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Centre working on visa-on-arrival for tourists

Joy Roy Choudhury - Kolkata

To increase the flow of foreign tourists into the country, the Union Ministry of Tourism is working closely with the Home Ministry to allow visa-on-arrival for foreign tourists. "We will take a decision after discussing the matter threadbare with the Union Home Ministry," Ambika Soni, Union Minister for Tourism & Culture said on the sidelines of an international tourism exposition held in Kolkata.

The Union Minister is reported to have discussed the issue with her counterpart in the Union Home Ministry. She said the facility would be available once the modernisation of India's international airports, especially the ones in New Delhi and Mumbai, was over.

With this facility, the Centre aims to touch the 10-million mark in tourist inflow by 2010 when New Delhi is slated to host the Commonwealth Games. The Union Minister also pointed out that efforts are being made to popularise the B&B concept, which has become popular in Kerala and the North-eastern states to attract foreign tourists into the country.