Page 5 - Tourism Sector

Travel tip: Use prepaid forex card when abroad, avoid currency fluctuations

Avoid dynamic currency conversion by paying in the local currency instead of Indian rupees

Jan-Jun FTAs in India at 4.78 mn, B'desh, US top sources: Tourism ministry

Foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in India from January to June stood at nearly 4.78 million, with Bangladesh and the US being the top two source countries, according to official data issued by the Ministry of Tourism. The data sheet was shared on Friday on the occasion of the World Tourism Day and figures showed that inbound tourism in the country is trailing the pandemic levels. The ministry shared the figures for the month of June as well as for the January-June period. The FTAs in June 2024 were 7,06,045 as compared to 6,48,008 in June 2023 and 7,26,446 in June 2019 registering a growth of nine per cent and a fall of 2.8 per cent with respect to 2023 and 2019 respectively, according to the data. "The FTAs during the period January-June 2024 were 47,78,374 as compared to 43,80,239 in January-June 2023 and 52,96,025 in January-June 2019, registering a growth of 9.1 per cent and minus 9.8 per cent with respect to 2023 and 2019 respectively," it added. According to a data chart on t

World Tourism Day 2024: Date, theme, history, significance and more

Started in 1980 by the UNWTO, World Tourism Day celebrates the global impact of tourism. The day is dedicated to the significance of tourism in promoting cultural exchange and economic growth

Rajasthan's marriage gardens want a pie of big fat wedding market

Apart from havelis, which double up as wedding venues, grand hotels, marriage gardens too have emerged as an attractive option

Bridging the gap: How upskilling initiatives can boost tourism job creation

The tourism industry has immense potential to drive economic growth and generate millions of jobs

Rajasthan must announce tourism policy before investor meet: Industry execs

Investors will know about government facilities and subsidies for investments in tourism

Sri Lanka to boost tourism, approves free tourist visas for 35 countries

The country of 22 million people, famed for its beaches, ancient temples and aromatic tea, saw its tourism industry pummelled first by the COVID-19 pandemic and then by a severe financial crisis in 20

Bangladesh crisis hits India's tourism: 90% drop in Bangladeshi visitors

The situation worsened two weeks ago when former PM Sheikh Hasina resigned amid student protests, resulting in temporary flight disruptions and suspension of all visas except those for medical reasons

China's senior tourists could be a silver lining for travel companies

Companies inside and outside of China, and local travel authorities, are starting to tailor their services to the needs specific to this growing cohort

Tourism sector could resolve 50% of India's job challenges: Lemon Tree CMD

The tourism sector has the potential to resolve 50 per cent of the country's employment challenges with the right government support, Lemon Tree Hotels Chairman and Managing Director Patanjali Govind Keswani said on Saturday. Delivering his address at the first National Conclave on India 2047, organised by IIM Calcutta, he said India's tourism sector is on the verge of hitting the inflexion point. Keswani pointed out that several countries have seen that the tourism sector contributes as much as 15-20 per cent to their GDP and account for 25 per cent of employment. Expressing disappointment over the government's approach towards the tourism sector, he said, "In India, tourism contributes only 6.5 per cent to GDP and a similar share in employment. This sector holds enormous potential for creating jobs." "If the government can leverage this opportunity effectively, it could address up to 50 per cent of our employment challenges," he said. Discussing India's current economic landscap

Spending on outbound tourism to rise 11%, reaching $55 bn in 2034: Report

Spending on outbound tourism is expected to grow from USD 18.82 billion in 2024 to USD 55.39 billion in 2034, a report said. The 'Navigating Horizons' report jointly prepared by Nangia NXT and Ficci said packaged tours still dominate the outbound market in India, with a share of 39.20 per cent in 2024, as there is a preference for choosing pre-planned tour packages from travel service providers due to greater convenience and customisation. The report said that availability of Indian or vegetarian food options as well as awareness about niche tourism will help increase the number and frequency of Indians engaging in foreign travel in the coming years. The market has already seen robust growth with rising disposable incomes, an expanding middle class, systemic ease and flexibility in obtaining visas, and a desire for international experiences. "Countries like Egypt, Azerbaijan and Georgia, among others, known for their rich history, cultural heritage, natural beauty and unique ...

