In an endeavour to provide a stimulus to the tourism sector, the Indian government has initiated the process to provide the visa-on-arrival facility to several more nations. The move is expected to push foreigners to grab flights’ tickets for India.
India is going all out to ensure that foreign tourists are encouraged to book tickets on flights landing in the country. As per media reports, the Govt. of India is planning to extend visa on arrival (VoA) facility to tourists from 40 countries, including the UK and the USA. The move is likely to egg on tourists to invest on air tickets and jump aboard India bound flights. And for Indian authorities it could mean soaring number of foreign tourists.
Canada, Brazil, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Israel, Mauritius, Oman and Argentina are some other nations for which this facility can be extended.
Currently, citizens of around 11 countries including Japan, New Zealand and Vietnam can make use of the VoA facility.
A report in Times of India, country’s leading newspaper, says that the authorities have also agreed to extend visa on arrival to foreign travellers above 60 years of age from all countries and trim down the time taken to dole out visas to groups that are keen to attend conventions.
There are reports suggesting that VoA facility would also be extended to more airports in India like the ones in Goa, Amritsar, Chandigarh, etc., which receive large number of foreigners who book flights tickets to the country. At present, the option is available at international airports of Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Kochi, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, where the majority of international flights land at in India.
All these measures and steps contemplated by the authorities in India are sure to boost tourism in the country. More overseas visitors will find it hassle-free to book tickets, board flights and land in India.
In 2012, 6.58 million foreign tourists grabbed tickets on flights and visited India.
