eTN Asia, 11-22-2006
The number of tourists flocking to Kerala has taken everyone by surprise.
“An unprecedented 31 per cent growth in tourism traffic is seen in Kerala in the past year. Planeloads of tourist arrive each week, and even though some of them have already been to Kerala, they have returned for more of `God’s own country’,” reported a national broadcaster. “In fact, more than the aggressive media campaigns by the Kerala government, it's the state's reputation that has spread by the word of mouth as a cost-effective tourist destination.”
Foreign tourist arrivals in the country have registered an increase of 9.3 percent in September 2006 when compared to last year. The number of tourists arriving in India in September this year was 2,76,118, while in the last year, it was 2,52,625. So far 30,61,446 foreign tourists have visited India since January this year, as compared to 27,06,977 during the same period last year.