Domestic travel operators to see 15-17% revenue growth in FY25: CRISIL

Rising domestic tourism and increasing propensity to travel overseas will expand the revenue of India's tour and travel operators by 15-17 per cent this fiscal, Crisil Ratings said on Thursday. Factors like improving infrastructure, rising disposable incomes, a behavioural shift in travel patterns, and the government's increasing focus on boosting domestic tourism will further support the sector's revenue growth. The assessment was based on an analysis of the country's four major travel operators, who account for about 60 per cent of the sector's revenue. "The credit profiles of travel operators, too, are expected to remain healthy, supported by strong balance sheets and steady operating margins of 6.5-7 per cent, in line with last fiscal, resulting in sizeable cash flows and continuing low reliance on debt," Crisil Ratings stated. In the domestic tourism market, growth is being fuelled by 'micro holidays' (e.g., quick getaways or staycations over long weekends), growing spiritual

AI, sports, health tourism hub to come up on Hyderabad outskirts: T'gana CM

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Wednesday said a 'fourth city', after Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Cyberabad here, would come up at Mucharla on the city outskirts with an AI and health tourism hub, sports, and others being developed there on a grand scale. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly during a debate on the Appropriation Bill, 2024, he said the 'fourth city' would be the 'future city'. "After Hyderabad, Secunderabad city, Cyberabad city, we are going to establish a 'fourth city' at Mucharla," he said. While Hyderabad and Secunderabad are known as twin cities, the IT hub at Gachibowli in the Telangana capital is known as Cyberabad. The proposed 'fourth city' would be promoted as an attractive investment destination in the world, he said. It would also be connected by metro rail. The new 'city' would be a hub of medical treatment, skill development, international cricket tournaments, golf club and employment avenues, he said. The plans include developing a health

Pak's Karachi ranked 2nd-riskiest city for tourists, only behind Caracas

Karachi has been ranked as the second-riskiest city for tourists, with a rating of 93.12 out of 100, according to a July 11 Forbes Adviser list, reported Dawn.The July 11 Forbes Adviser list of three of the riskiest cities highlighted that Karachi was second just behind Venezuela's Caracas, which had a score of 100, while Myanmar's Yangon ranked third with a score of 91.67 out of 100.According to the ranking, the city had the highest personal security risk, reflecting risk from crime, violence, terrorist threats, natural disasters, and economic vulnerabilities.It added that Karachi had the second-worst (level 3, reconsider travel) travel safety rating from the US State Department, as reported by Dawn.Moreover, Karachi has the fourth-highest infrastructure security risk, reflecting the availability and quality of city infrastructure, according to the report.To uncover the most and least risky cities for tourists, Forbes Adviser said that it compared 60 international cities across seven

Tourism sector witnessed revival, foreign arrivals went up: Eco Survey

Public policy should pay particular attention to boosting the tourism sector, Survey notes

19.2 mn foreigners visited India in 2023, up from 1.05 mn in 2021: Govt

A total of 1.92 crore foreign tourists visited India last year, a jump from 10.54 lakh in the pandemic year of 2021, according to the Tourism ministry. Responding to a question in Lok Sabha, Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat gave data of foreign tourist visits (FTVs) to India from 2021 to 2023. According to the data, 1,92,45,817 foreign tourist visits were recorded in 2023, while the number stood at 85,87,562 in 2022, and 10,54,642 in 2021. Delhi saw a remarkable rise from 1,00,178 FTVs in 2021 to an estimated 18,28,116 FTVs in 2023. Similarly, Goa's foreign tourist arrivals jumped from 22,128 in 2021 to 4,52,692 in 2023. Maharashtra experienced one of the highest increases, with FTVs growing from 1,85,643 in 2021 to an estimated 33,87,739 in 2023. Smaller states and UTs also reported significant growth. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands saw an increase from 1,687 FTVs in 2021 to 9,025 in 2023. Arunachal Pradesh, which had only 182 FTVs in 2021, welcomed 4,496 i

New Maharashtra tourism policy to attract significant investments: HRAWI

A section of hotel and restaurant owners on Saturday welcomed the Maharashtra government's Tourism Policy 2024, which is aimed at positioning the state as a premier global tourist destination. This progressive framework, aimed at positioning Maharashtra as a premier global tourist destination, is a game-changer for our industry, the Hotel And Restaurant Association (Western India) - HRAWI said in a statement. The policy's strategic initiatives and incentives are set to attract significant investments, HRAWI president Pradeep Shetty said. Additional Floor Space Index (FSI), relaxed building restrictions to expedite projects, capital subsidies, SGST reimbursement, electricity duty exemptions and interest subventions on loans are some of the key requirements of the industry and once implemented, will give a big boost to the state's tourism and hospitality sector, Shetty said. "We eagerly anticipate its effective implementation within the stated objectives and the Ease of Doing Busines

Qutub Minar dethrones Agra Fort as tourist magnet in historic shift

Draws 220,017 foreign visitors to become second most visited monument

Foreign exchange earnings from tourism at 12-month low, shows data

Number of Indians travelling abroad at a multi-year high, shows government data

Uttar Pradesh govt to add 200,000 hotel rooms to tourism inventory

In 2023, around 480 million domestic and foreign tourists visited UP, an increase of over 50 per cent, compared to 2022. The annual footfall is estimated to touch 850 million by 2028