Despite Demonetisation, December Foreign Tourists Growth Stands at 13.6%

Indian tourism sector has seen 13.6% growth in Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in December 2016 over the same period in 2015 and US accounts for highest share of tourist arrivals followed by Bangladesh and UK in December 2016, said the Ministry of Tourism in a statement.

The tourism sector earned Rs.16,805 crore in Foreign Exchange in December 2016, which shows that the sector recorded growth despite the claims that demonetisation had affected the overall foreign tourist arrivals.

Ministry of Tourism compiles monthly estimates of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) on the basis of Nationality-wise, Port-wise data received from Bureau of Immigration (BOI) and Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism on the basis of data available from Reserve Bank of India. The following are the important highlights regarding FTAs and FEEs from tourism during the month of December, 2016.

Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in December, 2016 were 10.37 lakh as compared to 9.13 lakh during the month of December, 2015 and 8.85 lakh in December, 2014. There has been a growth of 13.6% in December, 2016 over December, 2015.

Overall, foreign tourist arrivals for the calendar year 2016 were 88.90 lakh with a growth of 10.7% as compared to 80.27 lakh with a growth of 4.5% in January- December, 2015 over January- December, 2014.

The Percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during December, 2016 among the top 15 source countries was highest from USA (18.33%) followed by , Bangladesh (13.02%), UK (11.71%), Australia (5.43%), Russian Fed (4.18%),Canada (4.13%), Malaysia (3.38%), Germany (2.80%), China (2.53%), Sri Lanka (2.25%), Singapore (2.12%), France (2.01%), Japan (1.79%), Afghanistan (1.38%) and Nepal (1.34%).

The Percentage share of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in India during December 2016 among the top 15 ports was highest at Delhi Airport (27.77%) followed by Mumbai Airport (19.80%), Haridaspur Land check post (7.16%), Chennai Airport (7.13%), Goa Airport (5.64%), Bengaluru Airport (5.43%), Kolkata Airport (4.31%), Cochin Airport (4.17%), Hyderabad Airport (3.42%), Ahmadabad Airport (3.11%), Trivandrum Airport (1.81%), Gede Rail (1.59%), Trichy Airport (1.59%), Amritsar Airport (1.06%), and Gaya Airport (0.84%).

Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from Tourism during the month of December, 2016 were Rs.16,805 crore as compared to Rs. 14,152 crore in December, 2015 and Rs.12,988 crore in December, 2014. The growth rate in FEEs in rupee terms during December, 2016 over December, 2015 was 18.7% as compared to the growth of 9.0% in December, 2015 over December, 2014.

In the entire year 2016, foreign exchange earnings from tourism in rupee terms were Rs. 1,55,650 crore with a growth of 15.1% as compared to Rs. 1,35,193 crore with a growth of 9.6% during January- December, 2015 over January- December, 2014.

The figures in US$ terms during the month of December, 2016 were US$ 2.475 billion as compared to FEEs of US$ 2.126 billion during the month of December, 2015 and US$ 2.069 billion in December, 2014. and the growth rate in December, 2016 over December, 2015 was 16.4% compared to the growth of 2.8% in December, 2015 over December, 2014.

The earnings from tourism in US$ terms during January- December, 2016 were US$ 23.146 billion with a growth of 9.8% as compared to the US$ 21.071 billion with a growth 4.1% during January- December, 2015 over January- December, 2014, said the ministry in a statement.