India likely to sign a fresh agreement with China to boost tourism

Modi may also announce e-visa facility to Chinese tourists on his visit to that country

A day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to China, the union Cabinet on Wednesday discussed signing an agreement with the country to give boost to tourism.

"One of the agenda discussed was building tourism relationship with China," said top government sources here.

Modi will likely sign a fresh Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China on his three-day visit to the country which begins on Thursday.

India has signed an MoU on tourism cooperation with China in 2002 which had expired in 2012.

Modi may also announce e-visa facility to Chinese tourists on his visit to the country, the person added.

"It is the PM's prerogative to take a decision on this," source cited above said.

According to official estimates, China tops the list of highest spendings ($165 billion) on international tourism.

Although the share of Chinese tourists to India in total foreign tourist arrival has stood at 2.5 per cent in 2014, only 0.18 per cent of the total outbound Chinese tourists visit India.

Civil aviation ministry sources said Modi may also announce additional flights to China.

At present, only Air India flies to Shanghai. SpiceJet had closed its operation to Guangzhou and Jet Airways had stopped flying to Shanghai a few years back.