Keen to ease travel facilities for Chinese nationals, Tourism Ministry has proposed Visa-on- Arrival provision for them as it senses huge potential for exchanges in this sector.
China is among 30 countries for which the Tourism Ministry wants Visa-on-Arrival facility, a proposal if endorsed, will raise to 41 the number of countries that will have such a facility.
"We have proposed Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) facility for 30 countries including Germany, France, Korea, Russia and China," Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi told PTI in an interview.
Referring to China, he said there is "very good potential" as far as tourism is concerned.
The proposal has to be cleared by Home Ministry, he said.
Under the VoA facility, a traveller can go straight to the intended country and get visa at the airport itself.
Asked whether the VoA facility would be on reciprocal basis, the actor-turned-minister said, "We want reciprocal as well, but that is the next step. First, we want to welcome them."
Currently, India has extended VoA facilities to 11 countries including Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, Vietnam and Philippines.
Chiranjeevi said easing of visa regime would help boost foreign tourist arrivals. The aim is to ensure that India has at least one per cent share in international tourist arrivals, he said. India's share in world tourist arrivals, at present, is about 0.64 per cent.
Tourism had led to earnings to the tune of Rs 94,487 crore as foreign exchange last fiscal as the sector witnessed growth of 4.3 per cent last year with 65,77,745 foreigners visiting India against 63,09,222 tourists the previous year.
