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Representative image. Courtesy: www.tourism.gov.bt

Bhutan recorded the highest footfall of international tourists last year with 62,272 visitors, according to a Kuensel report quoting Bhutan Tourism Monitor 2017.

According to the report, this is a growth in international tourists of 14.1 per cent over the previous year.

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Of the 71,417 international arrivals, 9,145 were official and business arrivals, the report added.

The report further added that more than half of the international tourists (54.7 per cent) were from the Asia and Pacific region followed by Europe and North America at 24.8 and 18 percent.

Middle-East and Africa comprise less than one per cent, according to the report.

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Bhutan received a total of 254,704 visitors last year, of which 183,287 were regional visitors from India, Bangladesh and the Maldives.

While tourist arrivals increased by 21.5 per cent in 2017, Bhutan saw the highest growth in 2016 with 35 per cent increase in total visitors in the last five years.

According to the report, income from tourism has increased by 8.2 per cent or $ 6.07 M compared to 2016 while income from international leisure tourists increased from $ 73.74 M in 2016 to $ 79.807 M last year.

Female visitors made up a majority with 59.1 percent and most visitors were between 41 and 60 years, the report added.

India remains the main source market with 172,751 arrivals. Bangladesh and USA follow next with 10,536 and 9,220 visitors respectively.