Terror attacks on Mumbai and economic slowdown has affected tourism in the city of the Ajanta and Ellora caves
Terror attacks on Mumbai and economic slowdown has affected tourism in the city of the Ajanta and Ellora caves
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The terror attacks in Mumbai have hit the tourist inflow in Aurangabad where the world famous Ajanta and Ellora caves are located. The situation is so bad that five star hotels have been scouting for tourists from Pune and Mumbai to ensure that they are able to survive.
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Recently, the business development manager of Aurangabad's Ambassador Hotel, Hemand Landge, flew to Pune in search of business. "The 26/11 attack has been au00a0 setback to the hotel industry in Aurangbad, as there has been huge cancellations from international tourists," said Landge.
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"During this peak season, we get a large amount of bookings from Japanese and Korean tourists. But after the attacks, we have witnessed a severe downturn, making the survival of hotel industry difficult," she added.
And the economic slowdown is not helping.
Another factor, which is adding to the woes of the city, is the fact that Aurangabad has been the hub of automobile industry and this sector itself is in doldrums. "Hence, we have come to Pune to create more awareness among the people about the tourism potential of Aurangbad," said Langde.
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Other hotels too
Other than the Ambassador, Aurangabad has two other five star hotels the Taj and the Rama International. According to Landge, these hotels have been affected too. "In normal times, we witness 70 to 80 per cent occupancy. But now it has trickled down to 30 to 35 per cent, which does not augur well for us," said Langde.
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The slowdown has also resulted in the postponement of a recent crucial meeting of Indian and foreign experts to review the Ajanta Ellora Development Project (AEDP). They had panned to look into the second phase of the
Rs 300-crore project funded by the Japanese Bank for International Co-operation.
The project was in its last leg and experts from Japan, Australia, England and Italy were expected to attend the week-long meet that was to begin on December 8.
About the caves
Early in the 19th century, a party of British officers scrambling over the thickly wooded slopes of the Sahyadri hills, discovered the Ajanta and Ellora caves buried under debris and screened by foliage. Strung out in a sweeping horseshoe shape in an inner fold of the hills, the caves were a secluded retreat for Buddhist monastic orders.
The 30 caves of Ajanta , some unfinished, span a period of 800 years and contain numerous images of Buddha. Even more impressive in terms of architectural splendor are the cave temples of Ellora, about 20 km from Aurangabad.
Here are some 34 caves, carved out in a curve on the slopes of low hills; 16 of them are Hindu, 13 Buddhist and five of the Jain faith. The caves were constructed between the
5th and 8th centuries AD.
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