In a major initiative to lure more number of Indian travellers to the country, Turkey has introduced Visa-on-Arrival facility for Indian visitors. As per the new rule, Indian arriving in Istanbul can avail Visa-on-Arrival by paying a nominal fee of 15 Euro or USD 20 provided they hold a valid US, UK and Schengen Visa. The Visa will be valid for 30 days.
When contacted, Sevgi Boz, Cultural and Tourism Counsellor of Turkey to India, said that the move will encourage more Indians to visit Turkey in future. “We have been waiting for this announcement for a long time. It’s encouraging news for all of us. We hope more Indians will now take advantage of this Visa-on-Arrival facility and visit Turkey.”
About 55,000 Indians visited Turkey in 2009. While this year, Turkish Tourism expects around 25 per cent improvement in visitor numbers. In order to create awareness about Turkish destinations and products, Turkish Tourism has already launched a major marketing campaign in India with the punch line – ‘Turkey is Ready’. |