Foreign tourists add over $1.2 billion to India's forex kitty in September

Foreign exchange earnings from tourist arrivals in India rose 19 per cent year-on-year to $1.21 billion during September 2011 against such inflows of $1.0 billion during September 2010, which was up 29.3 per cent from $785 million in September 2009.

Tourist arrivals rose 22.9 per cent to Rs5,748 crore during September 2011, from Rs4,678 crore in September 2010, which was up 23.2 per cent from Rs3,798 crore in September 2009.

Forex earnings from tourism grew 18.7 per cent to $11.89 billion during January-September 2011, from $10.01 billion, with a growth of 30.5 per cent in January-August 2010 over the corresponding period of 2009.

Forex earnings from tourism in rupee terms during January-September 2011 rose 16.6 per cent to Rs53,761 crore from Rs46,115 crore in the previous year period, which again was up 22.7 per cent from the January- September 2009 period.

Arrival of foreign tourists in the country rose 8.7 per cent in September 2011 to 4.01 lakh against the arrival of 3.69 lakh foreign tourists in September 2010, which was up 11.6 per cent from 3.31 lakh in August 2009.

The 8.7 per cent growth in tourist arrivals in September 2011 compares with 5.3 per cent growth in foreign tourist arrivals in September 2010 and an 11.6 per cent growth in September 2010 over September 2009.

During January-September 2011, foreign tourist arrivals in the country recorded a 10 per cent year-on-year growth at 4.22 million against a growth of 8.0 per cent in the previous year period when the figure stood at 3.85 million, which in turn was up 29.3 per cent from the previous year.