voa标准英语2008-India's Tourism Industry Faces Slump in Wake of

India's tourist industry is facing a slump¹, both due to last month's terror attacks in Mumbai and the global economic slowdown. Two luxury hotels popular with foreigners were among the targets of the terror attacks in the deadly attacks.
　

Workers remove debris2 from inside Taj Mahal hotel, one of targets of militant3 attacks in Mumbai, India

In the three weeks since gunmen mounted assaults on the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Trident Hotels in Mumbai late last month, hotels across the country have been flooded with cancellations from foreign tourists planning to visit India. At least 26 foreigners, many of them staying or dining at the hotels, were among the fatalities⁴ of the attacks, and many others were injured.

The attacks occurred during the peak tourist season for India, where overseas visitors usually arrive in the winter months.

Vijay Thakur, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, says there has been a 15 to 20 per cent drop in the number of visitors to the country since the Mumbai attacks.

"Any percentage like this, 15 to 20 per cent cancellations, really is a cause of worrying, it would definitely impact the growth of international arrivals," said Thakur. "More cancellations were because of the fact, you see there were lot of travel advisories⁵ from USA, UK and some other countries also like Singapore, Australia."

The financial hub of Mumbai and tourist destinations which lie close by such as Goa, are the worst hit.

But many in the tourism and travel sector⁶ are hoping that confidence will slowly recover as the memory of the attacks gradually ebbs⁷.

Sanjoy Pasricha, vice⁸ president, marketing⁹, at the Hotel Leela Venture Ltd., says tourists and other visitors will gradually return in the weeks to come. Leela runs luxury resorts in Mumbai and Goa.

"We have got a spate¹⁰ of people who have canceled bookings till 31st of December," said Pasricha. "Beyond that I think the fear element is going down and people are planning at this particular point of time to return to their travel plan post 10th 12th of January."

The falling number of visitors has been a double blow for the tourism industry, which was already finding it hard to attract tourists from Western countries, due to the slowing economies in United States and Europe.

Last year the number of visitors to India grew by 12 per cent, but the global slowdown had prompted the industry to revise growth estimates to just five per cent this year. However, the tourist industry fears that the terror attacks may make even this difficult to achieve. Five million foreign tourists visited India last year.

1 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。

2 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。

3 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

4 fatalities   

n.恶性事故( fatality的名词复数 )；死亡；致命性；命运

参考例句：

• Several people were injured, but there were no fatalities. 有几个人受伤，但没有人死亡。
• The accident resulted in fatalities. 那宗意外道致多人死亡。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 advisories   

n.（有关进展、动向、建议等的）报告( advisory的名词复数 )；公告；通告；通报

参考例句：

• Compliance with Practice Advisories is optional. 是否遵守实务公告由审计师自行选择决定。 来自互联网
• Hardened-PHP: not as such a PHP security information website, but it does have security advisories. 增强PHP:不仅仅是一个PHP安全新的网站，它还提供安全建议。 来自互联网

6 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

7 ebbs   

退潮( ebb的名词复数 )； 落潮； 衰退

参考例句：

• When the tide ebbs it's a rock pool inhabited by crustaceans. 退潮时，它便成为甲壳动物居住的岩石区潮水潭。
• The new Russia steadily ebbs away drive out of Moscow. 驶离莫斯科愈来愈远以后，俄罗斯崭新的景象也逐渐消失。

8 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

9 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

10 spate   

n.泛滥，洪水，突然的一阵

参考例句：

• Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area.警察正在调查这一地区发生的大量盗窃案。
• Refugees crossed the border in full spate.难民大量地越过了边境。