GENESIS Tourism is fast picking up as a tool for economic development and employment generation, the word over. This is more prominent among the developing nations. However, the question as to the long-term sustainability of tourism is increasingly being recognized as a challenge for all concerned, because of the several adverse effects of tourism, most importantly those on the environment. As such there is added significance for environment-friendly tourism initiatives for long-term sustainability. The case of tourism in the Asia-Pacific region or India in particular may be looked into as a classic example in this regard. Not withstanding the appreciable growth in different performance parameters of Indian tourism over the last few years, it may be stated that meticulously planned, carefully designed and clearly articulated strategies are essential to maintain and further improve its performance in the days to come. |
Top ANALYTICALSIGNIFICANCE There exists excellent prospects for tourism development in many a developing nation of the twenty-first century. India and a few other countries in the Asia-Pacific region is no exception in this regard. While the general pattern is that of a fast growing tourism initiatives the world over, the adverse impacts of tourism are dangerously on the rise in many parts of the world, particularly the degradation of the environment, fast depletion of natural resources, adverse effect on bio-diversity and ecological balance, and the like. Accordingly, there is an enhanced significance for ‘nature friendly’ tourism development. For a developing nation like India which has been late in recognizing the developmental potential of tourism, the need for environment-friendly tourism assumes added significance. It is in this context that an analysis as to the eco-friendly strategies for tourism development with special reference to India assumes high level of research significance, particularly because most of the existing studies have not been given due importance to the sustainability aspect of tourism promotion. |
Top OBJECTIVES OFTHE PAPER To make an overall review of the current status of global tourism and its trends and patterns over the years, To make a detailed analysis of Indian tourism, its development over the years, problems and prospects, To formulate strategies for sustainable tourism development in India, with focus on environment friendly tourism.
GLOBAL TOURISM SCENARIO: AN OVERVIEW Tourism is inherently a highly social business that has carved a niche for itself internationally. This worldwide phenomenon is increasingly being recognized as an effective tool for economic development of nations by generating employment, earning revenue and foreign exchange, and acting as a means for upward social mobility through interaction with cultures from elsewhere in the world. The social nature of this business is reflected on the one hand in the presence of large number of diverse stakeholders in the host-guest relations forming part of tourism, and on the other hand in the behaviour of individual tourists, which is often taking place publicly. The impact of tourism on the diverse facets of an individual’s life, a society’s customs and practices, and a government’s policies and priorities have got far reaching implications. Because of the above characteristic of tourism, socio-economic, environmental and ecological interests of individuals, communities and governments are greatly influenced by the dynamics of tourism. |
The implications of tourism on the society at large, from a social and ecological perspective is generally studied & based on the conceptual framework propounded by Brundtland (1987) [1] viz. Ecologically Sustainable Development Framework. Internationally, this framework has been used for managing the key issues related to the tourism development. |
World over ecologically sustainable tourism (or, ‘eco-tourism’ in short) is gaining momentum fast. According to Lane (1991) [4], ecologically sustainable tourism should strive for, “providing satisfying jobs without dominating the local community. It must not abuse the natural environment, and should be architecturally respectable. The benefits of tourism should be diffused through many communities, and not concentrated on a narrow coastal strip or scenic valley”. Globally, it has been recognized that the heart of eco-tourism lies in the preservation of the nature and the environment, ie. a tourism that seeks to maintain a harmonious co-existence with the nature. Exhibit 1.1 shows the global tourism trends. |
Distribution: Tourism is a significant sector in almost half of the low income countries, and in virtually all the lower middle income countries. Destinations: The top 15 tourism destinations in the developing world (in terms of absolute numbers of arrivals or receipts) tend to be populous, low-middle income and upper- middle income countries. 5 out of these 15 destinations have a population of over 10 million living below a Dollar a day. Employment: Word-wide forecasts predict a growth in tourism development of over 100 million jobs by 2007. Global tourism already accounts for over 250 million jobs. Growth: Tourism contributes to an aggregate economic growth of over 50 percent between 1990 and 1997. Pro-Poor Tourism: In most countries with high levels of poverty, tourism is a significant contributing factor, providing over 2 % of GDP or 5 % of exports). Some 12 countries account for 80 percent of the world’s poor (living on less than a Dollar a day). In 11 of these countries, each with over 10 million poor people, tourism is significant addition to the economy and this contribution is growing.
