VoA Facility Increases Number of Tourists to Goa

December 27, 2014

According to officials, the total number of visas issued from the time of Visa on Arrival (VoA) facility till 25 December was 1091 in Goa airport at Dabolim. The airport officials asserted that 100 VoA were issued per day starting from 17 December, 2014.

The Goa airport reportedly issued 375 VoA between 4-16 December. Aravind Kumar H Nair, the Assistant Director and Chief Immigration Officer said that the count of visas issued trebled in the next 10 days and are expected to rise further in the coming days. He further added that there is an addition in charter arrivals as well. Owing to the Christmas and New Year festivities, the number of tourists to Goa from all over the world has reached its peak.

Till date, VoA to Russian citizens heads the list. Data released by Goa airport states that the visas have been issued to the following countries- Russia (595), Ukraine (430), USA (25), Germany (15), UAE (7), Philippines (4), Australia (4), Jordan (3), Israel (3), New Zealand (2), Singapore (1), Finland (1), Norway (1), Brazil (1) and Kenya (1).

According to Dilip Parulekar, Tourism Minister he had been repeatedly stressing on the fact that the introduction of VoA facility would boost the inflow of international tourists to Goa. The number of visas issued over a period of 10 days is enough to prove that in the forthcoming days, tourism would receive a fillip from all foreign nations. He went on to say that Goa is expecting to see UK added to the new list of countries seeking VoA facility.

For More Updates Follow Us @Facebook