In order to woo Chinese and French nationals to travel to India,  Indian Tourism Ministry is mulling to provide Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) facility for Chinese citizens.

New Delhi, June 24/Nationalturk – In order to increase tourist flow from China and France, Indian Tourism ministry is mulling to provide Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) facility for Chinese and French citizens.

Official sources said Indian Tourism Ministry has proposed to country’s Home Ministry its desire to provide VoA facility to Chinese and French citizens intending to travel to India.

India is presently providing VoA facility to 11 countries including Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, Vietnam and Philippines.

“India has a good potential to woo Chinese tourists. Besides, we have been observing that Chinese nationals are interested in visiting India keeping in view the cheaper travel to India as compared to other parts of the world,” officials said.

India mulling to provide VoA facility to 30 more countries

“The Tourism Ministry has proposed VoA facility for 30 countries including China, Germany, France, Korea and Russia,” Indian Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi told an Indian wire news agency.

When asked why China, he said, “There is very good potential as far as tourism is concerned.”

Officials said the proposal has to be cleared by Indian Home Ministry. “Only after clearance from the Home Ministry, Indian Tourism Ministry can provide VoA facility to nationals of China and other countries,” they said.

They said if the proposal is endorsed by Home Ministry, then it will raise to 41 the number of countries that will have such a VoA facility in India.

Easing of visa regime would boost foreign tourist arrivals

“Easing of visa regime would help boost foreign tourist arrivals. The aim is to ensure that India has at least one per cent share in international tourist arrivals. India’s share in world tourist arrivals, at present, is about 0.64 per cent,” said Chiranjeevi.

Under the VoA facility, a traveller can go straight to the intended country and get visa at the airport itself.

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk India News