(New Delhi) India on Monday reopened its borders a little more to foreign tourists from countries with reciprocal agreements, after a twenty-month shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tour operators, however, believe demand remains very low due to ticket prices and restrictions still in place for travelers from the European Union, UK, China and other countries.
The country famous for its Taj Mahal, desert palaces and tiger reserves closed its doors to foreign tourists in March 2020.
But after a devastating peak in the spring, the number of contaminations fell sharply and the government, under pressure from the sector essential to the economy, announced an easing last month.
As of October 15, tourist visas were issued for fully vaccinated foreigners arriving by charter flights from countries offering reciprocity.
This opening was extended Monday to commercial flights.
Visitors from eligible countries can apply for a tourist visa online and only need to monitor their health for 15 days after arrival.
But travelers from the European Union, UK, China, Brazil, South Africa and other countries are subject to other measures including COVID-19 testing on arrival.
The first half a million visas were also free.
Rajeev Mehra, president of the Indian Association of Tour Operators, estimates that arrivals in the first month should only represent 5% of pre-pandemic levels.
“We get inquiries and send them quotes, but when they see the high airfares they tell us they will try to come later,” Mehra told AFP.
“If things remain stable globally, we expect a full recovery in the October 2022 season.”