A total of  1,62,250 foreign tourists arrived in December  2016 on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 1,03,617 during the month of December 2015 registering a growth of 56.6%. UK (22.4%) continues to occupy top slot followed by USA (16.4%) and Russian Fed (7.7%) amongst countries availing e-tourist visa facility During December 2016.

The facility of e-Visa has been made available by the Government of India to the citizens of 161 countries, arriving at 16 International Airports in India. The number of e-Tourist Visa availed by foreign tourists visiting India during the month of December, 2016 has registered a substantial growth rate over the corresponding month of 2015. The salient highlights of e-Tourist Visa for and upto the month of December, 2016 are as follows:-

(i)                 During the month of December 2016 a total of 1,62,250 foreign tourists arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 1,03,617 during the month of December, 2015 registering a growth of 56.6%.

(ii)                  During January- December 2016, a total of 10,79,696 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 4,45,300 during January-December 2015, registering a growth of  142.5% .

(iii)             This high growth may be attributed to introduction of e-Tourist Visa for 161 countries as against the earlier coverage of 113 countries.

(iv)             The percentage shares of  top 10 source countries availing e-Tourist Visa facilities  during  December, 2016  were as follows:

         UK (22.4%), USA (16.4%), Russian Fed (7.7%), China (5.3%), Australia (4.6%), France (4.1%), Germany (4.0%), South Africa (3.7%), Canada (3.7%) and Republic of Korea (2.0%).

(v)               The percentage shares of top 10 ports in tourist arrivals on e-Tourist Visa during  December, 2016  were as follows:-

New Delhi Airport (36.6%), Mumbai Airport (23.1%), Dabolim (Goa) Airport (13.6%), Chennai Airport (6.0%), Bengaluru Airport (5.1%),Kochi Airport (4.7%), Kolkata Airport (2.5%), Hyderabad Airport (2.4%), Trivandrum Airport (1.9%) and Ahmadabad Airport (1.7%).

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     Sanjay Kumar/jk/Tourism/11-01-2017