Monday, August 5, 2024
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Visa-on-arrival facility in India will be available for nationals of Japan, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.
Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat gave an update in a written reply to the House on August 5.
According to a press release, these facilities are available for tourism, business, conference and medical purposes, and allow a stay of up to 60 days with double entry.
The visa on arrival can be used at six designated airports across India, simplifying the process for visitors from these countries and enhancing travel convenience.
In addition to visa on arrival, the Ministry has expanded the e-visa facility through the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), which is now available to citizens of 167 countries.
This e-Visa allows entry through 30 designated international airports and six major seaports, significantly expanding the scope of international travelers to visit India with ease.
The Ministry of Tourism is actively conducting tourism surveys, research and feasibility studies based on needs.
These initiatives are pivotal in forming the basis for developing policies and evaluating the effectiveness of existing programmes.
The data collected through these studies is crucial for identifying areas for improvement and ensuring that tourism policies are aligned with desired objectives.
To enhance the safety of tourists and provide immediate assistance, 15 state governments and union territory administrations have deployed tourist police.
Furthermore, the Ministry has established a 24/7 multilingual tourist guidance hotline, available toll-free on 1800111363 or short code 1363.
This service supports local and foreign tourists, providing guidance and information in 12 languages, including 10 international languages.
The Swadesh Darshan Programme was launched in 2014 and 2015 with the aim of developing tourism infrastructure across India. Financial assistance is provided to states, union territories and central agencies.
Since its inception, 76 projects have been sanctioned under various subject circles for a total revised amount of Rs. 5,287.90 crore, out of which Rs. 4,944.47 crore has been released.
The scheme has been revamped as Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (SD2.0) to promote sustainable and responsible tourism destinations with a tourism-centric approach.
The Ministry also introduced the National Mission for Hajj Renewal and Promotion of Spiritual Heritage (PRASHAD) initiative as a central sector scheme.
This initiative focuses on the integrated development of specific Hajj destinations.
Under PRASHAD scheme, an amount of Rs. 1621.14 crore has been sanctioned and Rs. 1024.18 crore has already been released.
