Foreign tourist arrivals grow by 4.4 pc in 2015

Foreign tourists arrivals last year grew by 4.4 per cent at 80.16 lakh against 76.79 lakh in 2014.
Foreign tourists arrivals during January-December, 2015 were 80.16 lakh against 76.79 lakh in January-December 2014, a growth of 4.4 per cent, an official statement said here.
Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism during January-December last year were Rs. 1,26,211 crore with a growth of 2.3 per cent as compared to Rs. 1,23,320 crore during January-December 2014.
Also, foreign tourists arrivals in December last year increased by 3.2 per cent at 9.13 lakh against 8.85 lakh in the same month previous year, it said.

FEEs during December 2015 was Rs 13,253 crore, a growth of two per cent over Rs 12,988 crore in December 2014.
The US topped the list of percentage share of foreign tourists arrivals in India during December among the top 15 source countries with 18.67 per cent, followed by Bangladesh (11.64), UK (11.60), Australia (5.25), Canada (4.23), Russian Federation (3.68) and Malaysia (3.13).

Germany's share was 2.61 per cent while that of China was 2.48 per cent, followed by Sri Lanka (2.39), Singapore (2.01), France (1.99), Japan (1.85), Thailand (1.68) and Pakistan (1.60).
These top 15 countries account for 74.81 per cent of total FTAs during December 2015, the release said.

The percentage share of foreign tourists arrivals among the top 15 ports was highest at Delhi Airport (27.34), followed by Mumbai Airport (20.82), Haridaspur Land check post (6.65), Bengaluru Airport (6.33), Chennai Airport (5.44), and Goa Airport (5.24).