I read Mr Roy Goh Hin Soon’s letter (“Little India needs sprucing up”; Dec 10) with much consternation.
Contrary to his observations, Little India is firmly on the tourist map, and is prominently listed in travel guides such as Lonely Planet and Fodor’s Travel.
One will find many backpacker hostels teeming with tourists in the area.
My friends and I have also taken countless overseas guests to have delicious meals in restaurants there, without mishap.
The presence of all sorts of businesses in Little India, and the ordinary people who patronise them, offer a glimpse of everyday life that more-developed districts do not.
The authorities should be commended for keeping its unique atmosphere, even with the lack of spacious pedestrianised streets.
Little India does not need to be like Chinatown.
In an era when travellers are becoming increasingly savvy, discerning and intrepid, more gentrification is the last thing our tourism sector needs.
Nicholas Lim Shuqing
Read also: Being not so organised has its charms
This article was first published on December 13, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.