Foreign tourist arrivals in India have grown in the last six months, since May till October 2014, registering a 10 per cent growth, as compared to those in the corresponding months of 2013.
In September and October this year, the growth registered was 9.2 per cent and 9.6 per cent respectively, according to Union Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge), Mahesh Sharma in a written reply to a question in the lok Sabha.
According to the Government data, the number of foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) was 4.95 lakh in September which rose to 6.56 lakh in October this year.
The Minister said that his Ministry, as part of its on-going activities, releases print, electronic, online and outdoor media campaigns in the international and domestic markets, under the Incredible India brand-line, to promote various tourism destinations and products of the country.
He also said that the Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVoA) enabled with the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) Scheme was launched last month for nationals of 43 countries whose sole objective of visiting India is recreation, sight- seeing, short duration medical treatment, casual business visit, casual visit to meet friends or relatives etc. for a short stay of 30 days.