For all the hooplah about foreign tourists flocking to the Capital for the Commonwealth Games, there has been a paltry 5% increase in their footfall as compared to October last year.
Data available with the Union tourism ministry shows that the number of foreign tourists arriving at Delhi airport has increased by a measly 5.1% in October 2010 as compared to October 2009.
The statistics for the rest of the country were hardly any better. Altogether, 4.87 lakh foreign tourists visited India as against 4.46 lakh during October 2009 registering an increase of 9%.
While officials have constantly blamed negative publicity for the lack of enthusiasm abroad, industry sources attributed it to absence of a focussed, well-orchestrated campaign and planning.
An overall picture for the last six months shows that 43.22 lakh foreign tourists visited India during January-October with a growth rate of 9.9% as compared to last year, indicating that travellers hit by economic recession were gradually bouncing back. Growth had dipped to 6.7% during January-October 2009 over the corresponding period of 2008.
"Despite the fact that business and leisure travel is up, India was unable to capitalise on the opportunity that the Games as an international sporting event offered," a source in the travel industry said.
Foreign exchange earnings from tourism during January- October 2010 were Rs 51,334 crore with a growth rate of 21.1%, as compared to Rs 42,395 crore with a growth of 4.1% during January-October 2009 over the corresponding period of 2008.
Data available with the Union tourism ministry shows that the number of foreign tourists arriving at Delhi airport has increased by a measly 5.1% in October 2010 as compared to October 2009.
The statistics for the rest of the country were hardly any better. Altogether, 4.87 lakh foreign tourists visited India as against 4.46 lakh during October 2009 registering an increase of 9%.
While officials have constantly blamed negative publicity for the lack of enthusiasm abroad, industry sources attributed it to absence of a focussed, well-orchestrated campaign and planning.
An overall picture for the last six months shows that 43.22 lakh foreign tourists visited India during January-October with a growth rate of 9.9% as compared to last year, indicating that travellers hit by economic recession were gradually bouncing back. Growth had dipped to 6.7% during January-October 2009 over the corresponding period of 2008.
"Despite the fact that business and leisure travel is up, India was unable to capitalise on the opportunity that the Games as an international sporting event offered," a source in the travel industry said.
Foreign exchange earnings from tourism during January- October 2010 were Rs 51,334 crore with a growth rate of 21.1%, as compared to Rs 42,395 crore with a growth of 4.1% during January-October 2009 over the corresponding period of 2008.
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