Australia Announces Online Visa Pilot Program for Indian Tourists

Australia has announced an online visa pilot program for Indian business and tourists visitors for Sub-class 600 visa through selected travel agents in India. Australia's Trade and Investment Minister Andrew Robb on Monday made the announcement and said that, "India is one of the world's fastest growing outbound travel markets. This trial will make it easier for Indian visitors to apply for visas to travel to Australia."

The minister is quoted on Yahoo News saying, "Under the Australian Government's national tourism strategy, Tourism 2020, India has the potential to contribute between 1.9 and 2.3 billion dollars annually to our tourism industry by 2020. That's why in the first half of 2015, the Australian Government is rolling out a trial of online visa applications to capitalize on this rapidly growing visitor market and create jobs."

New online visa trial to increase numbers of Indian tourists http://t.co/u2gYLezO1c — Andrew Robb (@AndrewRobbMP) January 13, 2015

Indian tourists are immensely contributing to the Australian economy. In the year 2014, the contribution was $800 million from 189,866 tourists and business visitors. Australia predicts the number to go up to 300,000 by the 2020 - 23, that will bring revenues anywhere between $1.9 and $2.3 billion.

That apart, Mr. Robb will be leading a largest trade mission ever by Australia in India with over 450 delegates expected to participate. It is in accordance with the MOU signed by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his visit to Australia last year. The trade mission will be held from January 9 to 16th.

Yahoo News further quotes the minister, "The trade mission and this visa trial are putting runs on the board under the Australia-India Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism signed during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Australia in November last year."

Source: Yahoo News