TourismofficialsestimateadeclineinstudentsfromIndiawillcostAustralia$70millioninlostrevenue.ThereareconcernsthatyoungIndianshavebeenscaredoffbyaseriesofassaultsinSydneyandMelbourneoverthepastyearAustralianpolicesaythatwhilesomeoftheassaultswereraciallymotivated,themajoritywereopportunisticcrimesbythugspreyingoneasytargets.Securityaroundtroublespots,suchassuburbanrailwaystations,hasincreased.Seniorgovernmentofficials,includingPrimeMinisterKevinRudd,havevisitedIndiatotrytoreassurepotentialstudentsthatappropriatesafetymeasureshavebeentaken.ButTourismAustralia,thegovernmentagencythatpromotesthecountryoverseas,thinksdeep-seatedfearsremaininIndiaabouttheviolence.TourismAustraliaspokesmanBernardSaltsaystheoutlookfor2010doesnotlookgood."ThenumberofIndiansarrivinginAustraliaforeducationpurposeswilldecreasebymorethan20percentin2010,"hesaid."ThisisasegmentthathasgrownstronglythroughoutthisdecadebutthedownturnisexpectedinresponsetoconcernsthattheIndiancommunityhashadaboutsafety."ThenewsmediainIndiaaccusedAustraliaofbeingaracistcountry,andtheattackshavetarnishedAustralia'simageasafriendlyandrelaxedplace.Inrecentyearsabout90,000youngIndianshavearrivedtostudyinAustralia.Nowthemulti-billiondollareducationindustryworriesabouttheeffectoflargedeclineinforeignstudents.DespiteconcernsaboutIndianstudents,tourismauthoritiesexpectmoreinternationalvacationerstovisitAustraliainthecomingyearasthetraveltraderecoversfromtheglobalfinancialcrisis.Mostoftheforeignersheadinghereonvacationin2010areexpectedtocomefromtheUnitedStatesandChina.
