New Delhi: Swine flu scare seems to have
kept away many foreigners from visiting India as there is a
downward trend in tourist arrivals.
India received 4,48,493 foreign tourists in October
this year as against 4,52,566 in the same period last year, a
0.9 percent decrease.
A total of 4,023,088 foreign tourists visited the
country between January and October this year as against
4,323,729 last year.
Attributing the negative growth to the swine flu scare,
Tourism Minister Kumari Selja said, "Tourist arrivals is
witnessing a downturn due to the swine flu scare. However, our
forex earnings are going up these days."
There is a 13.1 percent growth in foreign exchange
earnings in October as compared to the corresponding period
last year.
Forex earnings in October this year was Rs 4,806 crores
as compared to Rs 4,248 crore in last October.
"We have earned Rs 42,395 cr as forex till October this
year as against Rs 40,712 crores in January-October period
last year," said a senior Tourism Ministry official.
Bureau Report
