger Anup Goel said that it has been 15 days since the money exchange business is stalled.
• Tourists have to run from pillar to post to get the adequate currency but of no avail.
• The banks have opened their counters at Shilp Gram and Agra fort till Thursday but they are dispensing Rs 100 notes by exchanging old 500 and 1000 currencies.
• The foreign currency is not being exchanged at these counters.

What Tourism Bodies have to say:

• Rajiv Saxena of Toursim Guild say the foreign toursits are ven denied exchange at private banks.
• The road map for the future should be laid out about toursim.
• Ramesh Wadhva, the President of Hotel and Restuarant Association puts forward the similar arguments saying hotels have not been able to convert foreign currency due to lack of adequate cash with them.