'Tourism to rise with visa on arrival for groups'

New Delhi, April 25 (IANS) Inbound tourism in India will grow at least by 25 to 35 percent with the government's decision to allow visa on arrival for international tourist groups, a travel industry official said Thursday.

"Inbound tourism will grow at least by 25 to 35 percent with this decision," said Subhash Goyal, president, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) adding that the body had been demanding visa on arrival for foreign tourists for many years.

"On one side we are spending millions of dollars in promoting tourism and on the other, when the tourists actually want to come, we make it difficult for them to get visas. This issuance of group visas is going to be a first step in the right direction", he said further.

According to the revised procedure, foreign tourists in groups of four or more sponsored by tourism ministry approved Indian travel agencies can get collective landing permit for a period not exceeding 60 days.