Latest news with #TourismSatelliteAccount
Hindustan Times
22-04-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
19% rise in footfall at Indian heritage sites from 2019 to 2024, ticket revenue drops by 2.83%: Data
New Delhi, India's centrally protected ticketed monuments experienced an over 19 per cent surge in footfall in 2023-24 compared to the pre-pandemic levels but this did not translate into higher revenue from ticket sales, which dropped by 2.83 per cent, official data shows. An analysis of the Archaeological Survey of India data, presented in the Rajya Sabha, covering 143 monuments shows a complex recovery picture for these key heritage sites, contextualised by broader national trends reported in the Ministry of Tourism's 'India Tourism Data Compendium 2024'. The total footfall across these listed monuments increased by 19.35 per cent from approximately 4.60 crore in 2019-20 to 5.49 crore in 2023-24, the data showed. However, despite the surge in the number of visitors, the combined revenue from ticket sales at these monuments saw a decline of 2.83 per cent during the five-year period, dropping from ₹312.54 crore in 2019-20 to ₹303.70 crore in 2023-24. This suggests a shift in the visitor composition at these sites. A direct comparison of visitor data for centrally protected ticketed monuments between 2019-20 and 2023-24 reveals divergent trends. While domestic tourist visits surged by 21.75 per cent, from 4.36 crore in 2019-20 to 5.31 crore in 2023-24, foreign tourist visits decreased by 16.03 per cent, from 27.56 lakh in 2019-20 to 23.15 lakh in 2023-24, according to the data. The increase in the domestic visitor segment, coupled with a decline in the number of higher-paying foreign visitors compared to the pre-pandemic levels, appears to be the primary factor behind the stagnant overall monument revenue despite higher total footfall. This trend mirrors the national picture, where Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India in 2023 recovered to only about 87 per cent of the 2019 levels. The resulting lower average revenue per visitor at the monuments, likely stemming from this altered visitor mix and the ASI's differential pricing structure, aligns with the broader national context where Foreign Exchange Earnings from tourism overall stood at USD 28.08 billion in 2023, lower than the 2019 peak of USD 30.72 billion. The broader tourism sector remains a significant economic contributor nationally, with its total share estimated to be 5 per cent of the GDP and supporting 7.62 crore jobs in 2022-23, according to the Tourism Satellite Account data. Performance varied dramatically across individual monuments. While sites like Rajarani Temple , Ashokan Rock Edict and Konark Sun Temple saw massive revenue growth , others like Tirumalai Nayak's Palace , Moovarkoil and Agra Fort saw sharp declines. These stark differences likely stem from various site-specific factors which could range from restoration activities impacting access, changes in regional tourism promotion and infrastructure, or shifts in popular visitor circuits. Specific reasons for each monument's performance are not detailed in the analysed data. The performance of iconic monuments underscores the trend. The Taj Mahal saw the footfall jump by 31.27 per cent but the revenue rose only 1.48 per cent. Qutub Minar's footfall surged by 45.1 per cent and revenue by 18 per cent. Conversely, Humayun's Tomb saw footfall increased by 16.6 per cent while revenue dropped by 29.8 per cent. According to the 'India Tourism Data Compendium 2024', the Taj Mahal was the most popular among visitors in 2023-24 with 61 lakh domestic and 6.8 lakh foreign tourists. Konark Sun Temple and Qutub Minar were the next most popular among domestic tourists. For foreign visitors, it was Qutub Minar and Agra Fort . Visitor numbers, however, did not directly correlate with revenue generation. The highest revenue earners among these monuments in 2023-24 were Taj Mahal , Qutub Minar , Red Fort , Agra Fort and Konark Sun Temple , according to ASI data. The data specific to India's protected monuments paints a picture of resilient visitor appeal, particularly drawing huge numbers of domestic travellers post-pandemic. However, the financial recovery at these sites, measured by ticket revenue, still lags behind pre-pandemic benchmarks, reflecting the significant impact of the reduced number of foreign visitors compared to 2019 and the overall altered tourism landscape. PRN
African Manager
08-03-2025
- Business
- African Manager
7.1 billion dinars: Tourism's contribution to Tunisian economy
The contribution of the tourism industry to Tunisia's national wealth is well-known, although it has faced varying degrees of challenges, the most detrimental of which have been linked to terrorism. Recently, since last year, the tourism sector has been on a trajectory that marks a clear break from the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic, which itself followed the equally devastating episode of terrorist attacks that significantly reduced the flow of foreign visitors. Professionals in the sector are celebrating the encouraging results being recorded, while remaining cautious about the future, as numerous challenges persist. These include increased competition from rival tourist destinations and global economic uncertainty. Nevertheless, medium-term prospects appear relatively favorable, as evidenced by the growth in the direct gross domestic product (GDP) of Tunisia's tourism industry, which reached 7.3 billion dinars in 2023, contributing 4.9% to the total GDP, according to the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) for 2023, published on Wednesday evening by the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Tourism directly contributed 7.1 billion dinars to the Tunisian economy in 2023, representing 5% of the total value added generated by the national economy. Regarding domestic tourism expenditures, which include both internal tourism and inbound tourism (activities of resident and non-resident visitors within the country), they amounted to approximately 14.5 billion dinars. Non-specific products (primarily medical services and shopping) accounted for about 24% of total expenditures, while accommodation, food and beverages, and passenger air transport represented 36%, 14%, and 16% of expenditures, respectively, according to TSA data. Discussing inbound tourism, which refers to the activities of non-resident visitors within the country, the INS indicated that expenditures in this sector reached 10.4 billion dinars. Non-specific products (mainly medical services and shopping) accounted for one-fifth (20%) of total expenditures, while accommodation and transport represented 39% and 21% of expenditures, respectively. Inbound tourism expenditures return to 2018 and 2019 levels In 2023, inbound tourism expenditures accounted for 72.3% of total domestic expenditures, returning to their 2018 and 2019 levels and reflecting the recovery of international tourism to Tunisia after the shock of the 2020 health crisis, the INS noted. Regarding inbound tourism demand, it was estimated at 2.3 billion dinars. The breakdown of consumption by product shows that non-specific products (services, including medical, and goods, including shopping) represent a quarter (20%) of total expenditures. Accommodation accounted for 39% of expenditures, while food and beverages represented 12%. Expenditures on passenger transport services with national carriers accounted for 21%. On the other hand, domestic tourism expenditures reached 4.01 billion dinars. For this type of consumption, non-specific products represent one-third (34%) of total expenditures, accommodation 26%, and food and beverages 22%. Finally, Tunisia's domestic tourism demand was estimated at 2.48 billion dinars in 2023. Non-specific products accounted for 34% of expenditures, accommodation 26%, and food and beverages 22%.
