In a boost to country’s tourism sector, an increasing number of holidaymakers from 11 nations are availing Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) facility to visit their favourite hotspots in India with their number more than doubling up from 6,549 in 2010 to 16,084 in 2012.
According to the Government data, during January to November this year, maximum tourist arrivals were from Japan (5,704) followed by New Zealand (3,349), the Philippines (2,615), Indonesia (2,400), Singapore (2,070), Finland (889), Vietnam (181), Myanmar (143), luxembourg (126), Cambodia (100), and laos (17).
In 2010, TVoA route was provided initially to five countries and then later in January 2011 to six more with an aim to help their citizens to cut down their planning time, make repeat visits as well as enhance the image of the country as being “tourist-friendly”.
The move followed concerns that despite its cultural attractions, beaches and mountains, India attracts relatively few foreign holidaymakers -- 6.58 million in 2012, which was about a quarter of Thailand or Malaysia, for example. A tourist can get VoA with a maximum validity of 30 days. The objectives of the visit should only be recreation, sightseeing, and meeting friends or relatives and “no other purpose or activity will be allowed.”
Buoyed by the positive response, India has decided to extend the visa arrival facility to other countries as well. The official said that the countries for which visa on arrival facility would be extended include the US, the UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia, the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, Italy, Swedan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Denmark, Poland, Norway and Ireland.
In this regard, the official cited its ‘Study on Tourist Visa on Arrival Scheme’ through Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) in 2011, which found that a majority of tourists availing Visa on Arrival (VoA) visit India for purposes of holidaying. The study also noted that independent tourists were using VoA while the immigration officials provided timely and dependable service, were willing to help and clear doubts and were well informed.