Foreign arrivals likely to double as new facility set to take off from coming season
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The Goa tourism ministry and stakeholders are upbeat as the Union Home Affairs Ministry has operationalized the proposal for Collective Landing Permits for tourists travelling in groups of four or more, which they expect to be functional by the ensuing tourism season. This is an extension to the already approved Visa on Arrival (VoA) facility.
“Goa has much to benefit from the facility for group landing permits which will enable tourists from countries not included in the list for Visa on Arrival (VoA) to avail of this facility,” said a tourism ministry official.
What makes the CLP facility more advantageous is its validity period of 60 days as against VoA which is valid for a 30-day period.
The Home Affairs Ministry had announced this proposal in April 2013 and only recently specified the guidelines which facilitate commencement of issue of the CLP, at least in Goa from the new season.
Ministry level officials say that Goa tourism will get a direct benefit and can expect to double its foreign arrivals from the existing 4.5 lakh tourists.
A recent circular from the Ministry of Home Affairs says, ‘Foreign tourists in groups of four or more, arriving by air or sea, sponsored by Indian Travel Agencies approved by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and with a pre-drawn itinerary may be granted collective landing permit for a period not exceeding 60 days, with multiple-entry facility to enable them to visit a neighbouring country.’
The tourist or travel agency concerned will have to mandatorily submit an application with complete list of group members along with visa applications and their itinerary to the FRRO-FRO concerned, 72 hours in advance. This facility has been extended with a condition that the tourist or travel agency has to give an undertaking to conduct the group as per the itinerary and an assurance that no individual would be allowed to drop out from the group at any place.
Tourists travelling on cruise ships will also be granted a collective landing permit.
However, in case a cruise ship visits more than one port in India, and does not visit ports of any other country, a collective landing permit may be issued at the first port of entry into India.
‘There will be no need to issue a collective landing permit at each port of visit included in the itinerary,’ reads the Home Ministry circular.
For instance passengers granted collective landing permit at Chennai port, which may be the first port of entry in India, would not need to have issue of the collective landing permit in subsequent ports e.g. Kochi, Mumbai or Goa.
‘Immigration authorities may allow entry on the basis of the collective landing permit issued to the passengers at the first port of entry in India if the stipulated period for which the collective landing permit has been issued is valid,’ says the circular.
The tourism ministry in Goa strongly believes that tourists from Central Asian countries will take advantage of this facility as the rising dollar will also make holidays in India cheaper and the average stay in Goa may also increase.
“The travel agencies and tour operators have adequate time to work on this and Goa has to gear up to meet the rush for this facility at the new Dabolim airport,” a tourism ministry official said.
The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa TTAG President Francis Braganza said, “We welcome this new facility and we hope it will have a positive effect on tourism in Goa.”
The tourism ministry in Goa feels tourists from Central Asian countries will take advantage of this facility as the rising dollar will also make holidays in India cheaper and the average stay in Goa may also increase
