Foreign tourist arrivals to India rise 7.3% in June

Sharath Chowdary

Foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) to India have increased 7.3% at 5.50 lakh during the month of June, 2016 when compared to 5.12 lakh FTAs in the same month last year as per the Ministry of Tourism monthly estimates released on Monday. The ministry compiles this with the data from Bureau of Immigration and Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

The FTAs rose 8.9% at 41.86 lakh during the period January-June 2016 as against 38.45 lakh FTAs in the corresponding period previous year. The share of FTAs in India was highest from US (22%), followed by Bangladesh, UK, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Australia, China, Canada, Japan, Singapore, France, Germany, Nepal, Pakistan and Korea during the last month.

According to RBI, Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism grew 12% at Rs.10,732 crore in June 2016 from Rs.9,564 crore in same month last year. FEEs from tourism has grown 14% at Rs.73,065 crore during January- June 2016 from Rs.64,035 crore in the corresponding period a year ago.

The number of FTAs to the state of Goa has increased around 12% at more than five million FTAs during the FY 2015-16 over the previous fiscal, Goa Tourism Development Corporation Ltd (GTDC) Marketing Manager Yogesh Naik said while organising Goa Tourism Road Show in Hyderabad on Saturday. He had also participated in the Travel and Tourism Fair (TTF) 2016 in the city last week.

Recently, GTDC launched a new e-commerce portal and mobile application on android and iOS platforms for booking the visits to Goa. This is the first of its kind initiative by a tourism board in India. Speaking about this, Naik said, “Goa Tourism is showcasing new initiatives and activities on national and international platforms. We have unveiled an all new portfolio which will help in attracting more tourists to our state.”