Destination Delhi?

Tunis,Cairo,Damascus,Jerusalem,Rome,Bruges,Cracow just the names of these splendid old cities exert a certain sorcery. They are all UNESCO-stamped world heritage cities,acknowledged as part of the worlds cultural and historical legacy a list that Delhi is now preparing its own case to belong in. It has picked four areas in the city Shahjahanabad,Nizamuddin,Mehrauli and the Lutyens Bungalow Zone for the dossier,and hopes to demonstrate the melding of Islamic and older Indian traditions in town-planning architecture,in Sufism,in the Urdu language. Theres no direct prize money,but theres a lot of prestige in being picked.

After world heritage sites are catalogued by UNESCO,its accepted that conserving and safeguarding them is an international concern. There are already several world heritage sites scattered across Delhi,like the Red Fort and Humayuns Tomb. While the UNESCO imprimatur works by indicating these places are special and eligible for global stewardship and restoration money,and can spur local pride and tourist interest,actual tourism numbers depend on the citys own commitment. Though the WTO figures reveal that nations that are home to world heritage sites are among the top 10 tourist destinations,India is the one exception it figures in the top 10 countries in terms of world heritage sites,but is nowhere close in terms of tourist figures.

Right now,Delhi is still a stop on the way to Jaipur or Agra,not a destination in itself. It needs to make a pitch for the worlds imagination rather than patronage,and it needs to build businesses that support tourism. As the ASI makes a fat file to position Delhi for the UNESCO committee,the city also needs to tell people what makes it so special.