Local tourist visits can surpass 1 billion mark by 2015: Study

NEW DELHI: The domestic tourist visits in the country could surpass well over the 1 billion-mark by 2015 on account of a healthy growth of 10 per cent registered in the past few years, a study has said.

"Such visits are expected to touch about 1 billion mark in 2012 and further to 1.3 billion in the next three years," according to a study jointly done by industry body Ficci and YES Bank.

It said while many budget accommodation options are available in the country in the form of youth hostels and budget hotels, hygiene standards are mostly below par.

"Therefore to sustain domestic tourism growth, there is a need to develop hygienic budget hotels in the country," it said.

Besides the study said, various destinations in the country fail to realise their worth owing to poor connectivity.

"Better accessibility to remote areas would provide a fillip to domestic tourism. So, there is a need to emphasise on improving infrastructure in terms of better roads and rail networks," it said.

Further, it said, although a majority of states have successfully adopted analogy of promoting destinations through events and festivals, special offers for students would also attract more youths.