Visa is one of the biggest hurdles for a lot of foreigners, especially the budget tourist coming down to Goa from various courtiers across the world and hence making the visa mew flexible will surely increase the tourist flow into the state. Goa which attracts nearly half a million foreign tourists every year, easing of e-tourism visa norms has been a regular demand of the Travel and Tourism industry stakeholders.
Goa Tourism Development Corporation Chairman, Dayanand Sopte, who is attending a daylong conference of state tourism ministers, urged the Union Minister of State for Tourism Prahlad Patel, for e-tourist visa processing facilities at Goa’s only International Airport at Dabolim, under the e-tourist visa facility for foreign nationals opting for Goa as the port of arrival.
Sopte told reporters in Goa that during the National Conference for State Tourism Ministers held in the national capital this week, he updated the Union Ministry regarding Goa’s plans for launching of a Goa Tourism App for tourists which will serve as a platform for information, addressing of grievances, bookings, etc.
Sopte also informed that during the daylong conference, the Goa Tourism delegation had participated in various workshops, deliberations and presented reports on various aspects concerning tourism and infrastructure development in the State.
Sopte also made a pitch to the Union Ministry for Tourism to seek funds for development of the 17century Church complex in Old Goa under the Tourism Ministry’s Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Healing Augmentation Drive (PRASHAD SCHEME) and requested Director General – ASI, Usha Sharma to ensure that ASI grants timely permissions to all projects so that all facilities for pilgrims and tourists can be created through central assistance. The Church, a UNESCO endorsed site, attracts thousands of tourists every day.
The Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi in its recently held meeting on the Measures to accelerate foreign tourists’ arrivals in India, reduced the e-tourist visa fees.
The following decisions were taken but they are subject to confirmation of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
A short duration e-visa for tourists, with one-month validity and visa fees of USD 25 is to be introduced.
To encourage off-season (April-June) tourism, visa fee of USD would be reduced to USD 10 during this period.
The validity of the regular e-visa, with a fee of USD 80 to be increased from current permissible 1-year t 5 years with multiple entries.
The matter was discussed in the Ministry and it has been decided that e-tourist visa of 5 years may be introduced in addition to one-year e-Tourist visa. Fees for the e-tourist visa for 5 years duration may be set at USD 80. The revised e-visa fees would be fixed as under.
Countries namely Fiji, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue Island, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu AND Argentina, Indonesia, Jamaica, Seychelles, Mauritius, South Africa and Uruguay are exempt from the e-visa fees while countries like Japan, Singapore and Sri Lanka have to pay 10 USD for 30 days in the lean period between April and June, 25 USD for 30 days in the period between April to March, 25 USD for 1 year and 25 USD for five years.
Countries like Mozambique, Russia, Ukraine, U.K. and U.S.A. have to pay 10 USD for 30 days in the lean period between April and June, 25 USD for 30 days in the period between April to March, 40 USD for 1 year and 80 USD for five years.
For the rest of the countries where the e-visa facility is available they will have to pay 10 USD for 30 days in the lean period between April and June, 25 USD for 30 days in the period between April to March, 40 USD for 1 year and 80 USD for five years.
One hopes with the reduction of the e-visa fees, Goa will see a better tourist season.
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