Melbournian here having a short 6 week visit to your wonderful country but one thing that has kind of irked me as my trip goes on is the Foreign Tourist rates for your attractions.
I'll be the first to admit - life is a lottery and some people are born lucky in a country where poverty and other issues aren't a daily matter. Again - i don't want to debate this here, but i just thought i'd give an outsider perspective that yes, I'm from Australia and yes i might be perceived to be "rich" (above poverty line)...but just because I can travel doesn't make me any different to any of you reading this.
This surcharge is making me feel 2400% different to you guys. Why? Here's why. Heading to attractions and seeing Indian admittance for 10rs and then 250rs (Elephanta Island), well... its just the easiest way to make us feel even more foreign in your welcoming country.
For example - as i mentioned above, my wife and i went to Elephanta Island today where there was the above charge (10rs vs 250rs). That is 2400% difference.
Putting it in perspective... if you guys ( Indian nationals) came to my country (Australia) and say went to the Zoo (for example) and let's say that it was 1000 RS ($17 au dollars... and yes, Australia is expensive)... well that's like me getting into the Zoo for 1000 RS and you guys having to pay 24,000 RS
I personally would hate to see that happen and its hard for us to progress if we can't treat each other equally.
Yes, there are huge polarity differences between any countries... but if you want to alienate your tourists, who are already way, way out on the thresholds of their comfort zone visiting this country, well this just makes it worse.
I'll be the first to admit - life is a lottery and some people are born lucky in a country where poverty and other issues aren't a daily matter. Again - i don't want to debate this here, but i just thought i'd give an outsider perspective that yes, I'm from Australia and yes i might be perceived to be "rich" (above poverty line)...but just because I can travel doesn't make me any different to any of you reading this.
This surcharge is making me feel 2400% different to you guys. Why? Here's why. Heading to attractions and seeing Indian admittance for 10rs and then 250rs (Elephanta Island), well... its just the easiest way to make us feel even more foreign in your welcoming country.
For example - as i mentioned above, my wife and i went to Elephanta Island today where there was the above charge (10rs vs 250rs). That is 2400% difference.
Putting it in perspective... if you guys ( Indian nationals) came to my country (Australia) and say went to the Zoo (for example) and let's say that it was 1000 RS ($17 au dollars... and yes, Australia is expensive)... well that's like me getting into the Zoo for 1000 RS and you guys having to pay 24,000 RS
I personally would hate to see that happen and its hard for us to progress if we can't treat each other equally.
Yes, there are huge polarity differences between any countries... but if you want to alienate your tourists, who are already way, way out on the thresholds of their comfort zone visiting this country, well this just makes it worse.
