Posted by Julie M. Aurelio – 4 hours ago
Inquirer file photo
Citing the need to make the Philippines more accessible to tourists, President Marcos directed government agencies to introduce a simplified e-visa system for Indian nationals wanting to visit the country.
He issued the directive during a meeting with the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) tourism sector group at Malacañang Palace on Wednesday.
In a post on his Facebook and Instagram pages, the President stressed that his government will work with PSAC to increase tourism to the country.
Beta Phase
The Philippine e-Visa system allows foreigners to apply for an e-Visa online, but the issuing embassy or consulate may require them to appear in person for an interview.
Currently, the e-visa system is in beta phase and is being piloted only for in-person visitors at the Philippine Embassy in New Delhi, India.
Read: DOT considers expanding e-visas for tourists from China, India
However, businessman Lucio Tan, president and chief executive officer of LT Group, pointed out that requiring Indian nationals to appear in person at the Philippine embassy would reduce the efficiency of the e-visa system.
Mr Tan, a member of PSAC’s tourism sector group who attended Wednesday’s meeting, added that e-visas could take about a month to process, which would make the country less attractive as a travel destination.
He instead recommended that the government hire a third-party service provider to set up, operate and maintain the e-visa system under the guidance of a government agency.
“This will ensure that the programme is consistently monitored and any challenges in the process or system are immediately addressed. Similarly, the application process will also be streamlined and a faster process will generate more applications,” Mr Tan said.
According to the Indian Embassy in Manila’s website, there are 130,000 Indians in the country, while around 120,000 Indian nationals visit the country annually.
The PSAC Tourism Sector Group stressed the need to improve the e-visa regime for Indian nationals as they drive the tourism industry and many of them are “repeat visitors” who stay an average of eight nights per visit and spend $100 per person per day.
About 78% of them stay in hotels here and their activities include business investment, shopping, sightseeing, going to the beach, diving, visiting friends and relatives etc.
Read: Philippines first to launch e-visa scheme for tourists from China, India
