The first three months of the calendar year brings augur for the inbound tourism in India as the country has witnessed a 10 per cent growth in FTA and the forex has grown by 15.9 per cent. Interestingly, almost a lakh of foreign tourists availed the e Tourist Visa facility (eTV) each month from January to March this year, informed Vinod Zutshi, Secretary (Tourism), Govt of India while addressing a gather at the 4th Update and Outlook Meeting of Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA).
Outlining the various efforts taken by the Ministry, Zutshi informed that the introduction of e TV is now proving to be a game changer for the Indian tourism industry and we are in the process of fine tuning it to make it more suitable and also to bring segments like medical and MICE tourism under this regime. “eTV is just the beginning. The Ministry is on the anvil to launch e-medical visa soon as it is in principle got approval and it is just a matter of time. Newer revisions will also be announced in eTV such as the addition of double entry and increase of validity from 30 to 60 days. We are also trying for eTV for MICE. There are some reservations about opening of eTV for MICE. The government is contemplating on opening the Business tourist visas and that may slightly one step before the eTV for MICE. We have been assured by the ministries that there are certain formalities from the involved ministries. But, as far as issue is concerned, all departments are adhering to this demand,” he said.
The Secretary also touched upon the issue of CRZ. “We raised this issue in the Inter Ministerial Committee meeting. The Ministry of Environment is almost ready with the renewed policy on CRZ with relaxation and they have proposed much more than the Ministry of Tourism was asking,” he informed.
On seamless connectivity, Zutshi informed that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will soon meet the Chief Ministers of states to push for developing infrastructure and have single tax scheme for tourist vehicles travelling pan India.
On Homestays, he said that the MoT is revising its guidelines, and urging states as well, to make it more lucrative for those offering a taste of Indian hospitality and Indian way of life to tourists. At present, a homestay has to be licensed by the state government, the licence needs an annual or bi-annual renewal and the facility is required to pay service tax and other levies at commercial rates. On Infrastructure status, he informed the Department of Economic Affairs has asked us to revised proposal.
The Ministry has also lined up a series of events to give a multi-directional boost to the tourism sector. “The Ministry of Tourism has almost decided to hold a Tourism Investors Summit and it will be organised from September 21-23, 2016 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi in association with CII. We have also asked state governments to give their inputs. We would like to sign a number of MoUs during the meet. The objective of this Summit is to sensitise the governments at state level and provide them with a platform to network with foreign and domestic investors. So far, we have sanctioned Rs 1600 crores for Swadesh Darshan, PRASAD and infrastructure,” he said.
Also, the International Buddhist Conclave will take place from October 3-5, 2016 out of which first two days will be in Varanasi and Sarnath and the last day in Bodh Gaya. This year International Tourism Mart will be organised in Imphal, Manipur by October, the dates for which are yet to be decided, he informed. He informed that MoT will participate in the World Travel Market (WTM), London from November 7-9. The Ministry is also planning to have its own Tourism Mart from January 10-14, to be held in association with FAITH. Thereafter the Ministry will be hosting the convention of DRV, a German Travel Association, in September or October 2017. The Ministry has also proposed to be the partner country for ITB Berlin 2018, he informed.
