“This announcement is too late and too little. Already 10 million people have become jobless and thousands
of companies have become bankrupt.
E-Tourist Visas

1. Without the announcement of the date for issuance of e-tourist visas and the date for starting of
   scheduled international flights, we cannot revive tourism and free visas will be meaningless.
   Moreover, all tourists who are spending air fare can easily pay for the visa fee. This will only benefit
   overland tourists from Myanmar, Bangladesh and Pakistan. The money saved by not giving free
   tourist visas can be utilized for giving grants to Tourist Guides and Tourism workforce.
2. The giving of loans to Tourist Guides and Small Tour Operators is also meaningless because how will
   they return the loan and pay the interest when there is no business. If the government really wants to
   help, then there are only about 11000-12000 govt. recognized guides and govt. can easily give them a
   onetime grant under the same provision like they are giving to Farmers and Ration to the Below
   Poverty Line people. In the same provisions, grants can be given to Tourist Guides, small & medium
   Tour Operators, Tourist Bus/Taxi owners & Drivers etc. This would help them to survive till the time
   our borders are opened and Tourist start coming to India.
3. If the government is serious, they have the balance sheet of all tour operators who have honestly
   being paying taxes for such a long time, based on the before Covid-19 balance sheet, they can give an
   interest free loan; repayments of which should start only one year after international borders are
   opened. Similarly, based on this the govt. can pay at least 50% of the staff/workers’ salaries of these
   companies.
4. Before talking about loans, government should first pay the SEIS amount which is legally long overdue
   and then talk about interest free loans.
   Dr. Subhash Goyal has made the above suggestions in the larger national interest to revive the economy as he
   says, “Tourism is not only the largest employment generator but has a multiplier effect on all other sectors of
   our economy.”