Indian arrivals climb 3% in Q1

International visitor arrivals to India continued to climb in the first quarter of 2015.

New figures released by the country’s Ministry of Tourism show that India welcomed a total of 2.28 million overseas visitors in the first three months of the year, 3.2% more than the 2.21m seen in the first quarter of 2014.

The figures were boosted by a strong March, which saw a total of 730,000 international arrivals, up 5.3% year-on-year.

The UK was India’s top source market in March 2015, contributing 12.5% of total arrivals, followed by the US (12.4%), Bangladesh (12.3%), Sri Lanka (4.4%) and Germany (4.3%). Delhi and Mumbai airports handled almost 50% of inbound visitors during March 2015.

India’s international tourism revenues also climbed in the first quarter of the year, albeit at a slower rate than visitor arrivals. The country generated INR33.04 billion (approximately US$5.31bn) in tourism receipts in the three-month period, up 1.7% year-on-year.

Last year India welcomed 7.7m overseas visitors, 10.6% more than in 2013.

sourced:traveldailymedia.com