Foreign Tourist footfalls increase by 18 per cent

Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) to India grew by 18.1 per cent in October 2017 compared to October 2016, showed a report compiled by the Ministry of Tourism.

The number of FTAs in October 2017 was 8.76 lakh as compared to FTAs of 7.42 lakh in October 2016 and 6.83 lakh in October 2015. The growth rate in FTAs in October 2017 over October 2016 has increased to 18.1%, compared to 8.6% in October 2016 over October 2015.

Among the countries that sent the most number of tourists to India during October, 2017 were Bangladesh (21.66 per cent) followed by US (11.57 per cent), UK (10.23 per cent), Sri Lanka (3.79 per cent), Canada (3.36 per cent), Germany (3.17 per cent), Australia (3.07 per cent), France (2.81 per cent), Russia (2.81 per cent), Malaysia (2.76 per cent) and Japan (2.44 per cent).

Also, a total of 1.76 lakh foreign tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visa in October 2017 as compared to 1.05 lakh during the month of October 2016, registering a growth of 67.3%.

However, the hospitality stocks were trading mixed in line with the negative sentiments that prevailed in the market on Monday. The stock of Indian Hotels Company closed higher at Rs. 112.85 per share, up by 1.17%, Oriental Hotels was at Rs. 39.90, up 3.23%, EIH Associated Hotels was at Rs. 351.10, down by 1.10%, Hotel Leelaventure was at Rs. 20.20, up 1.25%, India Tourism Development Corporation was at Rs. 528.75, down 0.38%.