Foreign Tourists

South Korea to allow online permit-free entry for tourists from 22 nations

South Korea will temporarily exempt people from 22 visa-waiver nations from mandatory online travel permits and transit visa requirements as part of efforts to attract more foreign tourists

International tourists bring over $630 mn into New Zealand economy in Q3

International tourists spent 200 mn NZ dollars more than international visitors coming to see friends or relatives, despite making up a similar volume of arrivals, statistics show

Telangana eyes 20% increase in foreign, 30% in domestic tourist arrivals

Telangana Tourism expects increase of 20 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals and 30 per cent growth in domestic tourist footfall to the state by end of 2023 as compared to pre-COVID level, a senior government official said. Telangana witnessed domestic tourist arrivals of 3,20,00,620 while international tourists numbered 5,917 in 2021. For this year, domestic arrivals increased to 3,95,53,865 and international arrivals rose to 35,945 up to July. During 2019 when the pandemic had not yet set in, the domestic arrivals in the state was 8,30,35,894 while the number of foreign travellers was 3,23,326. Already, there is increase in the count of foreign travellers visiting Telangana and there has been growth in domestic tourists arriving this year, the official said. "Our target is to increase international tourist arrivals by 20 per cent, and also domestic tourist arrivals by 30 per cent by 2023-end," Telangana State Tourism Development Corporation (TSTDC) Managing Director B Manohar

1.52 mn foreigners visited India in 2021, highest from US: Officials

Over 15 lakh foreigners, including 4.29 lakh US nationals and 2.4 lakh Bangladeshis, had visited India last year when the country was on an extended period of coronavirus restrictions and visa regulations, officials said. Ten countries accounted for 74.39 per cent of the total arrival of foreigners during 2021, while 25.61 per cent of the incoming foreigners were from the rest of the nations, a home ministry official said. A total of 15,24,469 foreigners visited India between January 1 and December 31, 2021. The maximum number of foreigners who visited India during this period were from the United States (4,29,860), followed by those from Bangladesh (2,40,554), United Kingdom (1,64,143), Canada (80,437) and Nepal (52,544). As many as 36,451 citizens from Afghanistan, 33,864 nationals from Australia, 33,772 from Germany, 32,064 from Portugal and 30,374 citizens of France visited India during 2021, the official said. All international flights were suspended during the nationwide ...

India's outbound tourism to surpass $42 billion by 2024, says report

Outbound trips from India will surpass USD 42 billion by 2024 and the government could bring about certain policy changes to boost this growing market, a report said. The report' titled 'Outbound Travel and Tourism - An Opportunity Untapped' by Nangia Andersen LLP in association with FICCI, highlights the up-and-coming Indian travel market and outline a framework for creating a more value for money experience for Indian tourists and travellers. To facilitate ease of doing business and promote the interests of Indian firms dealing in outbound travel the government could look at steps like increasing direct connections to popular and upcoming destinations, allowing foreign cruise vessels to operate on Indian waters, besides taking concerted and coordinated efforts on multiple fronts to propel the outbound tourism market, the report said. Nangia Andersen LLP Head - Government and Public Sector Advisory Suraj Nangia said Indian outbound tourism is going to surpass USD 42 billion by ...

India focusing on confidence-building strategies to woo tourists: Official

India is focusing to ease the difficulties that were created for the tourists due to the spread of the coronavirus which impacted the world economy severely

Bulgaria lifts Covid restrictions for all foreign tourists from May 1

According to the ministry, as for now all arriving foreign citizens must have an EU certificate of vaccination or a document proving that they had been earlier infected with Covid-19

Regular international flights likely to resume from March 15: Report

The ban on scheduled international passenger flights in India is in effect till February 28. Such flights have been suspended in India since March 23, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic.

No more 7-day home quarantine for foreign travellers as govt eases rules

Countries 'at-risk' tag goes, along with it the mandatory sample testing

Maharajas' Express back on track, signals return of foreign tourists

The last trip for Maharajas' Express was in February 2021, and two more trips scheduled for March 2021 were cancelled to check the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic

Russian, UK airlines plan Goa flights as India opens up to foreign tourists

Tourists will be allowed on normal flights from November 15. Only single entry 30-day tourist visas will be issued

Top headlines: HC rejects Srei plea; India opens doors for foreign tourists

Business Standard brings you the top headlines on Thursday

India to allow charter flights as it gets ready to welcome tourists

An announcement regarding the modalities and date for resumption of leisure travel is expected by the end of this month

IATO urges govt to announce dates for restoration of e-visa, tourist visas

This will also give some encouragement to the pandemic-hit industry, which has had almost zero earnings and no meaningful help from the government, it added

India to restore most visas as economy opens up and Covid-19 cases fall

Foreign nationals intending to visit India for medical treatment can apply afresh for a medical visa, including for their medical attendants

Hotels refusing rooms to Italians, Koreans over coronavirus: Tour operators

Some tourists are being asked by hotels to undergo medical checks before checking in despite showing no symptoms of infection

Odisha's foreign tourist income soars 68% in 6 years on increased spending

The survey report says earnings from domestic tourists rose 54 per cent from Rs 10,288.6 crore to Rs 15,855.55 crore in the period under review

No country for tourists

The one state in India which can attract wealthy European skiers in winter is Kashmir. But India itself restricts and denies access to people going in.

Foreign tourists to India grow, South East Asian countries outscore: CAPA

In 2017, around 8.5 million leisure tourists from China visited Thailand compared to an estimated 74,000 to India

Foreign tourist arrivals to grow 18% in 2017

Tour operators in India expect 18 per cent growth in foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) in 2017 buoyed by the conducive environment in the country for foreign visitors."We expect at least 17-18 per cent growth in the arrival of foreign tourists in this year over eight million recorded in 2016. The numbers may touch 10 million this year", said Pronab Sarkar, president, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), the apex body of travel trade in the country."The atmosphere in India is very good other than the Doklam issue with China. Now, the issue has been defused, things will be better now", he added.From January to July this year, India has registered a growth of over 15.7 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs). About 5.67 million foreign tourists have visited during the first seven months of 2017 compared to 4.9 milllion guests recorded in the corresponding period of 2016.During January-July 2017, a total of 0.83 million tourist arrived on e-Tourist visa as compared to 0.54 ...