Tourism in India in 2014 | Expectations from Narendra Modi Government

At last some tourist-friendly decisions, and hopefully actions, from the Indian Government to revive tourism in India. Mr Narendra Modi who recently swept to power has declared that he wants tourism to be a significant growth area for India. The sub-continent is blessed with iconic monuments, rich cultural traditions, mountains, beaches, wildlife, birding and culinary delights but also infuriating bureaucracy that seems to conspire to hinder ease of access to this most beautiful and varied holiday destination.

Incredible India Tourism

 The first example of this bureaucracy that tourists meet is the visa system. It is complicated, time consuming and expensive. Just this week Shine Gold Tours India lost a booking as one of the group of travelers was refused a visa because of – why? No-one really knows but probably he put something on his visa application to suggest to a London-based bureaucrat that he may have intended to work in India even though he was only going for 7 nights, had a Golden Triangle tour arranged and a return flight on the 8^th day. Just saying that you work as a “consultant” seems to be enough to bring down the wrath of the issuing authorities and woe betide you if you work in a laboratory. Bureaucracy is big hurdle in the growth in Indian travel industry.

From the 1^st of October 2014 it has been agreed that visas can be picked up on arrival. We are not sure at this stage if the price will be more reasonable or if the time period for staying in the country, shorter or longer than the current 6 months, will be more flexible. But it is a step in the right direction to promote tourism in India.

 Mr Modi has appointed a minister for tourism and has said that tourism enhances the economic development of the poor. Too true it does from hotel workers, taxi and rickshaw drivers, tourist guides, to food production - all offering jobs and opportunities for the innate Indian talent for entrepreneurship.

Added to this, one of Mr Modi’s “early wins” will be a huge programme of revival for the sacred city of Varanasi which is a major visitor site for both tourists and pilgrims. Situated on the banks of the Ganges, this is one of the major Hindu religious sites with its burning ghats one of the iconic sights of India.

Varanasi happens to be Mr Modi’s parliamentary seat so there may be a connection – but to be fair it is also an important part of Shine Gold Tours India programme, featured in our “Spiritual Tours” section under “Buddhist Tours”.

Ghats at the Holy City of Varanasi

Mr. Narendra Modi is considered to be a visionary and a great leader, and Shine Gold Tours India hopes that under his leadership tourism sector in India will grow by leaps and bound.