PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. has ordered authorities to study how the government can provide seamless e-visa transactions for Indian citizens to boost the country’s tourism industry further.
The President issued the order after meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council-Tourism Sector Group in Malacanang last Wednesday.
“We do not have such issues (with India). So, I’m sure we can use their system,” Marcos said.
Under the current e-visa system, Indians are required to make a personal appearance before the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi which businessman Lucio Tan, the LT Group president and chief executive officer, said reduces the efficiency of the Philippine e-visa system.
Tan, a member of the PSAC-TSG, said e-visa processing for Indians can take around one month, which makes the country less appealing as their destination.
“In view of that, we recommend engaging a third-party service provider that will establish, run, and maintain the e-visa system under the guidance of the relevant government agencies,” Tan told Marcos during the meeting.
“This will ensure that the program is consistently monitored and that any challenges in the process and the system will be immediately (addressed). This will likewise streamline the application process and thus generate more applications due to the expedited process,” he added.
Currently, the e-Visa system for Indians is still in beta testing, piloted only for walk-in clients of the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi.
The PSAC Tourism Sector Group emphasized the need to improve the e-Visa system for Indians as they help boost the country’s tourism industry. They are “repeat visitors” who spend an average of eight nights and spend $100 per person per day in the Philippines, the group explained.
It added that 78 percent of Indians stay in hotels. Their activities include shopping, sightseeing, beach holidays, diving, visiting friends and relatives, and investing in business, PSAC said.
The group said India’s fast-growing economy and rising middle class are projected to help outbound trips reach 30 million by 2025.
