MARCOS WANTS FAST E-VISA FOR INDIANS TO BOOST TOURISM

PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the efficient issuance of electronic visa for Indians to boost Philippine tourism, Malacañang said on Thursday.

"We don't have any such issues [with India]. So, I'm sure we can use their system," the President said during a meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council-Tourism Sector Group (PSAC-TSG) in Malacañang on Wednesday.

Under current rules, Indian nationals were required to report personally to the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi, contradicting the purpose of the Philippine e-Visa system.

Business tycoon Lucio Tan, a member of the PSAC-TSG, said the processing of e-Visa for Indian tourists takes about a month, making the Philippines a less appealing destination for them.

"In view of that, we recommend engaging in third party service provider that will establish, run and maintain the e-Visa system under the guidance of the relevant government agencies," Tan told the President during the meeting.

The PSAC-TSG said that 78 percent of Indians stay in hotels. Their activities include shopping, sightseeing, beach holidays, diving, visiting friends and relatives, and investing in business.

India's fast-growing economy and rising middle class were projected to help outbound trips reach 30 million by 2025, it added.

Created in July 2022, the Private Sector Advisory Council offers guidance to the President in supporting the achievement of the country's economic objectives and to strengthen the synergy between private and public sectors.

2024-07-04T16:09:15Z dg43tfdfdgfd