Exciting ideas proposed to woo CWG tourists

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) A night bazaar in the heart of the capital, mobile craft vans, a mock Indian wedding, a spiritual tour, a political tour and so on - a whole range of ideas were thrown up by experts at a Delhi tourism meet Friday to make the Commonwealth Games a spectacular event.

According to K.T. Ravindran, chairman of the Delhi Urban Art Commission, a night bazaar in Pragati Maidan or Chandni Chowk will be a major tourist attraction during the Oct 3-14 Games.

"After the Games and even during it, people will look for entertainment and food and shopping in the city. A night bazaar in Pragati Maidan or Chandni Chowk will satisfy tourists in this regard. We can also have mobile craft vans," Ravindran said on the concluding day of the two-day meet.

Spiritual tourism to showcase different faiths is another idea that experts suggested.

Mala Sekhri, COO of the India Today Group said: "An early morning religious tour to temples, gurudwaras and other religious places will give the tourist an overview of the different faiths that India is home to."

She also suggested a shopping trail to local markets, a fashion trail and a Great India Barbeque to showcase the different Indian barbeque cuisines which, Sekhri said, foreigners like.

Rina Ray, managing director of the Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation (DTTDC), said an interesting idea that an expert suggested and she is looking into is that of a mock Indian wedding.

"Indian weddings are so full of colour and life. Most foreigners have only seen an Indian wedding in movies like the 'Monsoon Wedding' and if we actually have a mock wedding, complete with the music and the traditional attire, visitors will enjoy it. Maybe they can even be a part of the wedding by taking the bride's or the groom's place," she said.

Garden trails in which natural gardens and the ones designed like bio-diversity parks are showcased, traditional cuisine festivals and health tourism are some of the ideas that were voiced.

"One has to remember that Delhi is more than just monuments and heritage structures and that is what we have to show to the visitor during the Games and beyond. We can also develop a political trail since we have so many memorials and places where important political events had taken place," Ravindran said.