India govt. finance minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman today (June 28) in a press conference announced free tourist visas to the first 5 Lakh Tourists, to boost the tourism sector of the nation which was badly hit due to the covid-19 pandemic.
“Once Visa issuance is restarted, the first 5 lakh Tourists Visas will be issued free of charge. The benefit will be available only once per tourist, the scheme will be applicable till March 31, 2022, or till 5,00,000 visas are issued, whichever is earlier. The free tourist visa scheme comes with total financial implications of Rs. 100 Cr,” she said.
As in the year 2019, the data shows 10.93 million foreign tourists visited India, who spent US $ 30.098 billion on leisure and business in India.
The average daily stay for a foreign tourist in India is 21 days, whereas the average daily spending of a tourist in India is around $34 (Rs 2400), she mentioned.
For the revival of the tourism industry in the nation, She also announced several financial support to more than 11,000 registered tourist guides/travel and tourism stakeholders, the scheme will also cover 10,700 regional level tourist guides recognised by the ministry of tourism and those by state governments.
