Visa on Arrival registers about 24 per cent growth

Visa on Arrival (VoA) scheme is being used by more and more foreign tourists.
2700 foreigners have availed the facility in December as compared to 2181 during the corresponding period of 2012, registering a growth of 23.80 per cent.
Japanese (744) were the most to have availed the scheme followed by New Zealanders (619) and Singaporeans (416) while only two and five tourists from Laos and Myanamr respectively used the facility, according to Tourism Ministry data.
As a facilitative measure to attract more foreign tourists to India, government launched the VoA scheme for 11 countries including Finland, Japan, Luxembourg, New Zealand and Singapore, Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Laos and Myanmar.

20,294 VoAs were issued during January-December 2013 as compared to 16,084 in the corresponding period of 2012 registering a growth of 26.2 per cent.