Exhibit 1.1. Global trends in Tourism. [Source: UNEP 2002, WTTC 1998, Ashley et al. 2001, Roe et al. 1997, in Sinha 2006.] Apart from the immense potential of tourism to contribute positively to socio-economic, political and cultural environment of a nation, tourism is increasingly being recognized as an effective means of economic development, particularly by the developing nations of the world. As is evident from Exhibit 1.2, there are excellent growth prospects for tourism in the Asia-Pacific region which has been lagging behind the world so far, but of late, growing at a fast pace. However, the growing challenges posed by tourism on the environment is as important as its ever-growing prospects. General Statistics: Current growth rates in relative terms tend to be lower than world average. With a very large population, the scenario in absolute terms is different however. Domestic and regional tourism are significant and growing in importance. Despite economic downturns and currency fluctuations, both mass and alternative tourism have grown in past & continue to grow.
South East Asia Economic contribution: Some 21 million people are employed in tourism, its economic impact is expected to grow by 80 percent in the next decade. Coasts and Seas: In coastal and marine areas, tourism pressures (along with increasing urbanization, industrialization etc.) have contributed to degradation of coastal areas, reduced water quality and increased pressures on marine resources. Besides, tourism pressures, industrialization and urbanization are resulting in critical depletion of coastal resources. Coral Reefs: More than half the world’s coral reefs are located in the Pacific Island countries and large areas are already degraded. Tourism and recreation activities are one factor that leads to this degradation, (eg. unsafe diving activities, tourism development.) ‘Ethical Tourism’: is a growing sector. Tourists and tour companies are staying away from countries like Burma (Myanmar) where torture, human rights abuses, forced labour on tourism projects, and mass disruption for local communities from tourism development occur. Waste: Litter and discarded waste in popular sites like Himalayas (Mount Everest) has been a major problem for a number of years. Parts of the Himalayas recently underwent a clean-up campaign which has been a major success for the area.
Exhibit 1.2. Regional Trends in Tourism (Asia- Pacific Region) [Source: UNEP 2002, WTTC 1998, Ashley et al. 2001, Roe et al. 1997, in Sinha 2006.] The magnitude of tourism industry the world over is evident from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) statistics. Accordingly, In the year 2002, travel, tourism and related activities contributed approximately 10 per cent of the world’s GDP. This will reach 10.6% by the year2012. The tourism industry is estimated to help generate 1 in every 12.8 jobs, 7.8 percent of total employment. This will rise to 8.6 percent by 2012.
