Port Blair, Apr 09: The President of Andaman Association of Tour Operators has taken up crucial tourism related issues with the Home Minister of India, during his visit.
In his letter addressed to the Home Minister, Mr. R Vinod, the President of AATO mentioned that Tourism Industry is the back bone of these pristine Islands providing employment to nearly 75% of the population directly or indirectly.
“However very lately this sector is facing the worst phase of its growth. Few of the decisions of the Administration is hampering the interest of the Tourism Industry and the same is being brought to your kind consideration at the earliest,” Mr. Vinod.
Regarding relaxation of CRZ regulation for these Islands, Mr. Vinod said that out of 572 Islands only few are open for tourist/Tourism Industry. But these Islands have very limited resources and natural limitation. The tourist inflow has increased many folds as compared to the availability of rooms/hotels/resorts. The existing hotels/Resorts cannot increase the present strength due to restriction in existing CRZ regulations and further opening of new hotels/resorts is also not possible considering limited land resources.
“As such we the Andaman Association of Tour Operators request you to kindly look into the matter for making relaxation of CRZ regulation for these Islands as a Special Case. CRZ relaxation will increase the number of room availability and in turn will help these Industry in providing better facilities to the tourists,” he added.
Regarding e- Visa Facility at Port Blair Seaport and Airport , he said that this will be definitely a big boost for tourism industry and to attract cruise-liners to call India.
He added that there are direct arrivals of cruise ships, yachts and private lights to Port Blair which are the direct foreign exchange revenue earners. Because of yacht tourism, Andaman’s has attracted The Crown Prince of Dubai, Sir Ian Botham and many other high net worth individuals from foreign countries as a tourist to Andaman Islands most of these HNI visits Andaman’s arrive in their private flight.
In his letter Mr. Vinod pointed out that Yachts usually come to Port Blair from Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. Embassy of India in Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia are not issuing visa for the foreigners. They issue visa to the residents of the respective country. If someone applies for a visa in the embassy of India, Thailand for visiting Andaman Islands, the visa processing time is three months. If someone arrives by a cruise liner, without a visa, he will not be allowed to go ashore for shore excursions. If someone arrives by a private flight he has to arrive with a regular tourist visa or else he or she will not be allowed to visit Andamans. Most of the yachts are based in Phuket or Langkawi during the cruising season, in South East Asia. As per the owners interest and decision they go to the cruising destinations, like Andaman’s, Borneo, Indonesia, Mayanmar etc; It is impossible for the crew to go to home Country to apply an Indian Visa, if the owner wants to cruise Andaman Islands. In the case of the passengers, arriving by cruise liners and private flights, it is possible for them to apply from their home country, but biometric registration is mandatory.
Mr. Vinod added that since the visa application process makes it next to impossible for the passengers of the cruise liners and yacht and private flights to visit Andaman Islands there is a steep decline in the number of passengers arrived by cruise liners and yacht. Port Blair and Sea Port is not a designated entry port E visa holder.
“Considering the importance of Marine based tourism in Andaman Islands, we hereby request your good office to take necessary steps to accept E Tourist visa in Port Blair Sea Port and Airport and also issue group landing permit on arrival at Port Bair Sea port. This will give a great boost to the Tourism Industry in Andaman Islands and will bring direct foreign exchange revenue in India,” Mr. Vinod added.
Claiming negative Impact on Closure of Bars in Hotels/Resorts, Mr. Vinod said that tourism is the only surviving industry of these Islands and is directly related to the Livelihood of thousands of islanders.
“It’s very difficult to bring tourists to this Emerald Island amidst high Flight Charges, lack of facilities due to existing problems like CRZ etc. Sir, now all the bars of Hotels are closed due to National Highway and State Highway orders. We kindly request you to consider denotifying the National Highway and State Highway for our Islands as this closure will definitely affect the only surviving tourism Industry. We request the Govt of India to kindly consider Andaman as a Special case and give us relaxation at par with Sikkim and Manipur,” Mr. Vinod added.
Mr. Vinod pointed out that Gujarat is liquor Free State, however the tourists visiting the State have an option to avail the facility in hotels on production of boarding pass and valid ID card.
“This same facility can be experimented in these Islands,” he concluded.
