Tourists

5.5 million tourist arrivals in 2010, claims Ministry

Overseas tourist arrivals in India during 2010 were 5.58 million with a growth rate of 9.3% as compared to 5.11 million during 2009. The 9.3% growth rate in 2010 over 2009 for India is better than UNWTO's projected growth rate of 5 to 6% for the world during the same period.

Foreign exchange earnings from tourism during 2010 were US $ 14193 million as compared to US$ 11394 million during 2009 and US $ 11747 million during 2008. Therefore, in US$ terms, growth rate observed in 2010 was positive and substantially high.

During 2010, a total number of 6549 Visa on Arrivals (VoA) were issued under VoA Scheme.

The Scheme of “Visa on Arrival” (VoA) was introduced from 1st January 2010 for citizens of five countries --- Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore --- visiting India for tourism purposes.

The number of visas issued under this scheme, during January-December 2010 for nationals of the five countries were Singapore (1814), New Zealand (1944), Japan (1457), Finland (1263) and Luxembourg (71).

During the year 2010 (January–December), the maximum number of VoAs were issued at Delhi airport (3493), followed by Mumbai (1511), Chennai (1211) and Kolkata (334).

While Tourism Ministry figures are showing a growth in overseas arrivals, the hospitality industry is presenting a different picture altogether. Most of the hotels and resorts in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur are surviving on domestic business. It was shocking to see prominent heritage resorts running on scant occupancy. As an owner of a heritage resort put it, “We are running after travel agents in Delhi to get sufficient business to survive on.

As you see the resort has all domestic occupancy except for a couple of rooms to foreign tourists.”

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