Foreign tourist arrivals in India rise 7.4 per cent to 5.07 lakh in March

Foreign tourist arrivals in India rose 7.4 per cent in March 2011 to 5.07 lakh, from 4.72 lakh during March 2010, which in turn were up 6.7 per cent from 4.42 lakh in March 2009.

During the January-March 2011 period, foreign tourist arrivals in the country rose 11.1 per cent to 17.37 lakh, from 15.63 lakh in the comparable period of the previous year.

The growth in foreign tourist arrivals in January-March 2010 stood at 10.6 per cent year-on-year, data released by the ministry of tourism showed.

Foreign exchange earnings from foreign tourists in March 2011 rose by a marginal 0.3 per cent (in rupee terms) to Rs5,522 crore ($1,227 million) compared with a 24.1 per cent rise to Rs5,507 crore ($1,209 million) in March 2010, from Rs4,437 crore ($867 million) in March 2009.

The lower growth rate in foreign exchange earnings in March 2011 over March 2010 was due to high base and a more than expected growth rate of 24.1 per cent in March 2010 over March 2009, the release pointed out.

During January-March 2011, foreign exchange earnings from tourist arrivals rose 6.8 per cent (in rupee terms) to Rs18,952 crore ($4,184 million) compared to Rs17,746 crore ($3,858 million) in the same period of the previous year. Earnings growth in January-March 2010 was also higher at 30.7 per cent compared to the figures of the corresponding period of 2009.