Visas Are Back, But Will Chinese Tourists Return to India?

Chinese kids continue to be fascinated by Sun Wukong, an epic character, even after the advent of internet games. Sun is the playful monkey king described in the 16th century Chinese epic, Journey to the West, as the guide-companion of a monk who visited the wonderous land of India to gain spiritual wisdom and knowledge about Buddhism.

This is different from the idea of China among Indians, which has been shaped largely by the aggression of politicians and military commanders since the 1962 war, and tales about the astounding industrial and technological development in that country. More recently, China provided weapons and real-time intelligence to Pakistan during the armed conflict.

Amid this tense atmosphere, India has decided to welcome Chinese tourists after a gap of five years. Tour operators are saying that the government’s decision to resume tourist visas will result in a significant inflow of Chinese travellers who continue to be attracted to India.

India received 3 lakh tourists from China, making up 27 percent of foreign tourists in 2019 when tourism visas were given to them. Whether or not India is able to recover this kind of tourist inflows would depend on subsequent measures that India needs to take. Opening up the visa window is not enough.

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