Visa-on-arrival by 2010: Ambika Soni

New Delhi, Jan 25 (UNI) Tourism Minister Ambika Soni today indicated that the visa-on-arrival would be introduced in India to attract more tourists by 2010.

Giving away the Tourism Awards 2005-06 at a function here on the occasion of India Tourism day, she said the Ministry of Home Affairs had agreed to look into the long standing demand for visa-on-arrival once enahnced infrastructure in the major airports were in place by 2009-10.

She said Annual Crafts melas would be organised in Shimla and Andhra Pradesh. It would be on the model of the existing fortnight- long Surajkhund mela in Haryana.

Ms Soni assured all support to new budget hotel projects and indicated that the Finance Minister might announce some benefits to such hotels in the coming budget.

She said India would be a partner in the forthcoming ITB-Berlin in March, and asked all the states to participate in the effort to project Incredible India at the mela to be visited by about six million people.

Ms Soni said the Ministry would soon launch a nation-wide camapign against garbage and graffiti in tourism spots as part of the Urban Renewal Mission.

Among 50-odd awards presented today, Kerala has bagged the highest of three, including that for Best State in tourism promotion.

Kerala Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan received the awards, which also included that for best website, designed by Invis Multimedia for the Kerala Tourism. Kerala also shared the award for promotion of rural tourism with Orissa.

Noted sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik was given the award for the most innovative tourism project for his sand bas reliefs of cultural heritage of India such as Taj Mahal, Konark Sun Temple which created public awareness not only India but also abroad.

UNI