After Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Kenya, Iran has become the fifth country to waive visa requirements for Indian passport holders. In a significant move, the Iranian government on December 14 that it had decided to cancel visa requirements for visitors from 33 countries. Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Ezzatollah Zarghami said that the decision was made to boost tourism arrivals and attract visitors from more nations.
The list of countries benefiting from the visa waiver includes Russia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Mauritania, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Seychelles, Indonesia, Darussalam, Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Belarus, as reported by IRNA news. This new initiative adds to the existing visa waivers Iran had in place for Turkey, Azerbaijan, Oman, China, Armenia, Lebanon, and Syria.
The Iranian tourism minister emphasised that the move aligns with efforts to counter Iranophobia campaigns, projecting a more welcoming image of the country. Recent statistics reveal a substantial increase in foreign arrivals to Iran, reaching 4.4 million during the first eight months of the current Iranian year, marking a 48.5% surge compared to the corresponding period last year.
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The fast-growing Indian outbound tourism market, projected to reach 13 million tourists by 2022 according to McKinsey analysis, has spurred countries like Vietnam to propose short-term visa waivers for Indian and Chinese travelers, aiming to boost economic recovery.
The unique case of Sri Lanka, heavily reliant on tourism for its GDP, faced setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic and poorly implemented agricultural reforms. The nation, now in crisis, underscores the vital role tourism plays in sustaining economies and the need for collaborative efforts to revive the sector.
In November, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that his country will start visa-free entry for citizens of India and China visiting the country from December 1 for 30 days. However, the issuance of a visa will be subject to security checks.
Before Malaysia, three countries - Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Thailand - announced visa-free entry for Indian citizens to boost the tourism sector and promote economic development. India has one of the fastest-growing markets for outbound tourism with a McKinsey analysis showing 13 million Indian tourists travelled to other countries in 2022.
Vietnamese Tourism Minister Nguyn Van Jung has proposed short-term visa waivers for travellers from China and India to boost the recovery of the country's economic sector. Similarly, South Africa's Tourism minister too has proposed a similar waiver for Indian travellers.
(Edited by : Jerome Anthony)
First Published: Dec 16, 2023 1:16 PM IST
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