Mission MOT: Visa, Connectivity
In addition to proposing 16 countries for VoA, the MOT is also keen on boosting international and domestic air connectivity, while making India attract tourists across price points.
Addressing the gathering of global media at ITB-Berlin on March 6, 2013, K Chiranjeevi, Minister of State for Tourism (Independent Charge) announced that MOT will be focusing on easing visa process, facilitating affordability and enhancing air international and domestic air connectivity in India.
The move is in line with the ministry’s ambition to garner one per cent of global international arrivals during the 12th Plan Period.
“It is important to make visa procedures faster. I had
met Sushilkumar Shinde, Union Home Minister, Government of India before leaving for ITB Berlin, 2013 and submitted a proposal to extend Visa- onArrivals to 16 more countries,” said Chiranjeevi.
Presently, the Tourist VoA facility is being granted by immigration officers at Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata airports to the citizens of eleven countries viz. Singapore, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Japan, Finland, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Philippines, Indonesia and
With the formulation of new policy to give boost to the regional air connectivity, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has also geared up to build airports in smaller cities and towns. It has already upgraded 30 non-metro airports and four will be upgraded this year. Additionally, it has undertaken the job of modernising 26 new airports along with upgrading undeveloped and inactive airstrips which can handle small-sized aircrafts.