India receives 5.58 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals in 2010
7th Jan 2011 According to a PIB release, the Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during 2010 were 5.58 million with a growth rate of 9.3 per cent as compared to the FTAs of 5.11 million and growth rate of (-) 3.3 per cent during 2009. The 9.3 per cent growth rate in FTAs for 2010 over 2009 for India is much better than UNWTO’s projected growth rate of five-six per cent for the world during the same period.
Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEE) from tourism during 2010 were USD 14,193 million as compared to USD 11,394 million during 2009 and USD 11,747 million during 2008. The growth rate in FEE in USD terms during 2010 was 24.6 per cent as compared to a decline of three per cent in 2009 over 2008. Therefore, in USD terms, also growth rate observed in 2010 was positive and substantially high.
During 2010, a total number of 6,549 Visa on Arrivals (VoA) were issued under VoA Scheme. The Scheme of Visa on Arrival (VoA) was introduced from January 1, 2010 for citizens of five countries, viz. Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore.