In view of the foregoing discussions, it is worth noting that India is in an excellent position to exploit the opportunities in tourism for its development, as most of the leading tourism destinations in the world have their infrastructure (economic in general, or tourism in particular) that is much lower than that of India. Top PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF INDIAN TOURISM: AN ANALYSIS FROM A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE Tourism in India: Location Advantages and other Favourable Features. Tourism is fast emerging as a sector which has got immense potential for bringing in rapid economic development of nations, particularly developing nations like India. India has certain unique features that make it specially suited for taking maximum advantage out of tourism promotion. It is well-known that India is the seventh largest, second most populous, tenth industrialized and the sixth nation to have gone into outerspace in the world. However, India’s uniqueness in respect of attracting the world as one of the most sought after tourism destinations, lies primarily in her very rich cultural heritage, presence of so many number of historical places including world wonders like the Taj Mahal, very vast coastal areas and hillocks that are exceedingly serene. Because of these reasons, from time immemorial India has been a land of bounty and prosperity, a nation with vibrant colours with people who are joyous and tolerant. Further, geographically also there are certain peculiarities that are favourable to India which make this country stand out distinctly from the rest of the world. India and its five neighbouring countries (viz. Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka) together form a self contained mass of land, fit to be called as a major sub-continent within the continent of Asia. In fact, physical unity to this sub-continent is provided by the numerous ranges of mountains in the North and mighty water bodies in the south. Further, the mountain ranges comprising of Kirthar, Sulaiman, Hindukush, Karakoram and Himalayas cut-off the sub-continent from the remaining parts of Asia. Moreover, the peninsular region of this sub-continent is surrounded by water bodies like the Arabian sea in the west, Indian ocean in the south and the Bay of Bengal in the east. Here, it is worthwhile to point out that the third largest ocean in the world came to be known as Indian ocean because the sub-continent of India is located at the head of this ocean. India’s extensive mass of land covers an area of 32,80,483 sq. km and is the seventh largest country in the world after Russia, China, Canada, USA, Brazil and Australia. India is favourably situated in the world’s highways of trade and commerce. The oceanic routes serving South East Asia and Australia pass through the Indian Ocean. India is connected with Europe, North America and South America through Suez Canal and the Cape of Good Hope. In short, India has got a geographical location, natural resources as well as historical and cultural background which are quite conducive for development of tourism. Huge Potential, not Fully Tapped; though High Growth since FY 2003. India has got excellent potential for being developed as one of the best tourism destinations of the entire world. However, statistics relating to the previous years reveal that by and large this potential is underutilized. For instance, in respect of foreign tourist arrivals, the growth trend has been rather poor till FY 2002, as evidenced by low single digit or even negative growth rates, in spite of a generally growing pattern of the absolute figures. But, since FY 2003 there has been reasonably consistent double digit growth rate over the years, till FY 2006. Table 2.1 is self-explanatory in this regard. In respect of India’s share in international tourism also, the trend over the years has been quite similar to the one relating to foreign tourist arrivals in India (as shown in Table 2.1). That is, till FY 2002, the share has been quite poor, so also the growth rates over the years. However, since FY 2003, there has been a consistently high growth rate. In spite of this fact, it is worth noting that India’s share in international tourist arrivals is just about 0.52% (2006). This suggests that India has to leap frog several times, given its vast potential for tourism. Table 2.2 clearly depicts the above pattern of India’s tourism growth vis-a-vis the entire world. The share of India in respect of international tourism receipts shows a pattern similar to that of international tourist arrivals. But, it may be noted that the relative position (%) of India is better than that of arrivals throughout the period. Further, as of FY 2006, India’s share of receipts is 0.89 % (as against 0.52%, for arrivals.) (Table 2.3) Tourist Arrivals: Comparison of India with Top Ten Countries of the World. Table 2.4 depicts top ten source countries for foreign tourist arrivals to India. It is worth noting that two advanced nations (viz. UK and USA) together account for more than 32% of the total number of tourist arrivals to India in FY 2006. Besides, the top ten countries together account for 56.7% of the total foreign tourist arrivals during the above period. India compares quite unfavourably with top ten countries of the world in respect of its relative share of international tourist arrivals. As of FY 2006, India has got international tourist arrivals of just 4.4 million representing a meager 0.52 % of the total for the whole world. This is quite low compared to 79.10 million (7.39%) for France and 20.20 million (2.4%) for Russian Federation; representing respectively the first and last among the top ten countries. (Table 2.5) Economic Benefits ofTourism, Appreciable Growth since FY2003. Tourism has got tremendous potential for economic development of a nation. Firstly, it contributes towards the national GDP. Secondly it creates considerable level of employment opportunities. As is evident from Table 2.6, in India tourism has got somewhat high share in the overall GDP of the country, though the same is only about half of the international