Promoting Buddhist tourism can garner $ 1 bln: FICCI

New Delhi, Jan 24 (UNI) Promoting Buddhist tourism in the country can help India earn revenues worth one billion dollars, a chamber today said.

FICCI has suggested a five-point agenda to boost tourist arrivals to Buddhist circuits by 400 per cent that can generate revenues of up to one billion dollars.

An increase in the number of direct international flights from important source markets like China and Japan to India and raising the frequency of domestic flights between Buddhist sites will promote Buddhist tourism in the country, a FICCI-ICRA study said.

The study on 'Positioning India as a Hub for Buddhist Tourism' will be released by Union Tourism Minister Ambika Soni here tommorow.

The five countries China, Japan, Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar account for more than 90 per cent of the world's Buddhist population, according to the study.

The total traffic to the Buddhist circuit in 2004 from the key markets was about two lakhs, which is only five per cent of the total in-bound traffic to India.

For creating and maintaining basic infrastructure like good roads, budget hotels, etc, there is a need to make public-private partnership, it said.

A multi-pronged marketing strategy is required since different countries have followers of different Buddhist doctrines, as Buddhism is the fifth largest religion in the world.

This will help market the Buddhist sites in appropriate countries, target higher-spend category tourists from these existing countries and address new markets.

The study said issuance of a multi-entry visa is a key requirement for Buddhist tourists travelling on a circuit.

The study also called for coordination among the multiple stakeholders including the Ministry of Tourism, state government, Ministries of External Affairs, Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Civil Aviation, Railways and other.

The conference has attracted leading tour operates from Thailand, Korea, China, Sri Lanka, Japan and Canada who will learn at first hand about the business opportunities in infrastructure and marketing of Buddhist circuits from leading Indian tour operators, airline representatives and tourism professionals.

UNI