Mauritius raises its 2016 tourism earnings forecast by 2 pct

Mauritius said on Friday that tourism revenue in 2016 will be 1.9 percent higher than it had previously forecast, after a surge in visitors during the first quarter. Tourism is a valuable source of foreign exchange for Mauritius, an Indian Ocean country known for its luxury spas and beaches. Tourism earnings are now expected to reach 55 billion rupees ($1.56 billion) this year, up from earlier forecast of 54 billion rupees, according to Statistics Mauritius, the government's statistics office.