Wednesday, 24 April 2013

Nod for ‘Visa on Arrival’


In a move which is expected to boost Kerala’s tourism sector, the Central Government has given its approval for the introduction of Visa on Arrival (VoA) service at the international airports in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.

Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar said that preparations to implement the scheme in the two airports were currently underway. The new facility will allow citizens from 11 countries including Japan, Singapore, Finland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Indonesia to obtain tourist visas upon their arrival in Kerala.

The Minister said that the new scheme and the convenience it offers would encourage more tourists from these countries to travel to Kerala.

He also said that the decision to introduce Visa on Arrival service at five airports in the country, including Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi, was taken at the third meeting of the Inter-ministerial Committee on Tourism, subject to approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullappally Ramachandran has informed that his ministry has given the go-ahead for the proposal. Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation K C Venugopal is leading efforts to put in place the facilities required to implement Visa on Arrival at the two airports. The groundwork is nearing completion and service will soon be available for tourists, he added


 

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