“We want to ensure that all difficulties and hurdles pertaining to this new facility introduced at the Dabolim airport are mitigated and systems are put in place as the tourism season is at its peak and international visitors to Goa will begin arriving in large numbers,” Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar said Thursday.
Others at the meeting included Tourism Director Ameya Abhyankar and Managing Director of Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Nikhil Desai, Airport Director K D Rao, Assistant Director and Chief Immigration Officer Aravind Kumar H Nair, President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa Francisco Braganza, TTAG Members Ralph D’Souza, Earnest Dias, Savio Messias and representatives from the FRRO department of the Goa Police.
Additional counters to facilitate issue of the E-Visas and Visas on Arrival, continuation of the Group Landing Permit (GLP) system for the season, an official Porter Counter, signages in foreign languages disseminating Visas on Arrival and E-Visa data and payment of fees were some of the recommendations that were deliberated upon during the review meeting.
The TTAG members drew the attention of the airport officials on various issues pertaining to issue of E-Visas and Visas on Arrival.
/ and made several suggestions that would simplify the process and expedite the issue of this facility to foreign nationals from the 43 countries which have been enlisted for benefit, under this system.
The airport officials said that so far 375 Visas on Arrival have been issued.
The tourism ministry and the travel and tourism industry suggested that sign boards in Russian, German and others in addition to English be prominently displayed with all data and information, fee structures for benefit of passengers availing the Visas on Arrival facility at the airport.
Representatives from the travel and tour industry also suggested for continuation of the Group Landing Permits until such time the awareness of the Visas on Arrival facility is spread across the 43 countries selected by the Union Home Ministry.
Another suggestion was that an official Porter Counter be set up at the Goa airport and the airport officials are to take forward the recommendations.
“Whatever challenges are being faced at the Goa airport with regards to the E-Visa and Visas on Arrival were sorted out at the meeting and we are optimistic that officials of Goa Tourism and at Dabolim Airport will find appropriate solutions,” Braganza said.
