Spending by foreign tourists in India declined by 8 per cent to $2.91 billion in 2001-02 as compared to $3.16 billion in 2000-01 due to 'highly uncertain climate' for global tourism, an outcome of terrorist attacks in the United States, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India.

Travel receipts, which have the second largest share in service income, largely depend on the arrival of foreign tourist in India, RBI said in its monthly bulletin in Mumbai on Tuesday.

The payments for travel expenditure by Indian tourists abroad, too declined to $2.28 billion for FY-02 ($2.8 billion).

Business related and basic travel related quota payments had major share in the payments. The lower proportion of travel by Indians could be attributed to the adverse international climate, RBI said.

The growth of invisible receipts comprising services, transfers and income in the balance of payments dipped to 3.4 per cent in 2001-02 as compared to 13.6 per cent in 2000-01, according to the RBI data.

Total invisible receipts for FY-02 stood at $35.61 billion compared to $34.44 billion for 2000-01, RBI said.

Miscellaneous services including software exports, management and communication activities were the major contributors to invisible receipts in FY-02 at $14.67 billion ($12.87 billion in 2000-01), it added.

Their share in invisible receipts grew to 41.2 per cent for 2001-02 from 37.4 per cent in 2000-01, RBI said.

The central bank said that private transfers, comprising remittances from expatriate Indians, had second largest share in invisible receipts in 2001-02. They contributed $12.19 billion in FY-02 ($12.87 billion in 2000-01).

However, their share declined to 34.2 per cent in 2001-02 from 37.4 per cent in FY-01, RBI said.

RBI said the investment income payments declined to $5.4 billion for 2001-02 ($6.2 billion in FY-01), reflecting the softening of interest rates.

The insurance payments doubled to $254 million in 2001-02 as compared to $122 million in 2000-01.

The software services that grew by 58 per cent in FY-01, witnessed a slowdown in 2001-02. They grew by mere 13.2 per cent in 2001-02 with earnings $7.2 billion, RBI added.