Jaipur, Apr 18 (KNN)  The number of foreign tourists visiting Rajasthan is expected to grow by 7-8 per cent in 2013, despite slowdown in the western countries, a top official said today.

“We expect an increase of around seven-eight per cent in foreign arrivals in the current calendar year,” said State Principal Secretary (Tourism) Rakesh Srivastava on the side lines of the Great Indian Travel Bazaar (GITB) being organised here.

GITB is an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism, Department of Tourism (Rajasthan) and industry chamber FICCI, which has been organising it in Jaipur since 2008.  It is a pan-India international platform for inbound tourism.

According to Srivastava, the state attracted about three crore (30 million) tourists in 2012.

“The year-on-year growth of inbounds last year was eight per cent in Rajasthan.  The domestic growth stood at 6.73 per cent,” he added.

To provide better safety measures, he said, the state has been working on many initiatives like formation of tourist assistance force of around 275 personnel deployed at various major destinations, to help foreign and domestic travellers.

“Keeping in mind facilitating tourism industry and the safety and security of the tourists as prime concerns, Government of Rajasthan introduced ‘Tourism Trade Regulation Act’ in 2010,” Srivastava said.

The share of Rajasthan tourism to the state gross domestic product (GDP) is 13.68 per cent.

FICCI Vice-President Jyotsna Suri said the potential of domestic tourism industry should also be looked at and growth strategies in this regard should be drawn up.

“The Indian domestic tourist industry has enormous potential.  In the US the domestic tourist inflows drives many state economies. Similarly, we should look at ways to grow this segment in India,” Suri, who is also the Chairman and Managing Director of the Lalit Suri Hospitality Group said. (KNN)