pune shortage of valid currency notes has forced several international clients both corporate and leisure travellers to either cancel their plans or put them on hold sources in the travel and hospitality industry have pointed out moreover demonetisation has led to a slowdown in enquires from foreign clients sources added hotel and restaurant association of western india hrawi quoted 20 cancellations in bookings by foreigners across the state postdemonetisationpunebased daya sudama a trained tour guide under the ministry of tourism told toi that in november this year around seven foreign tourists both corporate as well as those who halt in pune as a transit location from canada and brazil cancelled their plans due to the ongoing cash crunch that has especially hit foreigners two others have cancelled their plans for december international clients who are travelling to the city have been complaining about how they have been unable to arrange enough liquid cash for travel foreign travellers also have to pay an additional charge on the payment card used which is another deterrent foreigners prefer to have liquid cash in hand while travelling as they prefer visiting traditional markets like that on laxmi road instead of shopping at malls where plastic money can easily be used said sudamashe added that for a month now she has not received any assignments from hotels for guiding tourists as the latter prefer not to spend on tourist guides during the ongoing cash crunchaccording to neerav panchamia president of poona hoteliers association hotels in the city have seen approximately 5 to 7 cancellations by international clients postdemonetisationdilip datwani president of hrawi pointed out that hotels in maharashtra have registered 20 cancellations in bookings by foreigners after demonetisation this period is the peak tourist season when the state sees a surge in both indian and foreign tourists however bookings have been hit after demonetisation said datwaniajit patil proprietor of landmaster holidays that caters to international tourists coming to pune said foreigners need to pay in cash at certain places for instance at monuments as per company rules we have to arrange for cash for such payments on behalf of our clients but it has been quite difficult to do so at the eleventh hour about five to 10 groups of foreigners planning to come to the city for leisure travel from germany and uk have now put their trip on holdphilippa kaye from england said that four of her friends who were planning to travel to india have decided not to undertake the journey due to the cash crunch those who are here are already planning to leave independent travellers are especially rethinking their plans on coming to india she saidarvind jaiswal manager at caper travel company private limited that caters to inbound tourism from 16 countries said foreign tourists who have already recently returned to their countries from india have gone with a bad impression due to the currency crunch we did receive a few requests for cancellations from foreigners who had