Is 'Incredible India' glossing over 'ugly realities'?

Mandsaur · Apr 4th, 2005, 10:25

From Indo-Asian News Service:

Is India's glossy tourism promotion campaign masking some ugly realities? Is the 'Incredible India' campaign in danger of becoming an 'Incredulous India'? Malaysian tour operators, who spoke to some visiting Indian journalists, would tend to think so after feedback from their clients whom they sent to India in recent years.

"Most tourists returning from India tell us that they have been misled. Often the complaint is about dirty tourist sites, which are far removed from what is usually depicted in official brochures," said a senior executive of a leading travel agency here.

A case in point: Incredible India brochures depict crystal clear blue water gushing past the Taj Mahal, the 17th century marble monument in Agra.

"All we saw was filthy river (Yamuna) water stagnated behind the monument," said Mohammed Hashim, who visited India last year along with his family.

Read full article here: http://in.news.yahoo.com/050404/43/2kjez.html

crvlvr · Apr 5th, 2005, 03:11

Brochure/Advertisings are meant to generate interest. I guess the India tourism board have finally learned from their western counterparts.

For example, I don't see long lines of people waiting for hours on the Disneyland brocures. Instead, they get away calling it the "happiest place on earth" pulhease!. Can I get my money back? and what's so happy about the "happy meals" at McDonalds?

Personally, I think the "Incredible India" is a lame campaign anyways..

Nick-H · Apr 5th, 2005, 12:33

Misrepresentation is bad, and those affected should certainly take action in their own countries.

It is a pity if people are sold India with lies when there is so much here that is genuinely wonderful.

seventies'hippy · Apr 5th, 2005, 12:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mandsaur

From [i]Indo-Asian News Service:
"Most tourists returning from India tell us that they have been misled. Often the complaint is about dirty tourist sites, which are far removed from what is usually depicted in official brochures," said a senior executive of a leading travel agency here.

A case in point: Incredible India brochures depict crystal clear blue water gushing past the Taj Mahal, the 17th century marble monument in Agra.

"All we saw was filthy river (Yamuna) water stagnated behind the monument," said Mohammed Hashim, who visited India last year along with his family.
[/indent]Read full article here: http://in.news.yahoo.com/050404/43/2kjez.html

They should have visited us here on Indiamike first before they went,,,,,,,

Zymurgist · Apr 5th, 2005, 12:51

Hear hear Nick-H.

Lies, Damned lies and marketing!

Indojingai · Apr 5th, 2005, 13:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zymurgist

Lies, Damned lies and marketing!

I agree those brochures should have un-'enhanced' pictures...
but they would be much less attractive (though truthful) if it said:
- come to clean and gleaming (in whatever degree) Chennai and trip over random banana peels on the street..
- Walk the Delhi street and get bitten by a rabid cow..

naah..

to make those ads/brochures be completely truthful (in an instant)...
1. those ads have to stop
2. exchange the economies of whatever place those horribly deceived are in with India's.

PRIYA · Apr 5th, 2005, 14:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

Misrepresentation is bad, and those affected should certainly take action in their own countries.

It is a pity if people are sold India with lies when there is so much here that is genuinely wonderful.

Well said!!!

Nick-H · Apr 5th, 2005, 14:35

There are two kinds of people in this world: those that say there are two kinds of people in this world and those that don't

...

But I think we can devide visitors to India into the 5-star hotel, luxury A/C car, fully-guided tourists ---and the rest of us.

In that first category will be a few who fall for glossy pictures and do no further research into the country they are visiting. There really isn't a lot of point in the brochures advising them not to step in the human shit on the pavement outside their hotel, because they will probably never see it anyway.

My agent in UK (Let's hear it for Kerala Connections ---- Yeeaaaah!!!!!) have a brochure which shows off the beauty of Kerala and the locations and hotels they are advertising. It also clearly states eg that visitors to India should not expect Western standards of hygene, timekeeping, etc etc.. We can't expect advertisers to dwell on the negative, but this seems to me to be an honest way of doing it.

