India sites won’t take U.S. dollars

In a sign of how the once-mighty U.S. dollar has fallen, India’s tourism minister said that greenbacks would no longer be accepted at heritage tourist sites such as the Taj Mahal.

For years the dollar was worth about 50 rupees and tourists visiting most sites in India were charged $5 or 250 rupees. With the dollar at a nine-year low against the rupee -- falling 11% in 2007 and now hovering at about 39 rupees -- that deal has become a losing proposition for the tourism industry.