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%).