Prime Minister asks secretaries to focus on tourism sector

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked secretaries to consult Indian envoys across the world to seek their views on ways to boost the tourism sector.

The issue came for discussion during a recent meeting between Modi and secretaries of different ministries.

According to sources, the Prime Minister stated that huge potential exists in the tourism sector here.

"He asked the secretaries to consult Ambassadors and High Commissioners of all the countries and seek suggestions on ways to further boost the sector's growth as it holds huge employment opportunities," they said.

Envoys can also share the details about the movement of foreign and Indian tourists in that respective country.

Foreign tourist arrivals in India has increased by 10.7 per cent with 9.05 lakh people visiting the country in March as compared to 8.17 lakh in the same period last year.

A total of 1.46 lakh tourists arrived on the e-tourist visa in March as compared to 1.16 lakh in March 2016, registering a growth of 25.8 per cent, according to the tourism ministry.

In that month, maximum number of tourists arrived from countries including Bangladesh, the US, the UK, Russia, Malaysia, Canada, Germany, Sri Lanka, China, France, Australia, Japan, Afghanistan, Singapore and Iran.

India has jumped 16 places in the revised World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) rankings to settle at 24th for 2014 and 2015. Earlier, it was ranked 41st and 40th in 2014 and 2015, respectively, as per the global ranking.

The UNWTO is the United Nation's agency managing promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism and its barometer ranks countries in terms of their international tourist arrivals - comprising both foreign tourist arrivals as well as non- resident arrivals.