6.8% Growth in Foreign Tourist Arrivals in January 2016 Over 2015

By BW Hotelier ACCORDING TO the Ministry of Tourism, Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) during January 2016 were 8.44 lakh as compared to FTAs of 7.91 lakh during January 2015 and 7.58 lakh in January 2014. There has been a growth of 6.8 per cent in January 2016 over January 2015. The Percentage share of FTAs in India during January 2016 among the top 15 source countries was highest from USA (15.29 per cent) followed by Bangladesh (11.99 per cent), UK (11.23 per cent), Canada (4.87 per cent), Australia (3.97 per cent), Russian Federation (3.71 per cent), Germany (3.27 per cent), France (2.98 per cent),Sri Lanka (2.97 per cent), China (2.74 per cent), Malaysia (2.59 per cent), Japan (2.38 per cent), Rep. of Korea (1.82 per cent), Nepal (1.76 per cent) and Afghanistan (1.62 per cent). Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism during January 2016 were Rs. 13,669 crore as compared to Rs. 12,100 crore in January 2015 and Rs. 11,664 crore in January 2014. The growth rate in FEEs in rupee terms during January 2016 over January 2015 was 13 per cent as compared to a positive growth of 3.7 per cent in January 2015 over January 2014.