Tourism Minister KJ Alphons (PTI File photo)

BEIJING: India’s tourism minister K J Alphons said here on Wednesday that incidents of lynchings and rape have little impact on the flow of foreign tourists to India but conceded that such crimes were hurting the image of the country in the world.

Alphons, a junior minister who has independent charge of the tourism portfolio, is visiting Beijing, Wuhan and Shanghai to attract Chinese tourists who visit India in much fewer numbers than they do other countries.

The ban on beef also did not cause much inconvenience because there are places like Kerala and the northeastern states where it was easily available, he said. “Well, not on a big-time basis… not really,” Alphons said in reply to a question about the effect of lynching incidents on international tourism in India.

“But anything happening like that is bad for the reputation of the country. We will not say it’s good for the reputation of the country,” he said. He pointed out that PM Modi had described them as criminals and had asked the states to take action.

Asked by a Chinese journalist what the Indian government was doing to ensure the safety of women tourists, the minister said elaborate efforts have been made for their safety as the government pays special attention to this issue.

Later, talking to Indian journalists, he said the real challenge was “unfair and biased” media reports that the country was the most unsafe for women.

