Visa on Arrival to Add More Benefits to Kerala Tourism Industry

Kerala has been the world’s most renowned travel and tour destination and the Visa on Arrival has added an advantage of increasing the tourist arrival in the state from 11 to 180 nations. The presence of the two international airports has added an additional advantage, as it paves the way and acts as major gateways to the state Kerala.  

The decision has come at the right time from the Union Government as the electronic travel authorization would boost and help to promote Kerala at the time and get business from not just state and traditional source but also from international markets source.

The move has helped the tourism industry and there is a rise in the tourist arrivals. The department of Kerala tourism has recently allocated a sum of Rs. 53 lakh to promote and campaign in the foreign mission to tempt holidayers from 11 international countries which has been figured out in the list.

Visa on arrival is issued for the state since August 15 for 30 days to the citizens of Japan, Finland, New Zealand, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos, Myanmar, and Indonesia for tourism activities like sightseeing, recreation, meeting friends on landing in Thiruvananthapuram and Cochin International airports. The VoA is also available at various other international airport like Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Goa, Hyderabad and Bangalore.

The expanded VoA will boost the rapidly increasing tourism sector and help the inflow of tourists round the year and more of all a repeat tourists. According to the tourism policy of the state, it is expected that there will be a visit of 30 lacs foreign tourists in the state by 2021.

Chairman, Confederation, Tourism Industry-Kerala, E.M. Najeeb said the the decision of the centre would help positively in bringing up the number of tourists visit in the state and there will be a rapid growth of the tourism industry. “Kerala should capitalize on it and go for aggressive marketing in the source markets in the 180 nations that figure in the list and promotion of the destination,” he said. From the prior eight countries “prior reference” countries including Pakistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, China will not be entitled to this facility announced by the centre.

With electronic ticket authorization, it has become much easier and convenient, that holidayers can apply online ticket from any corner of the world and get the confirmation within 3 days of time. They can board the flight with the confirmation and do all the necessary formalities at any of the designated airports in the country.

Director, Thiruvananthapuram Airport, V.N. Chandran told The Hindu that the official communication is on progress was yet to be received. “The existing infrastructure of the airports and the facilities to provide Visa on Arrival at airport will be sufficient to meet the needs of the enhanced list,” he added.