Leading source countries of foreign tourist arrivals in India in 2018
Bangladesh was the largest source of foreign tourists arriving to India in 2018 at over 2.25 million visitors. Bangladeshi tourists have been outnumbering the tourists that visit the country from other European and American countries for the past few years. In 2018, citizens from Bangladesh, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom had the highest number of tourists visiting India, while about 0.35 million tourists came from Sri Lanka, Canada and Australia.
Sliding foreign revenue
According to the data, most Bangladeshi tourists visited India for leisure travel. Moreover, leisure spending was also the highest contributor to the foreign tourism revenue for India. However, the growth in foreign exchange earnings was the slowest this decade, with just over 4.7 percent in 2018.
Borders dictating tourism
Bangladesh and India share the fifth-longest land border in the world. This might also explain the high tourism influx from Bangladesh to India. Although from the point of view of the Indian government, there seems to be a thin line between tourism and illegal immigration. Managing the complex Indo-Bangladeshi border running through five Indian states is a herculean task, which needs constant monitoring. Risks of cross-border infiltration, illegal migration and smuggling remain major national security challenges for India.
Sliding foreign revenue
According to the data, most Bangladeshi tourists visited India for leisure travel. Moreover, leisure spending was also the highest contributor to the foreign tourism revenue for India. However, the growth in foreign exchange earnings was the slowest this decade, with just over 4.7 percent in 2018.
Borders dictating tourism
Bangladesh and India share the fifth-longest land border in the world. This might also explain the high tourism influx from Bangladesh to India. Although from the point of view of the Indian government, there seems to be a thin line between tourism and illegal immigration. Managing the complex Indo-Bangladeshi border running through five Indian states is a herculean task, which needs constant monitoring. Risks of cross-border infiltration, illegal migration and smuggling remain major national security challenges for India.
