A total of 1,62,250 foreign
tourists arrived in December 2016 on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 1,03,617 during
the month of December 2015 registering a growth of 56.6%. UK
(22.4%)
continues to occupy top slot followed by USA (16.4%) and Russian Fed (7.7%)
amongst countries availing e-tourist visa facility During December 2016.
The facility of e-Visa has been made available by
the Government of India to the citizens of 161 countries, arriving at 16
International Airports in India. The number of e-Tourist Visa availed by
foreign tourists visiting India during the month of December, 2016 has
registered a substantial growth rate over the corresponding month of 2015. The
salient highlights of e-Tourist Visa for and upto the month of December, 2016
are as follows:-
(i)
During the month of December 2016 a total of 1,62,250 foreign tourists
arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 1,03,617 during the month of December,
2015 registering a growth of 56.6%.
(ii)
During January- December 2016, a total of 10,79,696 tourist arrived on
e-Tourist Visa as compared to 4,45,300 during January-December 2015,
registering a growth of 142.5% .
(iii)
This high growth may be attributed to introduction of e-Tourist Visa for
161 countries as against the earlier coverage of 113 countries.
(iv)
The percentage shares of top 10 source countries availing e-Tourist
Visa facilities during December, 2016 were as follows:
UK (22.4%), USA (16.4%), Russian Fed
(7.7%), China (5.3%), Australia (4.6%), France (4.1%), Germany (4.0%), South
Africa (3.7%), Canada (3.7%) and Republic of Korea (2.0%).
(v)
The percentage shares of top 10 ports in tourist arrivals on e-Tourist
Visa during December, 2016 were as follows:-
New Delhi Airport (36.6%), Mumbai Airport
(23.1%), Dabolim (Goa) Airport (13.6%), Chennai Airport (6.0%), Bengaluru
Airport (5.1%),Kochi Airport (4.7%), Kolkata Airport (2.5%), Hyderabad Airport
(2.4%), Trivandrum Airport (1.9%) and Ahmadabad Airport (1.7%).
*****
Sanjay Kumar/jk/tourism/11-01-2017
