Finalise overseas marketing plans: Industry asks Tourism Ministry

The industry also asked the Ministry to be flexible on the e-Tourist Visa policy and reinstate the facilities that were there in the pre-pandemic period

PRAVASISAMWAD.COM

The travel and tourism industry has asked the Ministry of Tourism in India to finalise its overseas destination marketing plans as early as possible in view of the country opening its borders and arrange e-Tourist Visa facilities for international travellers.

This despite the fact that the Tourism Ministry have often said that it was ready with marketing plans to be launched as and when the government opened borders for international tourists. In a recent meeting with the industry associations, the Ministry assured to launch marketing in key source markets in a week or two. This would include digital and traditional marketing, according to sources.

Important markets like the UK and Canada have been excluded from the list of countries eligible for e-Tourist visa. The industry is hopeful that the government will review the e-Visa policy at least to include the UK in the changed scenario

The industry also asked the Ministry to be flexible on the e-Tourist Visa policy and reinstate the facilities that were there in the pre-pandemic period. That is because the government while restarting the e-Tourist Visa facilities have reduced the validity of the visa to 30 days and made it single entry.

The diplomatic corps has also pointed out issues with the restrictions in the e-Visa regime including the single entry restriction. The High Commissioner of India in Australia, Manpreet Vohra, in a recent seminar suggested a more flexible e-Visa regime saying people who have been travel starved for two years would be looking for longer vacations and to two or more countries in a region when they ventured out.

Important markets like the UK and Canada have been excluded from the list of countries eligible for e-Tourist visa. The industry is hopeful that the government will review the e-Visa policy at least to include the UK in the changed scenario.

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