New Delhi: Nearly 62 lakh foreign tourists arrived in India in 2022 which manifested a growth of around 300 per cent if compared to the previous year in which 15.25 lakh tourists visited India, the government said in Rajya Sabha on Friday.
This information was shared by via a written reply while replying to a question from Aam Admi Party MP Narain Das Gupta asking whether the inflow of foreign tourists has increased after the abatement of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
To this, the Union Minister replied that "The inflow of foreign tourists has increased after abatement of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country." He further presented month-wise data of the year 2022 and 2021 as per which 61,91,399 foreign tourists visited India in 2022 while in 2021 the figure stood at 15,27,114.
Asked whether any special discounts and facilities are being given to foreign tourists visiting India, the Minister replied, "Post-Covid, to revive inbound tourism and attracting foreign tourists in the country, Government of India extended first 5 lakh visas to the foreign tourists from potential tourism markets, free of cost. The benefit of free of charge visa was available only once per tourist during the issuance of the first 5 lakh tourist visas. The scheme was valid till 31, March 2022", he further said.
To a question on the amount of foreign exchange earned in the respective years, the Minister provided the month wise data as per which a total of Rs. 1,34,543 crore was earned in 2022 while for 2021 it was Rs. 65,070 crores which amounted to growth of 106%.
