TOURIST ARRIVALS IN INDIA TRAIL GLOBAL TREND, BUT FOREX EARNINGS FROM TOURISM ARE UP: CRISIL

In the first half of 2024, foreign tourist arrivals into India stood at 4.78 million, about 90 per cent of that in the first half of pre-pandemic 2019, as per a Crisil report.

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New Delhi: The post-pandemic recovery in tourist arrivals in India is lagging the global trend. In the first half of 2024, foreign tourist arrivals into India stood at 4.78 million, about 90 per cent of that in the first half of pre-pandemic 2019, as per a Crisil report.

Research firm Crisil cited a couple of factors that are at play behind these weak tourist arrivals.

It asserted that reduced demand from Bangladesh on account of the current political scenario there and the suspension of direct flights from China are impacting tourist footfalls in India. Both these countries were a major source of tourists for India and accounted for 27 per cent of the arrivals in 2019.

Besides, countries such as Qatar, Dubai, Vietnam and Sri Lanka are drawing tourists with more affordable options and favourable visa policies, Crisil said in its report. These destinations have exceeded their pre-Covid levels, with foreign tourist arrivals in Qatar up 47 per cent, Dubai 11 per cent, Vietnam 4 per cent and Sri Lanka 0.2 per cent in the first half of the current calendar.