New tourism minister Shri Shripad Yesso Naik to implement as soon as possible e-visa to boost tourist arrivals to the country.
DELHI – India offers one of Asia’s most amazing authentic cultural experiences. However, visas process remains long and complicated, deterring many travellers to come to the country pledges to roll-out e-visas at “earliest” opportunity. The new government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is now looking at improving the situation.
During a recent meeting with Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) India’s Tourism & Culture Minister, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik affirmed the commitment of the new government to improve things. During the meeting, Mr. Yesso Naik highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will push ahead with the planned electronic visa authorization (e-visa) system.”The new e-visa system will be implemented at the “earliest” opportunity, with Electronic Travel Authoritzation. It will then help to tap into the last-minute travel market,” stated the Minister.
The move forms part of the election manifesto of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which said it would aim to boost the Indian tourism industry. “Tourism is one of the top priority sectors for my government and I am sure that I will have the whole hearted cooperation from the private sector partners to take tourism to new heights,” said Naik to IATO audience. “It is time now scale up our operations in international market. The subject of seamless travel of tourist vehicles between the state has been a long pending demand and I know that this is of utmost importance.”
Talking at the event, IATO’s President Subhash Goyal, said he supported Modi’s efforts. “BJP… was the only party which in its election manifesto talked about… tourism”, Goyal said. “He also talked about the bottleneck areas which brought stagnation in the growth of tourism… over taxation to tourism sector, visa issues, multiple state taxes specially road taxes and air connectivity from new markets,” reported India’s trade publication Travel Daily Media.
Narendra Modi is expected to be the guest of honour at the next IATO Convention.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
