India may soon open to foreign tourists – here are the details

After months of being shut, Indian borders might soon open. The Ministry of Tourism is working closely with the Ministry of Health to plan gradual reopening for foreign tourists with travel and stay limitations and special SOPs (Standard Operating Practice).

The recovery rate from COVID-19 in India is 97%, the highest globally. Additionally, as of January 28, 2021, about 23.5 lakh people have already received the COVID-19 vaccine. Given the facts and lowering number of infections, discussions are on with the conglomerates of the travel and tourism industry for fine tuning the proposal of resuming inbound tourism that has suffered severely in the past 10 months.

The initial plans says tourists need to have a fixed-itinerary for their trip along with advance bookings in recommended hotels and domestic airlines. Specific guidelines however are yet to be created and exact SOPs for the travelers are still underway.

Among other things, those traveling to India would need to download the Arogya Setu app. They will also need to submit a self-declaration before traveling. If vaccinated they will need to carry proof of vaccination, if not, a COVID negative certificate will be needed of tests done 72 hours before commencement of travel. Testing would be available at certain airports on arrival to ensure screening. If during the stay any tourists experience COVID-19 symptoms, they will be required to self-isolate until they are examined.

The proposed guidelines advise guests to adapt contact less processes like QR code scanning, digital payments and online forms. Those with higher risk are advised to take extra precaution and opt for services like in-room dining.

India Homepage

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