TRAVEL TRAILS

RESEARCH PROPOSAL
BLITZ
MDI GURGAON
FLOW OF THE PRESENTATION
●
Factors of importance identified through
primary and secondary research

●
Proposal

●
Methodology
 Factors of Importance at Agra

Initial
Insights

Hospitality Culture
 Initial Insights
• Actual Responses from people
– The Taj itself is magnificent...just visit and get out quick!
– Agra is not a place you want to spend much time in after
seeing the Taj
– Our hotel faced the Taj and the balcony looked out on the
Taj. We could not use the balcony
– Taj Mahal - a day trip or overnight stay?
– You can do a day trip to Agra from Jaipur by road or by train
because all you have to do in Agra is see the Taj and Agra
Fort, and then head back.
 Transport

• UP tourism runs daily tours through Taj Express that runs from
Delhi to Agra at 10:15am and return at 6:55pm
• This is contrary to foster night stay and tourism at Agra
• No International Airport
• There are no proper signage boards in the city
• Lack of tourist information centers
 Hospitality
• City is polluted, water is polluted, lack of basic amenities
• Identified as a "pollution intensive zone" by the World Health
Organization (WHO)
• City is also unplanned and dirty and the stench of rotting
garbage all over the city is very repulsive
• Worse electricity blackouts which do affect indirectly
• Hotel lobby of Delhi is very strong and itenary is designed in a
manner to accommodate tourists in Delhi
• As per the study by Ministry of Tourism, (Market Pulse Report-
2004), Agra’s availability of 175-rooms/lakh tourist is
substantially lower than the national average of423 rooms/lakh
tourist and the state average of 404 rooms/lakh tourist
• Lack of tourist information centers
 Culture
• No night life in Agra with less of cultural festivals
• Taj Mahal visit timings only during the day
• Fear that boosting tourism would further contribute to the
deterioration of the Taj
• Taxi owners , guides etc engage in unfair trade practices with the
foreigners and hence no tourist-friendly culture
• Inhospitality of police and their original UP attitude
• Anti-social behaviour of hawkers and touts is irritating
• There are various UP tourism shops/emporiums and petha shops,
but they are located at different places of the city
Comparison with Jaipur & Mathura
• MATHURA
– Lord Krishna renowned all over the world
– People go with a religious mindset for staying overnight
– A boost given by the ISKON society for spiritual light
• JAIPUR
– Different cultural festivals and events arranged during the
night
– No power cuts
– Palace of wheels
 Proposal

• Development of a number of state-of-the-art tourist facilities

in the area
• Organization of extensive programmes/events
– Currently Taj Mahotsav is held annually
– Features live music and dance, food tasting and a Mughal
procession
– More theatre/plays potraying rich cultural heritage
 Proposal

• Agra can be converted into an international convention centre

– Jaypee in Agra is one of the few convention centres
– The Agra summit was help here and can capitalize this
opportunity more because of closeness to Delhi