average. In respect of employment generation, the share of employment offered by Indian tourism is slightly higher than the world average. This fact points to the immense potential of Indian tourism to create more employment opportunities. Table 2.6 is self-explanatory in this regard. In fact, WTTC estimates that the top ten countries with the greatest expected relative growth in employment over the next ten years are all developing countries. Foreign exchange earnings from tourism in India show a trend that is quite similar to that of the foreign tourist arrivals in India. (See Table 2.1, discussed earlier) That is to say, till FY 2002, though there has been a generally increasing trend in foreign exchange earnings, the growth rates of the same over the years have been quite poor, either low single digit growth rate or even negative rates. But since FY 2003, there has been a high, consistent two digit growth rate throughout till FY 2006. Table 2.7 depicts the above trend very clearly. In view of the above, it is worth pointing out that for a developing nation like India, tourism promotion can help achieve fast economic development as well as high level of employment, apart from its potential for earning high level of foreign exchange. Low Share of India in the Global Tourism: High Growth Prospects. India’s share in the global tourism market (foreign tourist arrivals) has been quite low over the years. As of the latest (2006) statistics also, the same is just a meager 4.4 million tourists (ie. 0.52 % of the total) which is roughly one-fifth as that of the tenth largest country (Russian Federation) and just one-eighteenth as that of the largest country (France). In view of the abundant potential of India as one of the most preferred tourism destinations, there is tremendous scope for improvement. Equally important, however, is the fact that along with rapid growth in tourism, the adverse impact of the same on the environment is also on the rise. The case of Himalayas in India itself is a classic example. Therefore, while it is a fact that tourism development is of utmost significance for economic development for developing nations like India, equally important is the need to check the adverse impact of the same on the environment that is dangerously on the rise over the years, thus underlining the need for ecofriendly tourism. Top STRATEGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM IN INDIA: AN ECO-FRIENDLY APPROACH As already pointed out in Part I of the paper, ecologically sustainable tourism (ecotourism) is fast gaining momentum the world over. This in turn is because of a number of adverse impacts of tourism on the environment, which need urgent attention |
Adverse Impacts of Tourism on the Environment: The adverse impacts of tourism on the environment include the following: Pressure on Natural Resources: Tourism adversely affects land and landscape, marine resources, atmosphere, fresh water, etc. and also pressure on other local resources (like, energy, food, other raw materials etc.). Harm to wildlife and habitats, with associated loss of biodiversity:This mainly arises on (i) biological resources in the form of disruption of wildlife habitats, clearance of vegetation for tourism development, increased pressure on endangered species etc., (ii) ecologically fragile areas, like, rain forests, wetlands, mangroves, coral reefs etc. Pollution and wastes: These cause contamination of land, freshwater, marine waters and coastal areas, air etc. and also causes noise pollution. Social and cultural pressures related to conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity: These include, (i) social and cultural impacts that is, disturbance to the local way of life and of social structures, and (ii) adverse impacts on livelihoods lack of benefit sharing with those who bear the tourism related costs. Environmental Threats to Tourism: These include, inter alia, (i) global warming, (ii) loss of bio-diversity, water pollution, and local air pollution.
Top ECOTOURISM: CONCEPT AND MAIN FEATURES The International Ecotourism Society defines ecotourism as “responsible travel that conserves the environment and sustains the well being of the local people.” A tourism programme that is nature based, ecologically sustainable, environmentally educative, locally beneficial and generates tourist satisfaction can be called ecotourism. |
Eco-tourism seeks to achieve the following broad goals: (i) To improve the material and non-material well being of communities, (ii) To protect biological diversity and maintain ecological systems, and (iii) To ensure the cultural integrity and social cohesion of communities. The key characteristics of ecologically viable tourism are as follows: (i) It has social equity and community involvement, (ii) Tourism, which maintains the full range of recreational, educational and cultural opportunities within and across generations, (iii) It is based on activities or designs that reflect the character of a region, (iv) It is integrated into local, regional and national plans. The main features of ecotourism are as follows: |
Ecotourism seeks to make the visitor aware of the protective, productive and regulatory functions of the forests. Its principal aim is benefiting from nature, landscape or specific species (eg. watching lions, elephants, whales etc.) It involves low visitor impact and should contribute to the well-being of local population. It involves a purposeful travel to natural areas to understand the cultural and natural history of environment, taking care not to alter the integrity of the ecosystem, while producing the economic opportunities that make conservation of natural resources beneficial to local people. It is a very powerful means to preserve and develop the biodiversity. Ecotourism involves sharing of the responsibility by both travelers and service providers. It underlines the sustainability of tourism, ie. The needs of today’s visitors should not be met at the expense of future generations. It may involve travel to any area of nature for admiring and enjoying the bio-diversity, natural landscapes and cultural and social heritage of the area.
