The Union govt has decided to waive e-tourist visa fees for a select category of foreign tourists. However, travel and tour operators say that it’s important to offer incentives to attract tourists from Europe, the UK, and US to Kerala – ones with higher spending power.
Tour operators said that though the state govt is doing its own promotions abroad, the govt of India is not doing so and should introduce incentives for these tourists to come. Sejoe Jose, regional chairman for south India of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), said that the Union Budget allocation for promoting tourism is too low. IATO has suggested that we should have an exclusive officer at embassies to promote tourism, but they have not done it yet, he added.
Jose said that the current policy that was announced is about Indians promoting India. “NRIs can recommend visas for four to five people to travel free without a fee. That’s not meant for commercial tourism,” he said. Jose added that Union govt should make attempts to attract tourists to important destinations in the country.
The travel and tour operators have been concerned for the last few years that the high-spending tourists from Europe, the UK, and US are not arriving. This year too, Kovalam did not see foreign visitors once the season began.
MK Ajith Kumar of the India Tourism Forum said, “The states do not have control over visa policy, but Kerala can ask the central govt to waive e-visa fees for select categories of foreign visitors seeking ayurveda and ayurvedic rejuvenation treatment since 80-90% of this segment is based in Kerala.”
He added that the Union govt should offer incentives for senior citizen tourists from other countries.
“Special exemption for e-visa fee waiver could be given as an incentive for travellers above 60 years of age, as this demographic segment has the spending power as well as time on their hands to stay the maximum number of days. Kerala is a natural attraction considering its ayurvedic treatment facilities and beaches similar to Goa, which attracts this category of visitors,” Kumar said.
