Hat-trick for Tamil Nadu: Attracts most tourists for third year in a row

According to the report, ethnic Indians form 40% of the total number of international visitors touring the state every year.
Hat-trick for Tamil Nadu: Attracts most tourists for third year in a row
Hat-trick for Tamil Nadu: Attracts most tourists for third year in a row
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Tamil Nadu has topped the country for the third year in a row, in terms of attracting both foreign and domestic tourists as per a report by Yogesh Kabirdoss in The Times of India.

“The contribution of top 10 states was about 84.21% to the total number of domestic tourist visits during 2016. Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh maintained the first, second and third ranks in domestic tourists (arrivals) in 2016,“ an official statement of the ministry said.

The state recorded 343.81 million domestic tourists in 2016, while it saw 333.45 million tourists in 2015 and 327.55 million in 2014.

Data released by the Union Ministry for the year 2016, shows that the state saw 4.72 million foreign tourist arrivals followed by Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, reports ToI.

There has been a steady increase in the number of tourists visiting every year. In 2014, 4.65 million foreign tourists visited the state and the number rose to 4.68 million in 2015. But not all of this can be attributed to visitors who come to the state for sightseeing or purely recreational purposes.

Chennai-based approved tour guides' association president P Asoka, told ToI that the increase in foreign tourist arrivals is also because of the regular visits of ethnic Indians of Tamilians from abroad. They come from Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Reunion Island for pilgrimages. According to the report, ethnic Indians form 40% of the total number of international visitors touring the state every year.

There is also, reportedly, an interest amongst American travellers in exploring South India.

“The flow of tourists from the US is on the rise during the last five years. Interestingly, tour operators in the US, who were primarily promoting destinations in North India, have started focusing on tourist attractions in the southern states of late,“ Askoka told ToI.

 

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