New Delhi: Tourism Minister K Chiranjeevi on Tuesday welcomed the decision of the Home Ministry relaxing tourist visa rules, saying a long-pending demand of the travel industry has been addressed.
"The decision has addressed a long-pending demand of the travel industry and will facilitate tourists visiting the country," Chiranjeevi said in a statement.
The Home Ministry has relaxed its tourist visa rules by lifting restrictions imposed on foreign visitors to have a two-month cooling off period between two visits.
However, citizens of Pakistan, China, Iran, Iraq, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sudan and people of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin and "stateless persons" will continue to come under the 60-day gap rule.
Officials said the Tourism Ministry has set a target for increasing India`s share in world tourist arrivals from the current 0.6 per cent to 1 per cent by the end of the 12th Plan period and the relaxation in the visa regime would contribute to a large extent in achieving this target.
PTI
