New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) An improved infrastructure, accessibility and marketing have helped Indian tourism in achieving high growth, Tourism Secretary Shilabhadra Banerjee said here Friday. Speaking at the inauguration of the South Asia Travel and Trade Exchange (SATTE) Open World travel and tourism fair, he said India is attracting more foreign travellers and is witnessing a consistently high growth in the tourism sector for the past three years.

Last year, an estimated five million tourists visited the country, compared to 4.45 million in 2006 and 3.92 million in 2005.

“Improvement in accessibility, infrastructure and marketing have helped India to register high growth in tourism,” he said.

As tourism products from South Asia are being showcased at the fair, Banerjee said countries of this region share similar culture and heritage.

Also present at the event was Pakistan Tourism Secretary Shahzad Qaiser.

“A greater interaction is the essence of tourism and for fostering a better relationship,” he added.

The trade mart organised for the 15th time is considered one of the biggest travel and tourism exhibitions in Asia. Thirteen countries are exhibiting their products and over 225 tour operators from all over the world are taking part in the three-day event.

Gujarat is the principal partner for the fair, where the northeastern states are also being marketed. About 400 Indian buyers and 252 international buyers are taking part in the fair.

SATTE chief coordinator Navin Berry said they had grown 20 percent from the past year.

“We have hosted over 4,500 international tour operators over the years to source and buy Indian tourism products so far and we have successfully built up this platform to assume an international character in a sustained manner in the last one and a half decades,” he said.

He said Tourism Minister Ambika Soni would present awards to noted personalities working in the promotion of tourism in the country Saturday.

• Ambika