PM ignores calls for India visa costs to be reduced
Prime Minister Theresa May has rejected calls from British incoming tour operators to reduce the cost of a two-year multi-entry visa for visitors from India to the UK.
Industry body UKinbound said it was disappointed the PM hadn’t listened to their call for the introduction of a two-year multi-entry visa for India costing just £87.
Tour operators have already successful fought for a reduction in visa costs for Chinese visitors and say they have seen a rise in visitor numbers ‘without compromising national security concerns’.
"We therefore strongly urge the Prime Minister to announce a similar scheme for India," said UKinbound.
Chief executive Deirdre Wells OBE added: “In a post-Brexit world where new trade links with countries outside the EU are more important than ever, it is critical that we seize the opportunity to develop new business with growing markets such as India.
"Just over 400,000 Indians visited the UK in 2015 and spent almost twice the amount of the average visitors. We will lose our competitive edge over other markets if we do not reform our visa regime for this key market."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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