Foreign Tourist Arrivals Register 6.5 per cent Growth in Nov 2015 Compared to Nov 2014

By BW Hotelier ACCORDING TO monthly estimates of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) compiled by Ministry of Tourism, the FTAs during November 2015 were 8.15 lakh as compared to FTAs of 7.65 lakh during November last year and 7.34 lakh in November 2013. There has been a growth of 6.5 per cent in November 2015 over November 2014. FTAs during the period January-November 2015 were 71.03 lakh with a growth of 4.5 per cent, as compared to the FTAs of 67.94 lakh with a growth of 10.5 per cent in January-November 2014 over January-November 2013. The percentage share of FTA in India during November 2015 among the top 15 source countries was highest from USA (15.76 per cent) followed by Bangladesh (12.27 per cent), UK (11.00 per cent), Canada (4.52 per cent), Australia (4.22 per cent), Malaysia (3.43 per cent), Russian Fed. (3.42 per cent), Germany (3.34 per cent), France (2.93 per cent), Sri Lanka (2.89 per cent), China (2.83 per cent), Japan (2.51 per cent), Singapore (2.19 per cent), Nepal (1.77 per cent) and Thailand (1.58 per cent). These top 15 countries account for 74.66 per cent of total FTAs during November 2015. Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism in India during November 2015 were Rs 11,610 crore as compared to Rs 12,988 crore in November 2014 and Rs 11,994 crore in November 2013. The FEEs during November 2015 registered a decline of 10.6 per cent over November 2014 as compared to positive growth of 8.3 per cent in November 2014 over November 2013. FEEs from tourism during January-November 2015 were Rs 1,12,958 crore with a growth of 1.0 per cent as compared to the FEE of Rs 1,11,889 crore with a growth of 15.3 per cent during January-November 2014 over January-November 2013.