Tourism contributed 6.88% to GDP in 2013

As per the second Tourism Satellite Account of India (TSA) 2009-10 and subsequent estimation, the contribution of tourism to total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during the years 2011-12 and 2012-13 were 6.76 per cent and 6.88 per cent respectively. This information was given by the Union Minister of Culture (Independent Charge), Tourism (Independent Charge) and Civil Aviation, Dr Mahesh Sharma in reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha on April 29. As per the Report of the ‘Working Group on Tourism’ for the 12th Plan Five Year Plan (2012-17) set up by the Planning Commission, for a projected annual growth of 12% in Foreign Tourist Arrivals, the requirement of additional hotel rooms under classified category in 2016 over 2010 is estimated to be 1,90,108 hotel rooms. As per the records available, some countries like Brazil and New Zealand have contribution of tourism sector in GDP of about 8.6 per cent and 8.7 per cent respectively. However, contribution of tourism sector in total GDP of India is better than some of the countries like Canada, South Africa, Indonesia and Australia.

Source: http://goo.gl/WzncZP

31 more countries get eTV

The Indian government is extending its e-Tourist Visa facility to 31 more countries from May 1, 2015. The new countries included in eTV scheme are Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Canada, Cayman Island, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominic an Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, France, Georgia, Grenada, Haiti, HolySee (Vatican), Honduras, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Montserrat, Nicaragua, Paraguay, St.Kitts & Nevis and Seychelles.

With the above addition, the total number of countries under the scheme will go upto 76. The scheme will be extended to more countries in a phased manner. The Government plans to extend the scheme to 150 countries by the end of this financial year.

Source: http://goo.gl/UzmQcu

AmaWaterways Receives Three Top Awards During Inaugural 2015 Travvy Awards

AmaWaterways, the world’s leading river cruise line, is making waves already in the New Year, taking top honors in three categories as part of the inaugural 2015 Travvy Awards, presented by travAlliancemedia. The company was recognized earlier this month during a gala in New York City, in the following categories:
• Best River Cruise Line
• Best River Cruise Ship – AmaSonata
• Most Innovative River Cruise Executive – Rudi Schreiner, AmaWaterways’ President and Co-Owner

“On behalf of the entire AmaWaterways team, I would like to thank travAlliancemedia, and the readers of their publications, for this prestigious recognition,” said Schreiner. “AmaWaterways is deeply passionate about our support of the travel agent community. To be recognized for our innovation by this important group, and by a distinguished panel of editors, is humbling. These distinctions mean a great deal to us, and we are certainly grateful for the recognition.”

Source: http://goo.gl/7X5FYK

‘Tourism ministry will keep opening doors for its personnel,’ says Minister St.Ange of Seychelles

The Ministry of Tourism and Culture will continue to open doors for its personnel and to groom them to take on new positions in the future.
These were the words of Minister for Tourism and Culture Alain St.Ange when he was speaking to Diana Quatre, the quality assurance manager at the Seychelles Tourism Academy during a courtesy call at his office.

Minister St.Ange said as we look at the future of the academy, we have decided to use young people in the preparation of taking on the leadership of this institutions.

The academy’s principal Flavien Joubert who is in his position, despite unfounded rumours which were being spread in a local newspaper that he had stepped down from his post, said that he was delighted to see the continued drive by Minister Alain St.Ange to get more and more young professionals in the organisation.

Source: http://goo.gl/alOq0N

Goa welcomes 30% more tourists in 2014

Goa recorded an overall 30 per cent increase in tourist arrivals in 2014 over the corresponding year 2013. Data from the Department of Tourism, Government of Goa show that the state hosted a total of 4,058,226 tourists from January to December, which include both domestic and foreign tourists, as against 3,121,473 tourists in 2013, as per a release.

In 2014, as many as 3,544,634 domestic tourists and 513,592 foreign tourists visited Goa between January and December last year. In 2013, a total of 2,629,151 domestic tourists visited Goa and 492,322 foreign tourists visited Goa.

Ameya Abhyankar IAS, Director – Tourism, Government of Goa, said, “The statistical graph showing a 30 per cent increase in tourist arrivals for the year 2014 reinforces our stand that Goa is a Preferred Holiday Destination in the world and will continue to be one every passing year. It comes as no surprise to us that even the tourist arrival figures for the last quarter of 2014 (October-December) shows an increase in domestic tourist arrivals by 62 per cent. The drop in foreign tourist arrivals for the same period is also very meager.”

According to data from the Tourism Department, there is a 62 per cent increase in domestic tourist arrivals for the last quarter of 2014 over the corresponding period 2013. A total of 1,970,792 domestic tourists visited Goa between October and December as against 1,219,872 in the corresponding quarter in 2013. As far as foreign tourists arrivals are concerned, 230,811 tourists arrived in Goa in the quarter in 2014, as compared with 232,874 in 2013.

Source: http://goo.gl/lt6UYF