Total foreign tourist arrivals stood at 9.52 million in 2023: Govt
- IBEF
- November 26, 2024
In a recent statement to Parliament, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat highlighted that the tourism sector contributed 5% to India's gross domestic product (GDP) for the fiscal year 2022-23. This figure is consistent with the sector's contribution of 5.01% in 2018-19, although it experienced a decline during the pandemic, dropping to 1.50% in 2020-21 and slightly increasing to 1.75% in 2021-22. The minister also reported that India saw a total of 9.52 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2023, with 46.2% of these visitors traveling for leisure and recreation, while the Indian diaspora represented 26.9% of the total arrivals.
Furthermore, to enhance medical tourism, the government has introduced e-medical visa and e-medical attendant visa options for nationals from 167 countries, making it easier for foreign patients to seek medical treatment in India. In response to questions regarding the potential impact of rising airfares on domestic tourism, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr. Gajendra Singh Shekhawat clarified that the Ministry of Tourism has not conducted any recent studies to evaluate this issue.
Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.
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