India’s poor air quality has been in the headlines again, after some of the highest air pollution readings ever recorded at the end of November 2024 when the Air Quality Index (AQI) for Delhi was measured at 1,700. For comparison, Los Angeles, USA, currently sits at an AQI of 40; Brussels, Belgium, has an AQI of 20; and Jakarta’s AQI at the time of writing is 26.
Why is Delhi’s air quality so bad and why does it matter?
Delhi’s topography, in a low-lying plain, and its meteorology of stable wind conditions, means it is bathed in an “airshed” filled with pollutants from the region’s transport, burning wood and refuse, construction, and, especially during this “winter” season, crop stubble burning.
That creates air the World Health Organisation describes as “hazardous to health”, prompting an increase in human “morbidity and mortality” especially for vulnerable people, such as children, the elderly and those with underlying conditions. Pollution can trigger chronic cardio and respiratory conditions, stroke, and neo-natal disorders, according to India’s own health ministry, which goes as far as asking people to limit outdoor activity and physical exertion during “severe” air quality episodes.
Tourism growth suppressed by pollution
The current spike in pollution, from an already high base, is also adversely affecting the country’s tourism industry, which lags behind neighbouring destinations at only 90% of its pre-Covid arrivals. That slump is now compounded by the pollution occurring in what should be the October to March high season, as some stakeholders say they are witnessing increasingly environmentally-aware tourists deciding against travel to India.
“Tour cancellations, shorter itineraries, and reduced bookings are becoming common, affecting the revenue streams of inbound operators,” said Rama Mahendru, country general manager for India at Intrepid Travel, reported by Skift.
And it is not just the leisure tourism sector seeing a downturn, but the “overall tourism ecosystem”, Mahendru said. That includes corporate or MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) travel. Both Mahendru and Dipak Deva, managing director of Travel Corporation India, say that pollution is diminishing Delhi’s appeal as an international corporate conference destination, due to “negative publicity for the destination in international media. Several foreign tour operators have expressed concern. Air pollution is deterring tourists from visiting India, and it is also causing tourists to shorten their stay,” Deva said.
And, in the long-term, tourism assets are damaged by pollution, which stains historic monuments such as the Taj Mahal, adding to the cost of their upkeep.
What can be done?
Local solutions are already being found by some hotels, which, Skift says, have installed Swedish technology air systems to track carbon dioxide levels and ventilate buildings. But more strategic government action is needed, stakeholders say, with calls for “stricter emissions controls, expanding urban green spaces, and increasing public awareness” from Harkaran Singh, general manager at The Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, Delhi.
Incentivising sustainable tourism practices and the use of greener modes of transportation are other steps Travel Corporation India recommends for the tourism sector. To this end, authorities are already looking to fully electrify Delhi’s fleet of well-used buses, and to draw people out of their private, polluting transport, but for that, a huge investment is needed in cycleways and footpaths – infrastructure that is almost non-existent at present.
An emergency response plan already exists for when pollution levels rocket, halting construction work and limiting traffic for example but, going further, some environmental experts are advocating more aggressive “airshed management”, which could see the operations of some sectors restricted depending on forecasts and pollution monitoring data. They also want to see a moratorium on licences for big polluting industries, some of which have already been ordered out of the capital.
Can you escape the pollution?
Some destinations just beyond Delhi, if marketed correctly, could see an uptick in tourism as a result of people wanting to escape to more breathable climes. Delhi residents seem to be leading the way. Skift reports “growing demand” from Delhi, as city dwellers are increasingly booking trips away with a “very short lead time” and “opting for long stays” at times of greater pollution in the capital.
However, not everyone is lucky enough to be able to indulge in a fresh air spa and, meanwhile, Delhi retains its grim title of the most polluted city in the world.
