 |
|
Foreign
Investment: An Overview
MORE
[+] |
 |
|
Indian Cuisine
- Tantalizing taste buds worldwide
MORE
[+] |
 |
|
The Great
Rail Journeys of India Toy Train Nilgiri
MORE [+]
|
|
| |
|
| |
04. NEWSMAKERS |
| |
|
| |
 |
| |
| |
|
|
| |
Honourable Minister of Tourism,
Mrs. Ambika Soni, visits Melbourne and Sydney |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Hon. Minister for
Tourism of India, Mrs. Ambika Soni, visited Australia from 21-26
March 2006 at the invitation of Australian Minister for Tourism
Fran Bailey to attend the India-Australia Tourism Business Forum
in Melbourne on 24 March. She met the Mayor of Melbourne and
had interaction with Commonwealth Games officials and also visited
Sydney.
|
|
| |
|
|
Rise in tourist arrivals |
| |
|
| |
 |
| |
|
| |
According
to the latest balance of payments figures released by the Reserve
Bank of India, '05 was the year of fastest growth in forex inflows
from foreign travel, during which inflows went up 36 percent. In the
first two months of the year, the country experienced a 12.6 per cent
jump in foreign tourist arrivals, with an estimated 8.7 lakh foreign
guests visiting the country. Foreign exchange earnings from tourist
spending were pegged at around Rs 5,358 crore in the first two months
of '06, registering a growth of 14.7 percent over the same period
in '05.
In '05, India earned US$ 6.9 billion from inbound foreign tourists,
which is more than twice the US$ 3.1 billion earned in '02. In fact,
with absolute inflows remaining flat in the range of $1.3bn for over
six consecutive quarters, the figure for the latest quarter - October-December
'05 - has shown a sharp spurt during which gross tourism inflows amounted
to record $2.2bn. October- December is normally the peak season for
travel by foreigners for both business and leisure. But inflows during
the latest quarter touched a record high. . Interestingly, forex outflows
on outbound tourism has also touched a new high during the year, with
Indian tourists spending a record $5.8bn during the year. The net
tourism income has virtually turned around from just about $4min the
previous year to $1bn during '05.
In calendar '05, the country received 3.9m foreign tourists, a jump
of 14 per cent over '04. Tourism ministry officials say in '06, the
focus will be on promoting tourism in the North-East and Andamans,
apart from marketing Buddhist circuits. The FM has recognised the
role of the tourism industry in generating employment in Budget '06.
He has upped the annual plan allocation for the tourism ministry from
Rs 786 crore to Rs 830 crore - a jump of 5.5%.
To boost flow of foreign tourist arrivals, the Centre plans to develop
15 tourist destinations, and identify 50 villages for exposition of
handicrafts and handloom. With the Commonwealth Games slated to be
held in Delhi in '10, the government plans to spruce up tourism infrastructure
and showcase India aggressively as a tourist destination. |
| |
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Focus
India
Mr. Vikram Kapur led a delegation from the Federation
of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) to Australia
to participate in the Focus India Exhibition and Seminar,
organized jointly by FICCI and the Department of Industrial
Policy and Promotion in Sydney from 14-16 March. The event
was inaugurated by Hon. John Aquilina, Speaker of New
South Wales Assembly and provided a useful opportunity
for showcasing Indian capabilities in various
sectors and facilitated interaction between Indian and
Australian companies.
Tourists inflow from Australia
According to tourism and culture Minister Ambika Soni
who was on a visit to Australia in March, "In the
last three years tourist arrivals from Australia to India
have almost doubled to a record figure of |
|
1,00,000.
It's a fabulous achievement". However, India aims
to double tourist inflow from Australia to two lakh in
the next three years, even as it targets to earn foreign
exchange to the tune of US$ 10 billion from the global
tourist arrivals by the end of 2008. She said the target
was to double this in the next three years and make India
the fastest growing destination in the Australian market.
The minister said both the central and state governments
were working together to overcome infrastructural difficulties.
Tourists to India spend
more
A statement issued by Visa cards, said that the Tourists
to India spent
US$ 372 million on their
Visa cards in the fourth quarter of 2005. This is a 25
per cent rise from a year earlier, making India the fastest
- growing Asia-Pacific market for
|
|
international
tourist spending. According to recent estimates of the
World Travel & Tourism Council the Indian tourism
demand will grow at an annual 8.8 per cent over the next
10 years, fuelled by higher incomes and lower air fares.
Visa said overall spending on Visa cards by travellers
to and within the Asia-Pacific region totalled $6.5 billion
in the October-December period -- a 12 per cent rise from
a year earlier, and compared with spending of $5.8 billion
in the third quarter of 2005. It added that Australia,
China, Thailand, Hong Kong and Japan were the top five
destinations in the region in terms of total spending
by tourists on their Visa cards. Tourists from the United
States, Britain, Japan, Australia and Hong Kong were the
biggest spenders in the region, accounting for 54 per
cent of total spending on Visa cards.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
