OREANDA-NEWS. A total of 70,045 tourists arrived in April 2016 on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 19,139 during the month of April 2015 registering a growth of 266%.

Commencing from 27th November 2014 e-Tourist Visa facility was available until 25th February 2016 for citizens of 113 countries arriving at 16 Airports in India. The Government of India has extended this scheme for citizens of 37 more countries w.e.f 26th February 2016 taking the tally to 150 countries. The following are the important highlights of e-Tourist Visa during April, 2016.

The following are the important highlights of e-Tourist Visa during April, 2016:

(i) During the month of April, 2016 a total of 70,045 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 19,139 during the month of April, 2015 registering a growth of 266.0%.

(ii) During January- April 2016, a total of 3,91,094 tourist arrived on e-Tourist Visa as compared to 94,998 during January - April 2015, registering a growth of 311.7% .

(iii) This high growth may be attributed to introduction of e-Tourist Visa for 150 countries as against the earlier coverage of 43 countries.

(iv) The percentage shares of top 10 source countries availing e-Tourist Visa facilities during April, 2016 were as follows:

UK (18.82%), USA (14.08%), Russian Fed. (8.16%), France (7.12%), China (6.31%), Australia (4.67%), Germany (4.32%), Canada (3.70%), Thailand (2.09%) and Netherlands (1.93%).

(v) The percentage shares of top 10 ports in tourist arrivals on e-Tourist Visa during April, 2016 were as follows:-

New Delhi Airport (46.48%), Mumbai Airport (19.09%), Goa Airport (9.96%), Bengaluru Airport (6.48%),Chennai Airport (5.55%), Kochi Airport (3.02%), Kolkata Airport (2.50%), Hyderabad Airport (2.23%), Trivandrum Airport (1.44%) and Amritsar Airport (1.37%) .