The Hindu Business Line : Terror attack aftermath: Meetings, conferences grind to a halt

India’s 26/11 seems to be going New York’s 9/11 way. In the immediate aftermath of the Mumbai terror attack, there are a slew of cancellations on a pan-India basis of some of the biggest events to take place this week.

From banking to a nuclear business delegation, management to defence conferences and even book launches, there have been postponements all the way.

One of the casualties is the annual eighth India-Korea dialogue which is held alternately in the two Capitals. Then there is the 50-strong US commercial nuclear mission which was headed for India. Its visit has been put off. As for its rescheduling, the US India Business Council Director, Mr Ted Jones, told Business Line, “We’re deciding now between two very early dates and will be able to share more by the weekend”.

The cancellations include the International Chromium Development Association’s conference on the steel and chromium industry, The Hindustan Times Luxury Event, KPMG’s ‘India goes Global’ meet, the Economic Times Awards ceremony, and the World AIDS Day campaign events.

“There have been cancellations and reworking of meetings and conferences wherever they have involved foreign delegates. Event managers who had confirmed the attendance a week ago are calling to cancel the bookings. The lifestyle and society events are the ones that have taken a major beating. However, wedding bookings are on track,” hospitality industry sources said.

Mumbai hotels, in particular, have reportedly received a diktat from the Government asking them to defer events, they said. Noting that the occupancy rates have touched a low of 60 per cent during the supposedly peak tourism season, sources said that cancellations are worrisome at a time of an economic slowdown.

The Federation of Hotels and Restaurant Association of India’s Joint Secretary, Mr T Nataraajan, said, “This is a knee-jerk reaction to the terror attack. We are hearing there is a wave of cancellations. However, it is too early to put a number to it.”

In fact, according to a British report, India is among the 20 most dangerous places to visit right now. And taking the cue, visitors, both domestic and overseas, seem to have developed cold feet.