With the inclusion of NRIs among international tourists, India has jumped 16 places in the revised World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) rankings. As per the UNWTO definition, international tourist arrivals (ITAs) comprise two components namely foreign tourist arrivals (FTAs) and arrivals of non-resident nationals. The UNWTO in its barometer ranks countries in terms of their ITAs. So far only the figures of FTAs were compiled in India. However, now India has started compiling the data arrivals of non-resident Indians (NRIs) too.
The number of NRI arrivals during 2014 and 2015 were 5.43 million and 5.26 million, respectively. Accordingly, the numbers of ITAs in India during 2014 and 2015 were 13.11 million and 13.28 million, respectively. The data of ITAs, containing both the arrivals of NRIs and FTAs, is now as per international recommendations.
Due to this inclusion, India’s improved rank has now been acknowledged by the UNWTO. As per the latest UNWTO Barometer for March 2017, rank of India in ITAs in both 2014 and 2015 is 24 as against the previous rank of 41 and 40 in the year 2014 and 2015, respectively. With this inclusion the share of India in the ITAs has also increased from 0.68 per cent (based on FTAs) to 1.12 per cent in the year 2015.
Earlier India’s rank in the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), 2017 had also shown a 12 places jump from 2015. Rank of India in TTCI report of 2017 was 40th as compared to 52nd in 2015, 65th in 2013 and 68th in 2011.
While UNWTO gives ranking in terms of numbers of ITAs, TTCI is composed of 14 pillars organised into four sub-indices of ‘Enabling Environment’, ‘Travel and Trade Policy and Enabling Conditions’, ‘Infrastructure’ and ‘Natural and Cultural Resources.’
