Foreign tourist arrivals in the country grew 13.5 per cent and forex earnings increased 20 per cent between January and November, 2005.

While the travel and tourism business in the country is on a robust track, there are different opinions within the industry on whether India is receiving more business or leisure travellers.

Five star hoteliers feel that business travellers should be credited for the boom in travel.

“In Delhi alone, all star categories of hotels have registered more than 20 per cent growth in business travel compared with last year. The leisure travel has not really picked up,” said Tarun Thukral, general manager, Le Meridien Hotel.

However, officials from the ministry of tourism felt otherwise.

Amitabh Kant, joint secretary, tourism ministry, said, “Business activities happen all round the year. Yes, India’s economy is booming but so is leisure travel. Else, how could the country clock a 21 per cent volume growth in arrivals during October and November alone.”

“Industry also earns the maximum revenue during October-March, which is the peak season. Hence, India’s leisure travel is clearly picking up,” he added.

Indian Association of Tour Operators agreed with the ministry. “Certainly leisure travel has picked up more than business. Of the nearly 15 per cent growth in arrivals, 10 per cent can be safely attributed to leisure travellers, while the balance has come from business travels,” said Balbir Singh Mayal, president of the association.

“All category of hotels across the country are registering 100 per cent occupancy. Destinations like Rajasthan, Kerala, Agra and Jaipur are doing extremely well this winter,” he added.

For the first 11 months of this year, a total of 3.35 million tourists visited the country. This is against 2.59 million visitors in the corresponding previous period.

Similarly, foreign exchange earnings through these arrivals during January-November stood at Rs 22,958 crore against Rs 17,039 crore for the same period last year.

Going by an average 5 per cent growth in global tourism, India has emerged as one of the fastest growing tourism destinations. Also, the launch of several innovative schemes like Atithi Devo Bhava, Priyadarshini and Rural Tourism has enabled India to emerge as one of the hottest destinations, said a release issued by the ministry.

India has been ranked fifth among the world’s tourist hot spots. Also, the World Travel and Tourism Council has projected the country as one of the emerging tourism markets having a potential of $24 billion annual foreign exchange earnings through tourism by 2015.

( www.telegraphindia.com)