Top ECOTOURISM: THE INDIAN SCENARIO The religious tradition of India is often quite conducive for preserving the nature, particularly in many rural and tribal settlements. As per Hindu religious scriptures, one is expected to follow certain rules (‘Dharma’, in religious language) regarding the sanctity to be maintained in temples and other places of worship, hills, sanctuaries, holy rivers and other water bodies, historical monuments etc. This is a feature that favours promotion of ecotourism India. Certain tourist locations in India have already attracted world attention because of their extreme uniqueness. Floating accommodation in Dal Lake (Kashmir) and the serene back waters (and also the boat race held therein) are just two clhssic examples. The above types of tourist locations bring people close to the nature. |
Top FACETS OF INDIA!)! ECOTOURISM: QUITE DIVERSE Ecotourism in India has got a number of facets. These include, inter alia, the following: |
Rural Tourism: Indian society is characterized by enormous diversity and distinction between urban lifestyle and rural lifestyle. There is tremendous demand for the above kind of tourism settings both domestic and foreign. Typically, such a setting could be a recreated village environment on the outskirts of an urban area. Some variants of the above model are already existing naturally, like, Chokhi Dhani on the outskirts of Jaipur. Religious Iourism:AsIndiaishometomany religions of the world, its importance as a prominent destination for religious tourism need not be overemphasized. The most important religious tourism destinations include, Bodh Gaya (Buddhists), Hardwar / Rishikesh, Varanasi, Ujjain etc. (Hindus), Amrithsar (Sikhs), Ajmer (Muslims) etc. Nature lourism: Large number of virgin territories available in India provides the country with good scope for nature tourism, particularly if adequate investment is made in special infrastructure, so that it appeals to the relevant special interest groups. The presence of the great Himalayas, deserts, extensive green plains, sea, lakes etc. is the advantage to India in this regard. Ethnic Tourism:This is another advantage of India to showcase the local culture, customs and heritage. For instance, Surajkund Crafts Mela held at Surajkund (Haryana). Health Tourism: This type of tourism involves a wide range of services ranging from the ‘The Art of Living’ to the most authentic and original forms of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda. This should ideally be conducted in the ambience of the ocean or river and the backdrop of lush forests. Of late, many affluent and health conscious foreigners, mostly from the western countries, are growingly being attracted towards this type of tourism. Wild Tourism: This involves, as the name suggests travel to destinations wherein wild animals & interiors of forests etc. are involved. For instance, Thekkadi (Kerala) offers opportunities to closely observe elephants and other wild animals in their natural surroundings by traveling through boats along the river flowing across such forests. Adventure Tourism: Adventure tourism is often targeted at special interest groups and it involves travel to remotely inhabited places that are far removed from urban settings. Accordingly, it is often clubbed with nature tourism. Because of the very nature of adventure tourism, it is essential to develop adequate travel and transportation infrastructure to develop this kind of tourism. Medical Tourism: This kind oftourism is fast picking up in India and its growth potential is huge, primarily because of the relatively low cost of medical facilities in India compared with other nations. India has got a potential to attract 1 million tourists per annum which in turn would translate into USD 5 Billion to the economy.
