'Significant visa reform is essential' to increase economic and cultural links with India

India is a vast and beautiful country that the UK shares a special bond with. The huge diaspora based in the UK, the historical and sporting connections, the growing economic ties, and the thousands of tourists that flow between both countries each year are at the core of this. Government should therefore do everything it can to remove the cost and complexity of visiting the UK for Indian passengers.

The government took the opportunity of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Britain last month to announce some extremely welcome changes to visitor visas for Chinese tourists.

It said it will introduce a new two-year multiple-entry visa from January, and thereafter a 10-year equivalent, with both products costing just £85, the same as the current standard six-month visa. Previously, the cost of a two-year and 10-year visitor visa had been £324 and £737 respectively.

This is great news for tourism and should increase growth and boost the number of jobs across the country, including, we hope, at Britain’s popular visitor attractions.

President Xi is not our only eminent visitor from Asia this month. This week, Britain will welcome India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Of the BRICS countries, India and China are of particular importance as they are at the forefront of the Government’s ambitions to increase trade. India is currently experience growth rates of more than seven percent. If the UK wants to capitalise on the huge potential of travel between the UK and India for businesspeople, and the growing middle-class tourists, it needs to review the current cost and structure of the visa system.

The sobering statistics show that visitors from India have increased just 18% from 311,000 to 368,000 since 2007 while overall outbound travel from India has increased by 84% over the same period. The loss of market share is a serious concern. Last year, visitor numbers from India to the UK rose by just 3.4 per cent, while total outbound tourism increased by 8.4 per cent.

The changes for China were very welcome. But we shouldn’t be discriminating between these two countries and we urge the government to consider announcing a similar package for Indian tourists during Modi’s visit.

We already make Indian’s pay the highest travel tax in the world to fly home. Let us signal the UK is open to Indian trade and tourism. Significant visa reform is essential to unlocking the full potential of the vast exciting business and cultural opportunities that exist between the UK and India. If the UK is serious about further strengthening the economic and cultural relationship with India, this visa change should be delivered this week.

Lord Lee of Trafford is Co-Chairman of the Tourism APPG & Chairman of ALVA. Craig Kreeger is Chief Executive Officer, Virgin Atlantic Airways