56.6 pc rise in foreign tourists arrival on e-visa in Dec 2016

Over 1.62 lakh foreigners arrived in India last month on e-tourist visa, registering a growth of 56.6 per cent, with the UK continuing to occupy the top slot availing the facility.
UK continues to occupy the top slot with 22.4 per cent, followed by the US (16.4 per cent) and Russia (7.7 per cent) among the countries availing the e-tourist visa facility during December 2016.
The facility of e-visa is available to the citizens of 161 countries arriving at 16 international airports in India.
"During the month of December 2016, a total of 1,62,250 foreign tourists arrived on e-tourist visa as compared to 1,03,617 during the month of December in 2015, registering a growth of 56.6 per cent," according to a release by Ministry of Tourism.

During last year, a total of 10,79,696 tourists arrived on the facility as compared to 4,45,300 during 2015, registering a growth of 142.5 per cent.
During December last year, among the countries availing e-tourist visa, the share of China was 5.3 per cent, Australia 4.6 per cent, France 4.1 per cent, Germany 4 per cent, South Africa 3.7 per cent, Canada 3.7 per cent and Korea 2 per cent, the release said.
New Delhi Airport occupied the first slot in top 10 ports where tourist arrived on the e-facility during last month with 36.6 per cent, followed by Mumbai Airport (23.1 per cent), Dabolim (Goa) Airport (13.6 per cent), Chennai Airport (6 per cent), Bengaluru Airport (5.1 per cent) and Kochi Airport (4.7 per cent), it said.

The share of Kolkata Airport was 2.5 per cent, while that of Hyderabad Airport 2.4 per cent, Trivandrum Airport 1.9 per cent and Ahmedabad Airport 1.7 per cent.