Top ECOTOURISM IN INDIA: EMERGING CONCERNS, IMPEDIMENTS AND HURDLES. From the forgoing analysis it may be noted that ecotourism is an environment-friendly, sustainable and nature-based form of tourism that is also meant to benefit indigenous people and local communities. For a country like India with abundant natural resources to support tourism, the scope of ecotourism is tremendous. In spite of the favourable features as above, there are a number of disturbing facts as well. These adverse aspects of ecotourism have been pointed out by many writers, like for instance, Deifee, J (1981) [4]. As considerations of such negative factors are necessary for formulation of meaningful ecofriendly strategies for sustainable tourism development, the most important of such negative effects are given below. |
The influx of tourists will increase the need for additional facilities, like, roads, accommodation, power, water, waste disposal facilities etc. This in turn will adversely affect the natural systems and their eco-system. Besides, such evil effects as development of rural slums, noise and air pollution, disturbance of wild life may also follow. Often unhygienic environments arise due to such slums, stagnated water bodies, encroachments, stray cattle etc. which in turn may alienate the tourists. Ecotourism may be severely constrained by the physical and social carrying capacities of many areas. Havoc and destructions caused to the hill stations, vandalism of historical monuments, degradation of beeches etc. are just a few examples. Reaction of community to tourism in general and eco-tourism in particular may not be that encouraging. Often, ecotourism is associated with unfavourable changes in local prices and employment generation. Lack of sufficient information and tourist guides relating to various tourism destinations, accommodation facilities, modes of transport, sanitary, toilet and drainage facilities are some other factors that adversely affect tourism industry. The benefits to the local people are often not at all as expected. This is the case particularly in respect of developing countries. As such, local people have either resentment or hostility towards ecotourism and their participation is quite poor. In some cases they resist such initiatives as well. As against the expectations, very little of the tourism money directly benefits the local people. It has been observed that outsiders dominate ecotourism, resulting in outside flow of money. World Bank observes that 55% of the dollar spent on tourism in developing countries leaks back to the developed countries. Rather difficult and procedural immigration and entry / exit formalities that are existing in India vis-a-vis other nations, is another impediment. Going by international best practices, such formalities have to be fine- tuned and made easier. Though, of late, there are some improvements, generally the governmental support towards tourism development has been quite poor. Similarly, the governmental resources for tourism development are limited. This, in turn, underlines the need for ensuring active private sector participation. Besides, the high rate of taxation existing in India on tourism activities is another impediment which needs to be standardized.
Top STRATEGIES FOR ECO-TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA: AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE Private Sector Participation through PPP (Public- Private Partnership) Model: |
Participation of private sector appears to be essential in the Indian scenario looking into the resource constraints of the Government. The Government may play the roles of both an enabler and regulator. Firstly, as an enabler / facilitator who provides the licenses to private agencies who fulfill the norms laid by the government and also agrees to comply with pre-fixed norms of service quality, use of natural resources, pollution control norms etc. Secondly, as a regulator the government ensures strict adherence to the pollution control, use of resources, service quality etc. by the private agencies and takes remedial / corrective action in case of defaults. |
