One crore foreigners visited India in 2017; earns USD 27 bn

Union minister for tourism Alphons Kannanthanam stated that the Tourism Industry has generated USD 27 billion in revenue. Around 10 million foreign tourists (FTA) visited the country in 2017.

“The tourism sector was doing well with 15.2 per cent more increase in foreign tourist arrival,” says the minister.

The foreign exchange earnings went up to 20.2 per cent. “Income from tourism from foreign tourist arrival alone has been 27 billion dollars and if we convert in terms of rupee it would come approximately to 1,75000 crores rupees,” Kannanthanam adds. The tourism sector is contributing 6.88 per cent to the country’s total GDP besides 12.36 per cent of total employment in terms of jobs.

“I think our sector is doing well. But am I happy with the number? No. I want these numbers to increase dramatically because India is an incredible place and we have everything for everybody. So we are trying to bring in lot more people,” he says.

He also says that there’s huge expectation to have Israeli tourists would be coming to the country after their Prime ministers’ recent visit here.