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    Visa on Arrival scheme popular with foreign tourists in India

    June 14, 2013
    Tourism News
    Visa on Arrival scheme popular with foreign tourists in India

    New Delhi: Visa on Arrival (VOA) scheme of the Government ( India ) continues to be popular with foreign tourists. It registered a growth of 37.2 per cent during May, 2013 as compared to May, 2012. During the month, a total number of 1,114 VoAs were issued as compared to 812 during May, 2012.
    The number of VoAs issued under this scheme during May 2013 for nationals of the eleven countries were Japan (372), New Zealand (195), the Philippines (181), Singapore (139), Indonesia (136), Finland (55), Vietnam (14), Cambodia (9), Myanmar (8), Luxembourg (4), and Laos (1).
    The number of VoAs issued under this scheme during January to May 2013 were Japan (3,010), New Zealand (1,486), Indonesia (1,073), the Philippines (1,060), Singapore (862), Finland (515), Vietnam (82), Luxembourg (68), Cambodia (63), Myanmar (42) and Laos (5).
    During the period January to May 2013, the highest number of VoAs were issued at Delhi airport (4,808), followed by Mumbai (1,743), Chennai (1,157) and Kolkata (558).
    As a facilitative measure to attract more foreign tourists to India, the Government launched the “Visa on Arrival” (VoA) Scheme in January 2010 for citizens of five countries, viz. Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore, visiting India for tourism purposes.
    The Scheme was extended to the citizens of six more countries, namely Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar in January 2011.
    Likewise, Foreign Exchange Earnings ( FEEs) from tourism increased by more than nine percent in May 2013 over May 2012.Foreign Tourist Arrivals ( FTAs) also went up by more than 3.2 percent during the month of May 2013 as compared to May 2012.
    Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) during the Month of May 2013 were 3.84 lakh as compared to FTAs of 3.72 lakh during the month of May 2012 and 3.83 lakh in May 2011.
    FTAs during the period January to May 2013 were 28.63 lakh with a growth of 2.1%, as compared to the FTAs of 28.05 lakh with a growth of 7.2% during January to May 2012 over the corresponding period of 2011.
    Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from Tourism during the month of May 2013 were Rs. 6,089 crore as compared to Rs. 5,562 crore in May 2012 and Rs. 5,047 crore in May 2011.
    FEEs from tourism in rupee terms during January to May 2013 were Rs. 43,412 crore with a growth of 16.5%, as compared to the FEE of Rs. 37,275 crore with a growth of 25.4% during January to May 2012 over the corresponding period of 2011.
    Fees in US$ terms during the month of May 2013 were US$ 1.109 billion as compared to FEEs of US$ 1.023 billion during the month of May 2012 and US$ 1.124 billion in May 2011.
    FEEs from tourism in terms of US$ during January to May 2013 were US$ 7.993 billion with a growth of 9.5%, as compared to US$ 7.297 billion with a growth of 10.6 % during January-May 2012 over the corresponding period of 2011.
    Ministry of Tourism compiles monthly estimates of Foreign Tourist Arrivals (FTAs) on the basis of data received from major ports and Foreign Exchange Earnings (FEEs) from tourism on the basis of data available from Reserve Bank of India.Source: PIB/India

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