1.66 mn foreign tourists visited India between Jan-Mar

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Thursday , April 17, 2008 at 1457 hrs Over 1.66 million foreign tourists visited India between January and March this year, Lok Sabha was informed on Thursday.

In 2007, five million foreign tourists had visited the country. The figure for 2006 and 2005 was 4.45 million and 3.92 million respectively, Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni said in a written reply.

Responding to a question whether the government proposed to create a national helpline for foreign tourists, who face harassment, she said the ministry has a Complaint Cell for redressal of grievances of tourists, including foreign tourists.

She said the cell functions in coordination with the field offices of the ministry, concerned ministries, state governments and other organisations.

Soni said prevention of crime, including crime against women tourists, is the primary responsibility of state governments and Union Territories.

Replying to another question whether the government was considering to link Buddhist tourist circuit in the country with such foreign centres in Japan, Thailand and Sri Lanka, Soni said the ministry promotes tourism products, including Buddhist hubs in India, through bilateral agreements and multilateral forums.

These forums include South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SAARC), Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), South Asia Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) and Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC).