To date, the visa on arrival facility and electronic travel authorization have been put into action to only 11 countries such as the Philippines, Singapore, Finland, Indonesia, New Zealand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Japan.
Planning Minister Rajiv Shukla said that the measure would be effectively implemented to other nations by the next coming tourist session.
Visa on arrival facility would be available only at nine airports in India, among which Indira Gandhi International Airport is the foremost one. Other airports include Mumbai, Chennai, Cochin, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Goa and Trivandrum.
The minister said that such a step was taken to boost the country’s tourism sector. Travelers from all over the world can now apply for visa from home, and within five days of application they will receive their confirmation letter.
The measure taken by the Indian government is highly appreciated around the world but the problem still lies in the tourism infrastructure and its maintenance.
There is no doubt that India is rich in culture and tradition but little effort to improve the security of foreign travelers will bring wonders in Indian tourism, industry sources said.
By Ruchi Singh
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com