According to information provided to Parliament on Thursday by the government, the number of foreign tourists who visited India between January and April 2019 increased by 79% over the same period in 2018.
Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy stated in a written response to a question that the ministry has been collaborating closely with the home and external affairs ministries to ease the country’s visa requirements.
According to preliminary information from the Bureau of Immigration, the number of foreign tourists arriving in India from January to April 2023 will be 79% higher than it was during the same time period in 2019, Reddy stated in the Rajya Sabha.
In order to promote different tourism products and destinations and to boost India’s share in the global tourism industry, the tourism ministry works to position India as a desired destination in the markets that generate tourism, he added.
The minister continued, “The objectives are achieved through an integrated marketing and promotional strategy, a coordinated campaign, in partnership with the travel industry, state governments, and Indian missions abroad.”
He said that the five categories of the e-visa program—e-Tourist Visa, e-Business Visa, e-Medical Visa, e-Conference Visa, and e-Medical Attendant Visa—are currently open to citizens of 166 different countries. Entry through 29 authorised airports and five designated seaports is permitted with an e-visa.
Organising roadshows, India evenings, seminars, and workshops; participating in travel fairs and exhibitions; advertising in local print, electronic, and outdoor media; planning and supporting Indian food and cultural festivals; providing support for tour operators’ brochures; and joint advertising or promotions with airlines, tour operators, and other organisations, according to the government.
Incredible India! has been proclaimed by the tourism ministry to increase visitor arrivals. In 2023, go to India, he said.
For the purpose of showcasing and promoting the nation’s tourism products, the ministry took part in significant international travel fairs and exhibitions in significant tourist-generating markets as well as in emerging and potential markets. It took part in events like the World Travel Market in London in 2022, FITUR in Madrid in 2023, and ITB Berlin in 2023, among others.
In order to inform the travel media about India’s readiness to receive foreign tourists following the Covid pandemic, the ministry staged press conferences, held B2B meetings with tour operators, travel agents, and numerous other stakeholders, according to Reddy.
India dinners were also organized during the country’s participation to help the travel industry network. According to him, India pavilions displayed a variety of tourism goods, including culture, heritage, and specialized goods like food, wellness, yoga, wildlife, and luxury.
Source- The print
Link- https://theprint.in/india/foreign-tourist-arrivals-in-january-april-at-79-pc-of-same-period-in-2019-govt/1678993/
