Government says, there has been a phenomenal growth in the arrival of foreign tourists in the current season. Talking to news persons in Kochi, Union Tourism Additional Secretary Girish Shankar said, a 16.9 per cent growth has been registered till August this year as compared to the previous season. Mr. Shankar said, in the previous month also, the growth was about nine per cent. Mr Shankar who was in Kochi to take part in the valedictory function of the Kerala Travel Mart-2014, also said that foreign exchange earnings in dollars in August, has gone up to 26.8 per cent and hopefully, the growth will sustain.