Iran has declared that it will no longer require visas for citizens of India and 32 other nations, joining numerous other countries that have lately announced visa free travel for Indian nationals.
Following a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Iranian Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Ezzatollah Zarghami stated, “This move is aimed at boosting tourism with more visitors from around the world.”
According to Zarghami, “Iran aims to counter negative perceptions and rumours with this move while combating the phenomenon of ‘Iranophobia perpetuated by the global arrogance system.”
Russia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Mauritania, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mauritius, Seychelles, Indonesia, Darussalam, Japan, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil, Peru, Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Croatia, and Belarus are also on Iran’s visa-free travel list.
Iran previously waived visa restrictions for people from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Oman, China, Armenia, Lebanon, and Syria.
According to the most recent figures, the total number of tourists in Iran reached 4.4 million over the first eight months of the current Iranian year (starting March 21), representing a 48.5 per cent rise over the same period the previous year.
Zarghami further stated that his Ministry suggested visa free travel for 60 countries, which was not fully authorized.
According to Iranian media sources, Iranian people will be able to go to Saudi Arabia for Umrah on “regular flights” beginning December 19. As a result, Iranians will be permitted to perform Umrah in Saudi Arabia for the first time in eight years, signalling an improvement in bilateral relations.
India’s outbound tourist business is expanding.
Meanwhile, according to a recent McKinsey report, India is one of the fastest-growing markets for outbound tourism, with 13 million visitors expected in 2022.
Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam have also recently eliminated visa restrictions for Indian citizens.
Thailand, another neighbouring nation whose economy is strongly reliant on tourism, said earlier this month that Indian citizens will be exempt from visa requirements from November 10 to May 10 of next year. Tourists from China and Kazakhstan were previously exempt for a brief time.
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry removed visa requirements for citizens of seven nations, including India, China, and Russia, as part of a pilot experiment in October, with the exemption set to last until March 31, 2024. The action, according to a statement made by the Sri Lankan government, was part of the country’s efforts to enhance tourism and reach a target of 50,000 visitors by 2026.
At the moment, 27 nations allow Indian citizens to enter without a visa. Kenya, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka are the most recent entrants. Other countries that do not require a visa for Indian citizens include Barbados, Bhutan, Dominica, Haiti, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Samoa, and Trinidad & Tobago.
According to Ministry of Tourism data, the top five destinations for Indian citizens are the UAE, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Thailand, with a considerable number of diaspora tourists.