India to launch aggressive 'Incredible India' campaign

NEW DELHI: Aiming to attract more foreign tourists, the government has firmed up its plan to open about a dozen representative offices abroad as part of an aggressive ' Incredible India' campaign.

"Our aim is to have more than 11 million foreign tourists in the next five years and for this we are finalising plan to launch an aggressive campaign abroad. We will be opening representative offices in about 12 countries soon," Tourism Minister Subodh Kant Sahai said after releasing the 'Incredible India' promotional calendar-2012 here.

Currently India attracts about 5.6 million foreigners in a year and has tourism offices at 14 countries including US, Canada, Germany, Italy, Britain, South Africa and Dubai.

"Basically we will be now promoting India as a 12-month destination. We will also be focussing on new markets like CIS, Middle-east and African countries to increase footfalls here by organising roadshows, language campaign and promotional events," he said.

Admitting visa issues affecting inbound tourists, Sahai said "I am planning to meet External Affairs Minister after the Parliament session to sort out certain visa issues."

In order to add more tourist attractions, the Tourism Ministry has decided to create 35 new tourists destinations.

Besides developing infrastructure at the existing tourist destinations, 35 new tourist circuits will be developed, he said.

The Tourism Ministry has sought Rs 23,000 crore in allocation, four times more than the 11th Five-Year Plan, from the Planning Commission in the 12th Five-Year Plan.

"Tourism is going to generate a lot of job opportunities and the PMO and Planning Commission have taken it into account, he said.