The Indian government’s working group on tourism has recommended the country target an annual growth in both domestic and international tourism of 12 per cent.

In the period 2011-2012 6.5m foreign tourists arrived in India up from 5.17m for the period between 2007-2008, generating 83,607 crore (US$15.3bn, 11.7bn euro, £10.1bn) up from 45,524 crore (US$8.3bn, 6.4bn euro, £5.5bn).

The figure is up from 2.38m in 2002, when the Ministry of Tourism launched its Incredible India campaign, which includes print, electronic, online and outdoor media campaigns for international and domestic markets.

On 1 March tourism minister Shri K Chiranjeevi submitted a proposal to extend visa-on-arrivals to 16 more countries, including France, Norway, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Thailand and Trinidad & Tobago.

The visas allow visitors to stay 30 days for sightseeing, short duration medical treatments and some business activities.