Foreign Exchange Earnings from tourism up by 24% year-on-year in May 2015

MUMBAI: The Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism in the country have grown by 23.6% year-on-year during the month of May 2015. FEEs during the month of May 2015 were Rs 8,877 crore as compared to Rs 7,184 crore in May 2014, according to tourism ministry data.

FEEs from tourism during the period of January- May 2015 were Rs 51,351 crore as compared to Rs 48,302 crore during the same period last year.

Tourist arrivals to the country stood at 33.32 lakh during the period January-May 2015, registering a growth of 3.6% as compared to the same period last year.

Government's e-visa facility, launched in November last year, has led to a huge growth in tourist arrivals to the country. The ‘e-Tourist Visa’ (eTV) scheme was launched for nationals of 43 countries. Last month, the government extended the scheme to 31 more countries.

Under the eTV scheme, a foreign tourist can apply for a visa by uploading his passport and photograph and paying his/her visa fee online. The authorities process the application and send him/her an electronic travel authorisation, or e-visa, through email within 72 hours.

According to an ASSOCHAM report released in 2013, FEEs from tourism are expected to touch $26 billion by 2015.