In a written response in the Lok Sabha, Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also said that in 2023, the total foreign tourist arrivals stood at 9.52 million.
Among these, tourists who travelled for leisure holiday and recreation accounted for 46.2% while the share of Indian diaspora was 26.9%, according to data shared in the response.
The minister said as per the third Tourism Satellite Account, 2015-16, the percentage contribution of tourism sector to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) for 2018-19 stood at 5.01%, while the share for 2022-23 was 5%.
For 2020-21, it was 1.50% and 1.75% for 2021-22.
In response to another query, the minister said that to facilitate the visit of foreign nationals to come to India for medical treatment, the government has extended e-medical visa or e-medical attendant visa facility to people of 167 countries.
He was also asked whether the government has conducted any recent assessments or studies to analyse the impact of increasing airfares on domestic tourism and if so, the details thereof.
“No such studies have been conducted by the Ministry of Tourism to analyse the impact of increasing airfare on domestic tourism,” the minister said in his response.
