NEW DELHI: The first 5 lakh tourist visas to be issued once international travel restarts will come free of charge and government-recognised travel agents and tour guides can avail loans without processing fee or additional collateral, the government announced on Monday as part of measures to resuscitate the pandemichit travel and tourism sector.
Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government will extend federal guarantees on bank loans to help revive the sector and the loan guarantee scheme stands to benefit 10,700 regional-level tourist guides recognised by the tourism ministry and state governments.
While nearly 1,000 travel and tourism stakehold ers (TTS) recognised by the ministry will be eligible for loans up to Rs 10 lakh each, tourist guides can avail loans up to Rs 1 lakh each, Sitharaman said.
India s travel and tourism industry has once again urged the government to consider taking multiple steps to ease the pressure on the sector and help it tide over the crisis as the surge in Covid infections and re-imposition of partial travel .
Read more about IATO seeks government support to tide over Covid-19 pandemic impact on Business Standard. Indian Association of Tour Operators on Tuesday said it has urged the government to take steps to help tour operators to tide over the pandemic impact