The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved Port Blair Seaport in Andaman and Nicobar Islands as an authorised Integrated Check Posts (ICP) for entry of foreign nationals holding e-visa, an official said.
The decision would not only draw foreign tourists as there are many beaches and lagoons which Andaman and Nicobar Islands offer for adventure tourism, the official said.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands Tourism secretary Vishwendra told that “Ideally, October to May would be the best time for yacht chartering in the archipelago because of its tropical climate. The sea is calm during these months, which will make it the best time to visit for yacht charters.”
The former chief port administrator at the Port Management Board and Special Secretary (Home) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Prashant Kumar, said that all the parameters, future prospects and convenience of foreign guests were examined, after which the e-visa entry got a green signal from the MHA.
The director general of police in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Devesh Chandra Srivastva, has welcomed the decision taken by the central government. He said, “This will boost yacht tourism in this region and also bring Andaman and Nicobar to the global tourism map.”
Many tour operators feel that besides the e-visa entry for foreigners, the news will also attract many Indian travellers and businesspeople who are interested in yacht charting and adventure tourism.
The president of the Federation of Responsible Tour Operators (FORTO), R Ratnam, and the president of the Andaman Association of Tour Operators (AATO), M Vinod—who works closely with the authorities to make the Andamans a yacht and cruise-friendly destination—called for the maximum participation of all tourism stakeholders to make the archipelago a perfect destination for yacht chartering.
