New Delhi, Mar 8 (KNN) Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from the tourism sector increased by 19.8 per cent while foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) also showed a growth of 1.6 per cent this February compared to last year, according to the Ministry of Tourism.
The Ministry of Tourism compiles monthly estimates of FTAs on the basis of data received from major ports and FEEs from tourism on the basis of data received from Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Based on the Ministry’s estimates, FTAs in Feb 2013 were 6.88 lakh compared to 6.77 lakh in Feb 2012 and 6.28 lakh in Feb 2011; while FEEs in Feb 2013 were Rs 10,186 crore compared to Rs 8,502 crore in Feb 2012 and Rs7,653 crore in Feb 2011.
Meanwhile, the Union Tourism Minister, K Chiranjeevi addressing a gathering of tour operators at the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) at Berlin recently said that the recent government decision, to lift the restriction of the two month gap on re-entry of foreign nationals coming to India on a tourist visa will encourage more tourists to visit India.
ITB is one of the largest international events in which the Ministry of Tourism participates on a large scale. 58 participants from India comprising representatives of 12 State Governments and 46 Travel Agents and Tour Operators are currently attending the event.  States represented by their Tourism Ministers at ITB Berlin 2013 are Andhra Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and West Bengal.(KNN/Gunj)