Tourist arrivals up 22% in April

Visitor arrivals rose by 22% in April due to a strongerthan- expected recovery from the global economic slowdown. Tourism typically generates about 10% of gross domestic product for the island’s $10 billion economy. European tourists account for some two-thirds of arrivals.

“During the month of April, some 79,173 tourists visited Mauritius as compared to 64,797 in April 2010, that is an increase of 22.2 %,” the government said in a statement. The French market, one of the most important, grew by 14.3% while the Swiss market expanded by 67.5% and the UK market increased by 14R%.

Mauritius’s eastern markets also registered strong growth, with tourist numbers from China and India up 39.1% and 7.5% respectively. The global financial crisis hit the tourism sector hard and underscored the industry’s dependence on its European source markets, sparking efforts to lure more visitors from Asia and the Middle East.

Tourist arrivals rose 7.3% in 2010 to a record 934,827 while tourism revenues increased by 10.5% to Rs39.45 billion.