My mother's home town in Cornwall, UK, is genuinely beautiful. It has a lovely harbour in which the water is sort-of mud-coloured. I never saw a postcard of it in which the water wasn't deep blue!

rangss · Apr 5th, 2005, 15:39

Yet another example of Indian government's attitude. They believe they will be believed.

Digital Drifter · Apr 5th, 2005, 15:49

So it is, with any advertising! I tried drinking pepsi, coke or whatever to enhance my sex appeal but it never seems to have worked. say, those soft drink ads are not really true, are they?

what am I to do? sue them?

SHIMLA · Apr 5th, 2005, 16:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Digital Drifter

So it is, with any advertising! I tried drinking pepsi, coke or whatever to enhance my sex appeal but it never seems to have worked. say, those soft drink ads are not really true, are they?

what am I to do? sue them?

Agree about advertising. All advertising is exaggerated. Health drinks claim to boost one's strength and energy; pain balms are supposed to rid you of your headache in a jiffy; fairness creams are supposed to change your complexion in a few days, etc. etc. !!! We know this is exaggeration.

In the days before the advent of VCRs in India - our childhood days - we watched movies in the theatres. Before the main movie, they invariably showed as a "trailor" of the next attraction and the trailor always had the best fight scenes, leading us to believe that the movie was full of fights; and we left the theatre with a resolve not to miss the next attraction!

On the subject of travel brochures, I recently received a PM from one of our members asking for help in selecting one out of four holiday resorts near Shimla. He is to visit H.P. this summer for the first time ever, and his own choice was one particular resort at Kufri, as the brochure showed a lot of snow!!

Yes, Kufri does have snow, but only in winter and that's what I answered him!!

Travel brochures, like other forms of advertising, will always exaggerate.

Nick-H · Apr 5th, 2005, 16:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by rangss

Yet another example of Indian government's attitude. They believe they will be believed.

All politicians are like that. UK members will recallTony Blair a while ago saying "We have done so much to show the British public that the MMR vaccine is safe". Actually, the government had done absolutely nothing except repeat endlessly, "The MMR Vaccine is absolutely safe".

Not that I wish to raise that controversy here, but makes a good example of politicians thinking that something is so because they say so!

soulfood · Apr 5th, 2005, 16:46

Digital Drifter: "I tried drinking pepsi, coke or whatever to enhance my sex appeal but it never seems to have worked. say, those soft drink ads are not really true, are they?"

Shimla: "Agree about advertising. All advertising is exaggerated."

Seth Godin, marketing guru, has a new book on this very topic.

rangss · Apr 5th, 2005, 17:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick-H

All politicians are like that. UK members will recallTony Blair a while ago saying "We have done so much to show the British public that the MMR vaccine is safe". Actually, the government had done absolutely nothing except repeat endlessly, "The MMR Vaccine is absolutely safe".

Not that I wish to raise that controversy here, but makes a good example of politicians thinking that something is so because they say so!

Quite true.

Ever heard of Potemkin villages?

BhuttaJi · Apr 5th, 2005, 18:22

Surely no one really believes brochures and ad campaigns! They are made with the precise aim to entice us.
No one is going to go back to their travel agent and say " Hey it was nothing like the picture when we got there". No one is surely that naive! The media cannot possibly give the reality only a simulacrum. A artificial reality! The only way to know is to go there and see with ones own eyes. The benefits of wisdom are bought with currency of experience.