Better Infrastructure and Capacity Building amongst the Local Community. Better infrastructure facilities, like, road lines, air ports, accommodation facilities, drainage and sanitation facilities etc. need to be created immediately for faster tourism development. India has to go a long way in this regard. Apart from infrastructure creation as above, a holistic and integrated approach would call for considerable amount of capacity building amongst the local community to manage and operate the tourism sector. Easier Entry/Immigration Facilities are Vital. The norms prevailing in India being rather procedural, the same need to be overhauled based on international best practices. That is to say, either a (i) Visa-Free situation, or (ii) Visa-on-Arrival situation need to be ensured, in order to attract more foreign tourists. Enhanced Level of Services and Utilities to the Tourists. Better services need to be provided to the international tourists, which include inter alia, readily accessible information kiosks, information guides / bulletins, clean public utilities (sanitation, drainage etc.), hassle- free arrivals, improved hygienic conditions in tourism sites and surroundings, clean air ports and railway stations and so on. Complete Co-operation and Support from Local Populace. Last, but the not the least, full co-operation and support from the local population need to be ensured. For this their representation in all policy making forums is absolutely essential. Needless to mention tourism policies sans local support would not be sustainable in the long run. Moreover resentment or hostility of the local people may alienate the tourists also. Top CONCLUSION Of late, there has been increased thrust on tourism development in India. While tourism has got excellent prospects for promotion of rapid economic development particularly in respect of the developing nations, as is evident from the experiences of many a developing nation, it may be stated that the sustainability aspect of tourism has not often been given adequate consideration in designing tourism policies of government. This in turn results in excessive burden on the nature beyond its carrying capacity adversely affecting its ecological balance. Besides, often there are instances wherein the interests of tourists alone are protected in a bid to gamer maximum tourism earnings, unmindful of the consequences of the same on the local people. All these point to the growing relevance of the need for adoption of ecotourism in its true letter and spirit, rather than simply from the point of view of compliance with regulatory stipulations or norms. This in turn necessitates a concerted action on the part of all concerned, for the cause of sustainable tourism development. Above all, in view of the resource constraints of the government in respect of developing countries like in India private sector participation seems imminent, thus underlining the need for a PPP approach towards a holistic, integrated and sustainable tourism development. |
Top Tables | Table 2.1.: Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India, FY1996-2006
| | Year | Foreign Tourist Arrivals (in million)* | Percentage Change over the previous year | | 1996 | 02.29 | 08.00 % | | 1997 | 02.37 | 03.50 % | | 1998 | 02.36 | (-00.40) % | | 1999 | 02.48 | 05.10% | | 2000 | 02.65 | 06.90% | | 2001 | 02.54 | (-04.20) % | | 2002 | 02.38 | (-06.30) % | | 2003 | 02.73 | 14.70% | | 2004 | 03.46 | 26.70 % | | 2005 | 03.92 | 13.30% | | 2006* | 04.45 | 13.50 % |
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| [Source: Official statistics of Bureau of Immigration, Govt, of India.] [* Provisional] | | | Table 2.2.: Share of India in International Tourist Arrivals in World, 1996-2006.
| | Year | International Tourist Arrivals in World (in million) | Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India (in million) | Percentage share of India | | 1996 | 573.50 | 02.30 | 00.40 % | | 1997 | 597.50 | 02.40 | 00.40 % | | 1998 | 616.00 | 02.40 | 00.39 % | | 1999 | 639.50 | 02.50 | 00.39 % | | 2000 | 686.70 | 02.60 | 00.38% | | 2001 | 686.00 | 02.50 | 00.36 % | | 2002 | 706.40 | 02.40 | 00.34 % | | 2003 | 693.20 | 02.70 | 00.39 % | | 2004 | 761.00 | 03.50 | 00.46 % | | 2005 | 802.00 | 03.90 | 00.49 % | | 2006* | 842.00 | 04.40 | 00.52 % |
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| [Source: Tourism Market Trends, 2005 Edition (WTO) for the year’s upto 2003, WTO Barometer, June 2007, for others.] [* Provisional] | | | Table 2.3.: Share of India in International Tourism Receipts in World, 1996-2006.
| | Year | International Tourism Receipt in World (in USD Billion) | Tourist Receipt in India (in USD Billion) | Percentage share of India | | 1996 | 450.50 | 02.80 | 00.63 % | | 1997 | 454.20 | 02.90 | 00.64 % | | 1998 | 451.70 | 03.00 | 00.65 % | | 1999 | 465.70 | 03.00 | 00.65 % | | 2000 | 483.80 | 03.20 | 00.66% | | 2001 | 472.30 | 03.00 | 00.64 % | | 2002 | 487.00 | 02.90 | 00.60 % | | 2003 | 533.10 | 03.50 | 00.66 % | | 2004 | 633.00 | 04.80 | 00.75 % | | 2005 | 678.00 | 05.70 | 00.85 % | | 2006* | 735.00 | 06.60 | 00.89 % |
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| [Source: Tourism Market Trends, 2005 Edition (WTO) for the years upto 2003, WTO Barometer, June 2007, for others.] [* Provisional] | | | Table 2.4.: Top Ten Source Countries for Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India in FV 2006.
