India has witnessed a significant surge in the number of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) during the year 2022 as compared to the previous year.
According to information provided by the government in Parliament on Thursday, India recorded 6.19 million Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) in 2022, up significantly from 1.52 million FTAs during the same period in 2021. The figure is based on data from the Bureau of Immigration.
This is encouraging news for the country's struggling tourist sector after the Covid-19 pandemic damaged it. According to official data for previous years, in 2019, which was regarded as the pre-pandemic year for the nation's tourist industry, India received 10.93 million FTAs.
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of Culture, Tourism and Development of North-Eastern Region G Kishan Reddy said that the Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism have also increased significantly in 2022. According to provisional estimates, the FEEs through tourism in India during 2022 were Rs. 1,34,543 crores, which is almost double the amount earned in 2021, which was Rs. 65,070 crores.
Through programs like Swadesh Darshan, PRASHAD, and Assistance to Central Agencies, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, offers central financial assistance to State Governments, Union Territories, and Central Agencies in an attempt to build tourism-related infrastructure and facilities across the nation and provide enriching experiences to visitors.
According to information provided in the Minister's reply, the Indian Ministry of Tourism has established a 24-hour multilingual tourist info-helpline in 12 languages, including 10 foreign languages like German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Arabic, in addition to Hindi and English, to provide timely assistance to domestic and foreign tourists in India.
The Ministry of Tourism has launched a number of efforts to grow the nation's tourism industry and increase the number of international visitors. Dekho Apna Desh initiative, programs under the Capacity Building for Service Providers Scheme, Incredible India Tourist Facilitator Certification Program, e-Visa facility for citizens of 166 countries, liberalization of the e-Visa regime and reduction of the visa fee, opening new mountain peaks for mountaineering and trekking, reduction of the GST on hotel rooms, and declaration of 2023 as "Incredible India! Visit India Year" are some of them. Moreover, India is hosting the G20 meetings in 55 locations around the nation. As a result, efforts are being made to promote the country's tourist resources and raise the infrastructure and amenities in these cities to a high quality.
