Visa on Arrival scheme records 14.8% growth in foreign tourists in July, 2012

The Visa on Arrival (VoA) scheme recorded a growth of 14.8 per cent with a total number of 941 foreign tourists availing the facility in July 2012 as compared to 820 tourists in July 2011. The maximum number of tourists availing this facility in July 2012 was from Japan with 247 tourists, followed by Indonesia with 167 tourists and 161 tourists from New Zealand. 149 tourists from Philippines, 129 from Singapore, 63 from Finland came to India via VoA route last month. Nine, eight, four, three and one tourists visited India through the VoA scheme from Vietnam, Myanmar, Luxembourg, Cambodia and Laos respectively.

“During January to July 2012, a total number of 7662 VoAs were issued as compared to 6594 VoAs during the same period last year recording a growth of 16.2 per cent,” the Ministry for Tourism, Govt. of India said in a statement. The number of VoAs issued under this scheme, during January-July 2012 were Japan (1872), New Zealand (1588), Indonesia (1259), Philippines (1093), Singapore (1016), Finland (576), Vietnam (97), Myanmar (54), Cambodia (52), Luxembourg (48) and Laos (7). During this period, the maximum number of VoAs were issued at Delhi airport (4430), followed by Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata airport with 1689, 1091 and 452 respectively.

The government launched the VoA scheme in January 2010 as a facilitative measure to attract more foreign tourists for citizens of five countries - Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore, visiting India for tourism purposes. The scheme was further extended for the citizens of six more countries - Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos and Myanmar from January 2011.

Sourced: travelbizmonitor