India gets more back-packer tourists

New Delhi: India appears to be getting back packers but not high spending tourists, says the Economic Survey. “While foreign exchange earnings (FEE) in rupee terms are a reflection of the exchange rate movements, what is cause for concern is the steep deceleration in FEEs in dollar terms, while the deceleration in tourist arrivals was less. This indicates a higher inflow of back-packers vis-à-vis high-spending tourists,” says the Survey. Foreign tourist arrivals grew 5.9 per cent in 2013 over the previous fiscal, but forex earnings in dollar terms were up 2.2 per cent during the period.