Group landings to reap benefits by 2015-16
With group landing permits, MOT gave a large role to agents. Now, agents should pay back by ensuring better service to travellers.
Requesting the travel trade to take initiatives to ensure 100 per cent safety to female travellers to India, Parvez
Dewan, Secretary-Tourism, Government of India said, “The Centre has relaxed visa rules and extended the Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) facility to nine airports from four. The government has allowed collective landing permits to groups comprising four or more travellers. This move will definitely provide larger benefits to the industry in the long run. We do not predict this policy to impact the current year that much. However, 2015-16 will see revolutionary positive changes on the back of this Ministry of Tourism (MOT) initiative.”
Throwing more light on making India a favoured summer destination for tourists, Dewan added, “The ‘ 777 days of the Indian Himalayas’ has
been launched with the twin objective of attracting more foreign tourists during the lean summer season and at the same time reminding the world that a major part of the Himalayan range is in India. Usually the season to visit India is September- March. The idea is to extend this season by offering more of the mountains. Also, when people think of the Himalayas, they think of Nepal. We want to give the message to the travellers that 73 per cent of Himalayas is in our country, and herein lies the opportunity.”
The Ministry is working on the advertisement, which will be aired abroad only. Talking more about the upcoming ad, Dewan articulated, “Each of the six Himalayan states will feature in this ad. Even the gateway cities, which will serve them with their international and domestic airports and railway
When people think of the Himalayas, they think of Nepal. We want to give the message to the travellers that 73% of Himalayas is in our country, and herein lies the opportunity
Parvez Dewan, Secretary, MOT
stations would be promoted. Also, we have realised most people who visit these moun- tains do not go there to trek or climb the peaks. Their idea might be to venture into the small monasteries, visit the quaint little cafeterias or simply sit in their hotel room balcony and look at the mountains. Thus, all these small aspects would be included in the ad.”
Union Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi along with his colleagues in the Ministry of Shipping G K Vasan and Milind Deora have agreed to provide Central financial assistance for the development of heritage lighthouses as tourist destinations. Out of the 15 heritage lighthouses of historical importance, in the first phase, Konhoji Angere lighthouse in Maharashtra will be taken up for development. The Ministry of Tourism plans to support construction of a boat jetty and passenger terminal at Konhoji Angere lighthouse. The Konhoji Angere island is situated nine nautical miles away from the Gateway of India, Mumbai, Dewan said.