3.2% Growth in Foreign Tourist Arrivals in December 2015 Over 2014

By BW Hotelier ACCORDING TO the Ministry of Tourism, the Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) December 2015 were 9.13 lakh as compared to FTAs of 8.85 lakh during December 2014 and 8.22 lakh in December 2013. There has been a growth of 3.2 per cent in December 2015 over December 2014. FTAs during the period January-December 2015 were 80.16 lakh with a growth of 4.4 per cent, as compared to the FTAs of 76.79 lakh with a growth of 10.2 per cent in January-December 2014 over January-December 2013. The percentage share of FTAs in India during December 2015 among the top 15 source countries was highest from USA (18.67 per cent) followed by Bangladesh (11.64 per cent), UK (11.60 per cent), Australia (5.25 per cent), Canada (4.23 per cent), Russian Fed. (3.68 per cent); Malaysia (3.13 per cent), Germany (2.61 per cent); China (2.48 per cent); Sri Lanka (2.39 per cent); Singapore (2.01 per cent), France (1.99 per cent); Japan (1.85 per cent); Thailand (1.68 per cent) and Pakistan (1.60 per cent). These top 15 countries account for 74.81 per cent of total FTAs during December 2015. Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from Tourism in India in December 2015 were Rs 13,253 crore as compared to Rs 12,988 crore in December 2014 and Rs. 11,994 crore in December 2013. The FEEs in December 2015 registered a positive growth of 2.0 per cent over December 2014 as compared to positive growth of 8.3 per cent in December 2014 over December 2013. FEEs from tourism during January-December 2015 were Rs 1,26,211 crore with a growth of 2.3 per cent as compared to the FEE of Rs 1,23,320 crore with a growth of 14.5 per cent during January-December 2014 over January-December 2013.