India's tourism sector has grown by six per cent with 5.3 million arrivals in 2008, despite the global slowdown hitting the tourism industry worldwide.

In 2007, 5.08 million tourists had thronged India. "While the global average of growth was about two per cent, Indian tourism sector grew to 5.3 million arrivals in 2008," Tourism Joint Secretary Leena Nandan told reporters on the sidelines of a FICCI conference here.