Important Facts Related to Indian Economy: – (Tourism)

Last Updated on June 30, 2017 by Bharat Saini

• India’s tourism sector witnessed a growth of 4·5 per cent in terms of foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) with 8·2 million arrivals in 2015, and a growth of 4·1 per cent in foreign exchange earnings (FEEs) of US$ 21·1 billion.
• During 2016, 88·90 lakh foreign tourist visited India. This number is 10·27% more than that of 2015 figure.
• During 2016, foreign exchange earning stood at $ 23·146 billion while in 2015 it was $ 21·071 billion. Thus during 2016, 9·9% growth in foreign exchange earning is registered.
• To revive international tourist arrivals    in   the   country   after Mumbai terror attacks, India has launched a new tourism promotion campaign to attract foreign visitors.
• For the development of Indian Tourism, Tourism Development Corporation was established in the Public Sector on 1st October, 1966.
• The 12th plan (2012–17) document highlights the need to adopt ‘pro-poor tourism’ for increasing net   benefits   to   the   poor  and ensuring that tourism growth contributes to poverty reduction.
• The scheme of ‘Visa-on Arrival (VoA)’ had been introduced for five countries w.e.f. January 2010 which again extended to six more countries in January 2011 and further to 29 countries. Thus, it is now available to the visitors from 40 countries.

ETA : A New Mantra to Boost Tourism in India

The Government of India is in a  move to grant in principle approval for Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to travellers from 180 countries to India will boost tourism in the country, Tourism Secretary Parvez Dewan said on April 8, 2014. Travelling to India will be made easy once the ETA to visit the country becomes operational. ETA, which will allow foreign travellers to apply for a visa from home and receive an online confirmation in five working days, is expected to become operational by October 2014. Barring eight prior reference countries, which include Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka, government has decided to give e-visa to all the 180 countries. India had con-siderably relaxed its visa regime and expanded the Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) scheme. India launched the VoA scheme in January 2010 for citizens    of five countries—Finland, Japan, Lux­embourg, New Zealand and Singa-pore— visiting India for tourism purposes. The scheme was later extended to six more countries in January 2011.

 

• Tourism contributes about 6% in country’s GDP.
• On  lines of  ‘Palace on Wheels’ and Oriental Express, Railway Budget   2004-05   proposed   to start ‘Village on Wheels’ for poor people.
• Tourism Department classifies hotels  under  Star  System  in six  categories  which are from I to V Star Hotels and Heritage Hotels.
• A new classified category has been started for the  hotels which have been working  since prior to 1950 in the old palaces, forts and mansions.
• The double-digit growth in both number of foreign tourist arrivals and foreign exchange earnings there from continued for the third consecutive year in 2005-06.
• Indian Tourism Financial Corpo­ra­tion has been set up to provide finances for  the  development of services and facilities relating to tourism.
• Central Government has a scheme  named  ‘Golden   Triangle’ under consideration to encourage tourism at Chennai, Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram on the lines of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.
• Deccan Odyssey is a luxury train  which  travels  through  Maharashtra  and  Goa  in  its journey.
• Fisheries sector in India has been one of the major contributors of foreign    exchange    earnings through exports.
• Seven new tourist circuits are being developed across the India to facilitate travel to and stay at religious places. These circuits will be Sufi, Buddhist & Jain, Christian, Sikh, Hinduism and Sarva Dharma circuits.
• Sufi Circuit will include Delhi, Agra, Fatehpur Sikari, Bijapur, Shirdi,  Aurangabad,  and  the Awadh  region,  besides  the dargahs in J&K, Punjab, Haryana and Uttarakhand.
• The Christian Circuit will have the churches of Goa, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
• The Sarva Dharma Circuit, to promote national integration, will be aligned along Tirupathi–Chennai – Velankanni – Nagoor and      Vaishnodevi – Golden Temple–Sacred  Heart  Church (Delhi)–Nizamuddin.