India Unveils 100,000 Free Visas to Revive Tourism
India launches the 'Chalo India' initiative offering 100,000 free visas to boost foreign tourism, mirroring past pandemic-era efforts to revive the struggling sector.
India is pulling out all the stops to breathe new life into its tourism sector. The government has just unveiled a game-changing initiative: 100,000 free visas for foreign tourists. Dubbed “Chalo India” (or “Let’s Go India”), this bold move is designed to give a substantial shot in the arm to the country’s travel and hospitality industry.
An Appealing Offer—Not a First
It was India’s Union Minister of Tourism, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who announced the campaign during an event marking World Tourism Day on 27 September. The policy waives visa fees entirely for the first 100,000 foreign visitors arriving under the program—whether they apply for electronic visas or through an Indian embassy. While visa categories vary, all applicants will bypass the standard consular fees.
https://twitter.com/tourismgoi/status/1839269251632218347
The strategy echoes a previous, even more ambitious initiative launched between 2021 and 2022. During that period, India waived visa fees for a staggering 500,000 foreign visitors in an effort to rebuild confidence and reignite a tourism ecosystem that had been hobbled by the pandemic—hotels, airlines, tour guides and everything in between all benefited from the boost.
A Multi-Pronged Push
Yet India’s hunt for visitors doesn’t stop there. The Prime Minister has personally appealed to the Indian diaspora worldwide, urging them to invite foreign friends and family to visit the country—a shrewd tactic that effectively turns every overseas Indian into a high-profile destination ambassador.
The “Chalo India” program extends the welcome mat further by introducing a reward system for diaspora members who successfully bring in tourists. Participants can register and track their contributions via a dedicated program website. The site acts as a one-stop portal for sign-ups, progress tracking, and real-time updates on the scheme’s evolution.
The official website for the Chalo India program
Recent visitor numbers underscore why the push is so urgent. In June 2024, India welcomed 706,045 international tourists, up from 600,496 the month before. Still, the tally remains well below the pre-pandemic peak of 1,225,672 visitors recorded in December 2019.
For 2024, the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) projects that travel and tourism will inject nearly ₹21.15 trillion rupees into India’s economy—a 21 percent increase over 2019—and generate a sizeable uptick in employment as well.
