India to extend e-tourist visa facility to 36 more countries

A day after Indian government released statistics indicating surge in e-tourist visa travel by 137 per cent, it now plans to extend the facility to 36 more countries such as Iran, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Maldives, Italy, Nigeria, Turkey, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan and Morocco.

If it gets a go-ahead, total 186 countries will have access to online visa facility to travel to India.

The scheme has been working wonders for the Indian government and draws maximum tourists from the USA.

As per the data by tourism ministry, from January to June 2016, a total of 4,71,909 tourists arrived on e-tourist visa as compared to 1,26,214 during January-June 2015.

Thanks to the e-tourist visa facility, foreigners are thronging India like never before. After the Indian government extended the of e-tourist visa facility to 150 countries from 76 countries, there has been a considerable rise in the number in number of travel on e-tourist visa.

As per the government data, there has been a staggering 137.7 per cent growth in tourists arrival on e-tourist visa in June 2016 over the same period in 2015.

A total of 36,982 tourists arrived in June 2016 on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 15,557 during the month of June 2015.

The facility was launched in 2014.

This year till June 2016, a total of 4,71,909 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 1,26,214 during January-June 2015, registering a growth of 273.9% .

The top 10 ports in tourist arrivals on e-tourist visa during June, 2016 were New Delhi Airport (42.15%), Mumbai Airport (22.94%), Bengaluru Airport (9.95%), Chennai Airport (9.80%), Hyderabad Airport (3.76%), Kochi Airport (3.52%), Kolkata Airport (2.72%), Ahmadabad Airport (1.16%), Tiruchirapalli Airport (1.15%) and Trivandrum Airport (1.08%).

So, these are the countries from where India is getting travellers 

Swadesh Darshan Scheme

The “1st Meeting of National Committee on Ramayan Circuit and National Committee on Krishna Circuit” under Swadesh Darshan Scheme of Ministry of Tourism held under the chairmanship of the Minister of Tourism & Culture Dr. Mahesh Sharma here today. Secretary, M/o Tourism Shri Vinod Zutshi, experts and senior officers of M/o Tourism were present. Presentations were made on Pan-India Ramayana & Krishna Circuit on the occasion.

Under Ramayana Circuit, 11 destinations spread across 6 states have been proposed. The destinations covered are: Ayodhya, Nandigram, Shringhverpur & Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh); Sitamarhi, Buxar & Darbhanga (Bihar); Jagdalpur (Chattisgarh); Bhadrachalam (Telangana); Hampi (Karnataka); and Rameshwaram (Tamil Nadu). Expert committee suggested to include Chitrakoot (Madhya Pradesh), Nashik & Nagpur (Maharashtra) and Mahendragiri (Odisha) in the proposed circuit.

Under Krishna circuit, 12 destinations spread across 5 states have been proposed. The destinations covered are: Dwarka (Gujarat); Nathdwara, Jaipur & Sikar (Rajasthan); Kurukshetra (Haryana), Mathura, Vrindavan, Gokul, Barsana, Nandgaon & Govardhan (Uttar Pradesh); Puri (Odisha). The destinations were approved by the expert committee.
                                                   
Further, projects worth more than Three Hundred Crores Rupees were approved in-principle in Uttar Pradesh under both the circuits.

Indian Visas

The Ministry of Tourism has launched the Swadesh Darshan Scheme in 2014-15 with an aim to develop theme based tourist circuits in the country on the principles of high tourist value, competitiveness and sustainability in an integrated manner by synergizing efforts to focus on needs and concerns of all stakeholders to enrich tourist experience and enhance employment opportunities.

            Under the Swadesh Darshan scheme, thirteen thematic circuits have been identified, for development namely: North-East India Circuit, Buddhist Circuit, Himalayan Circuit, Coastal Circuit, Krishna Circuit, Desert Circuit, Tribal Circuit, Eco Circuit, Wildlife Circuit, Rural Circuit, Spiritual Circuit, Ramayana Circuit and Heritage Circuit.

Indian Visa