| | Sl.No. | Source Country | Foreign Tourist Arrivals* | Percentage Share | | 01. | UK | 0.734 | 16.50% | | 02. | USA | 0.697 | 15.70% | | 03. | Canada | 0.177 | 04.00 % | | 04. | France | 0.175 | 03.90 % | | 05. | Germany | 0.157 | 03.50 % | | 06. | Sri Lanka | 0.155 | 03.50 % | | 07. | Japan | 0.119 | 02.70 % | | 08. | Australia | 0.110 | 02.50 % | | 09. | Malaysia | 0.107 | 02.40 % | | 10. | Nepal | 0.092 | 02.10% | | Total of Top 10 Countries | 2.523 | 56.70 % | | Others | 1.927 | 43.30 % | | All countries | 4.447 | 100.00% |
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| [Source: Official statistics of Bureau of Immigration, Government of India.] [* Provisional] | | | Table 2.5.: International Tourist Arrivals: India Vs Top Ten Countries. (2006)
| | Rank | Country | International Tourist Arrivals* (in Million) | Percentage Share | | 01 | France | 79.10 | 09.39 % | | 02 | Spain | 58.50 | 06.95 % | | 03 | USA | 51.10 | 06.07 % | | 04 | China | 49.60 | 05.89 % | | 05 | Italy | 41.10 | 04.88 % | | 06 | UK | 31.10 | 03.57 % | | 07 | Germany | 23.60 | 02.80 % | | 08 | Mexico | 21.40 | 02.54 % | | 09 | Austria | 20.30 | 02.41 % | | 10 | Russian Federation | 20.20 | 02.40 % | | Total of Top 10 Countries | 395.00 | 46.91 % | | India | 04.40 | 00.52 % | | Others | 442.60 | 52.57 % | | Total | 842.00 | 100.00% |
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| [Source: WTO Barometer, June 2007.] [* Provisional] | | | Table 2.6.: Economic Benefits ofTourism in India vis-a-vis the World.
| | Indicators | Year | India | World | | Contribution ofTourism to GDP* | FY 2003 | 05.83 % | 10.00% (2002) | | FY 2004 | 05.90 % | 10.20 % (2003) | | FY 2005 | 06.11 % | 10.40% (2004) | | FY 2006 | NA | 10.60% (2005) | | Employment in Tourism Sector* | FY 2003 | 38.6 million (8.27 %) | 198.098 million (7.8%) (2002) | | FY 2004 | 41.8 million (8.78%) | 194.562 million (7.6%) (2003) | | FY 2005 | NA | 214.697 million (8.1 %) | | FY 2006 | NA | 221.568 million (8.3%) |
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| [Source: Tourism Statistics 2006 at a Glance, Ministry ofTourism, GOI, Sept. 2007.] [* Direct as well as indirect contribution of tourism.] [ Figures in bracket for employment shows the percentage share in total employment]. [World figures shown above are drawn from World Tourism & Travel Council (WTTC)]. | | | Table 2.7.: Foreign Exchange Earnings from Tourism in India, FY 1996-2006
| | Year | Foreign Exchange Earnings | Percentage Change over the previous year | | (US D million) | (Rupees Crores) | (US D million) | (Rupees Crores) | | 1996 | 2832 | 10046 | 09.60 % | 19.20% | | 1997 | 2889 | 10511 | 02.00 % | 04.60 % | | 1998 | 2948 | 12150 | 02.00 % | 15.60% | | 1999 | 3009 | 12951 | 02.10% | 06.60 % | | 2000 | 3168 | 14238 | 05.30% | 09.90% | | 2001 | 304£ | 14344 | (-04.00) % | 00.70 % | | 2002 | 2923 | 14195 | (-03.90) % | (-01.00)% | | 2003 | 3533 | 16429 | 20.90 % | 15.70% | | 2004 | 4769 | 21603 | 35.00 % | 31.50% | | 2005 | 5731 | 25172 | 20.20 % | 16.50% | | 2006* | 6569 | 29604 | 14.60% | 17.60% |
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| [Source: Official statistics of Reserve Bank of India] [* Provisional] | |
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