11.18% rise in earnings from tourism sector

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Foreign exchange earnings from the tourism sector shot up by 11.18 per cent in 2011 over the previous year in the state, the Assembly was told on Wednesday.  Forex earnings in 2011 stood at Rs 4221.99 crore, Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar said in a written reply. The total revenue from the sector was Rs 19,037 crore, an increase by 9.74 percent over 2010. In 2011, 7,32,985 foreign tourists arrived in the state and in 2010, 6,59,265.    Domestic tourist arrivals also witnessed an increase. If 85,95,075 domestic tourists toured Kerala in 2010, in 2011 93,81,455 came, according to figures tabled in the Assembly.  More foreign tourists came to Kerala from the UK than from any other country. The British were followed by the French, Germans, Americans, Australians, Malaysians, Canadians, Dutch, UAE nationals, Italians, Saudi Arabians, Swiss, Spanish, Swedish and the Russians, the Minister said.   The Mullaperiyar row had a minor impact on tourist arrivals in Idukki district, the Minister said.