Ohh well what a world we live in

Apr 4th, 2005, 10:25	#1
Mandsaur Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: New York, NY Posts: 140	Is 'Incredible India' glossing over 'ugly realities'? From Indo-Asian News Service: Is India's glossy tourism promotion campaign masking some ugly realities? Is the 'Incredible India' campaign in danger of becoming an 'Incredulous India'? Malaysian tour operators, who spoke to some visiting Indian journalists, would tend to think so after feedback from their clients whom they sent to India in recent years. "Most tourists returning from India tell us that they have been misled. Often the complaint is about dirty tourist sites, which are far removed from what is usually depicted in official brochures," said a senior executive of a leading travel agency here. A case in point: Incredible India brochures depict crystal clear blue water gushing past the Taj Mahal, the 17th century marble monument in Agra. "All we saw was filthy river (Yamuna) water stagnated behind the monument," said Mohammed Hashim, who visited India last year along with his family. Read full article here: http://in.news.yahoo.com/050404/43/2kjez.html

Apr 5th, 2005, 12:33	#3
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,881	Misrepresentation is bad, and those affected should certainly take action in their own countries. It is a pity if people are sold India with lies when there is so much here that is genuinely wonderful. __________________ . Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

Apr 5th, 2005, 15:39	#9
rangss Bulk Carrier Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Chennai Posts: 1,834	Yet another example of Indian government's attitude. They believe they will be believed. __________________ ...and I took the road less travelled.

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Apr 5th, 2005, 03:11	#2
crvlvr Guru Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Hollywood Posts: 4,413	Brochure/Advertisings are meant to generate interest. I guess the India tourism board have finally learned from their western counterparts. For example, I don't see long lines of people waiting for hours on the Disneyland brocures. Instead, they get away calling it the "happiest place on earth" pulhease!. Can I get my money back? and what's so happy about the "happy meals" at McDonalds? Personally, I think the "Incredible India" is a lame campaign anyways..

Apr 5th, 2005, 12:51	#5
Zymurgist Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Oregon, USA Posts: 26	Hear hear Nick-H. Lies, Damned lies and marketing!

Apr 5th, 2005, 14:35	#8
Nick-H Loud-mouthed, Noisy Bird Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 25,881	There are two kinds of people in this world: those that say there are two kinds of people in this world and those that don't ... But I think we can devide visitors to India into the 5-star hotel, luxury A/C car, fully-guided tourists ---and the rest of us. In that first category will be a few who fall for glossy pictures and do no further research into the country they are visiting. There really isn't a lot of point in the brochures advising them not to step in the human shit on the pavement outside their hotel, because they will probably never see it anyway. My agent in UK (Let's hear it for Kerala Connections ---- Yeeaaaah!!!!!) have a brochure which shows off the beauty of Kerala and the locations and hotels they are advertising. It also clearly states eg that visitors to India should not expect Western standards of hygene, timekeeping, etc etc.. We can't expect advertisers to dwell on the negative, but this seems to me to be an honest way of doing it. My mother's home town in Cornwall, UK, is genuinely beautiful. It has a lovely harbour in which the water is sort-of mud-coloured. I never saw a postcard of it in which the water wasn't deep blue!

Apr 5th, 2005, 15:49	#10
Digital Drifter bang a whore? Bangalore Dammit! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,878	So it is, with any advertising! I tried drinking pepsi, coke or whatever to enhance my sex appeal but it never seems to have worked. say, those soft drink ads are not really true, are they? what am I to do? sue them?

Apr 5th, 2005, 16:46	#13
soulfood Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Delhi Posts: 467	Digital Drifter: "I tried drinking pepsi, coke or whatever to enhance my sex appeal but it never seems to have worked. say, those soft drink ads are not really true, are they?" Shimla: "Agree about advertising. All advertising is exaggerated." Seth Godin, marketing guru, has a new book on this very topic.

Apr 5th, 2005, 18:22	#15
BhuttaJi Buttaji Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Newcastle Uk and Around Posts: 100	Surely no one really believes brochures and ad campaigns! They are made with the precise aim to entice us. No one is going to go back to their travel agent and say " Hey it was nothing like the picture when we got there". No one is surely that naive! The media cannot possibly give the reality only a simulacrum. A artificial reality! The only way to know is to go there and see with ones own eyes. The benefits of wisdom are bought with currency of experience. Ohh well what a world we live in

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