Foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) to India recorded a growth of 10.7 per cent in April over the same month last year, while foreign exchange earnings (FEEs) registered a jump of 15.3 per cent, government today said.
As many as 5.99 lakh footfalls were witnessed in April as compared to 5.42 lakh during the corresponding month last year, registering a growth of 10.7 per cent, an official release said.
FTAs during January-April this year were 31.08 lakh. They grew by 10.1 per cent over 28.23 lakh in the corresponding period last year.
Among the top 15 source countries, Bangladesh accounted for the highest share of tourist arrivals in April with 18.09 per cent, followed by the US 12.24 per cent, the UK 9.58 per cent, Sri Lanka 3.71 per cent, Malaysia 3.23 per cent and China 3.14 per cent.
The share of Australia was 3.05 per cent, while that of Germany 3.02 per cent, France 2.86 per cent, Canada 2.83 per cent, Russian Federation 2.81 per cent, Japan 2.50 per cent, Nepal 2.07 per cent, Singapore 1.85 per cent and Thailand 1.61 per cent.
FEEs during April grew by 15.3 per cent from Rs 10,091 crore in the same month last year to Rs 11,637 crore.
During January-April this year, FEEs from tourism in rupee terms were Rs 52,048 crore, a growth of 15.7 per cent compared to Rs 44,966 crore in the corresponding period last year.
(REOPENS DES10)
Overall, foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in October 2016 were 7.54 lakhs as compared to 6.83 lakhs during the same month last year, recording a growth of 10.4 per cent.
Foreign exchange earnings (FEEs) during the last month stood at Rs 12,303 crore as compared to Rs 10,549 crore in October 2015, witnessing a growth of 16.6 per cent.
FEEs from tourism during January-October 2016 were Rs 1,24,371 crore, recording a growth of 14.7 per cent as compared to Rs 1,08,392 crore in the same period last year.
FTAs during January-October, 2016 were 69.62 lakh with a growth of 10.5 per cent as compared to FTAs of 62.98 lakh in January- October, 2015.
The percentage share of FTAs during last month was highest from Bangladesh (16.67 per cent), followed by the US (12.83 per cent), the UK (11.03 per cent), Canada (3.73 per cent), Australia (3.50 per cent) and Sri Lanka (3.45 per cent).
The share of Germany was 3.38 per cent, while that of Russia 3.20 per cent, France 2.91 per cent, China 2.70 per cent, Malaysia 2.65 per cent, Nepal 2.16 per cent, Japan 2.12 per cent, Singapore 1.54 per cent and Thailand 1.44 per cent.
