Foreign tourist arrivals reach 41 lakh from January to May, marking a 9% increase

From January to May 2024, India recorded 40.7 lakh foreign tourists, marking a 9.1% increase from the 37.3 lakh arrivals during the same period last year. Foreign exchange earnings (FEEs) surged to US$ 488.62 billion (Rs. 1.1 lakh crore), up from US$ 10.54 billion (Rs. 88,441 crore) in the previous year, reflecting a growth of nearly 22.5%. In May 2024, foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) reached 6 lakhs, slightly higher than the 5.9 lakh recorded in May 2023, indicating a 0.3% rise. FEEs for May 2024 totalled US$ 2.12 billion (Rs. 17,762 crore), compared to US$ 2.05 billion (Rs. 17,206 crore) in May 2023, showing a 3.2% increase.

This information was shared by Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in response to a written question in the Lok Sabha during the monsoon session. He highlighted that the consistent increase in FTAs and FEEs reflects positive economic growth and the development of the tourism sector. The minister also provided data from the last 3 years, showing a steady rise in foreign tourist arrivals: 10.5 lakh in 2021, 85.9 lakh in 2022, and provisional figures for 2023 showing over 1.9 crore visitors. He outlined several government initiatives to boost the tourism and hospitality sector, including a loan scheme for tour operators, travel agents, and tourist transport operators and the 'Dekho Apna Desh' campaign to encourage domestic travel.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.