REUNION TOURISM OUTLINES PROCEDURES FOR VISA FREE ENTRY OF CHINESE AND INDIAN VISITORS
(Posted 27th August 2014)
Vanilla Island founder member Reunion has clarified on the procedures put in place for Chinese and Indian visitors to take advantage of Visa free entry to the island for tourism purposes in a move which will no doubt help to increase arrivals from the two countries.
The Visa waiver came into formal effect on the 27th of June after tireless efforts by the island’s regional government, led by the President of the Regional Council Didier Robert, who is also the current president of the Vanilla Island Organization.
Reunion Tourism has published the following guidelines earlier today:
To enter the territory of the department of Reunion: Visa Waiver for stays of less than fifteen days’ time for Chinese and Indian nationals whose travel and stay organized through an approved agency :
China: Chinese residents must provide proof of a package, including airfare and accommodations, purchased from an authorized agency. The accredited agencies are those authorized by the Chinese Ministry of Tourism (CNTA) as part of the agreement approved destination (ADS) by the Chinese government.
India: Indian residents must provide proof of purchase of a stay, including flight and accommodation, purchased from an authorized agency. The accredited agencies are those identified by the local representation Trump France. Note that the accreditation agency process is underway in India. For now, any Indian agency can sell a stay at an Indian tourist via a receptive agency or travel Reunion.
Chinese and Indian agencies must pass through the DMC’s or trips based on the island of Reunion and registered with Trump France. For example, a Chinese tourist can book and buy his/her package directly from an agency based in Reunion without going through an agency in China, provided that the agency is properly registered at Trump France.
Obligations of travel agencies and local receptive
In all cases, agencies will provide the traveler a voucher with the following inscription in French and English: This trip takes place in the framework of the decree of 27 June 2014 on the waiver of visa Chinese Indian tourists / visiting Reunion for stays of up to 15 days. This document allows for easy boarding of such passengers by airlines.
The accredited agencies also need 24 to 48 hours prior to travel, to complete formalities and communicate via the island’s incoming agency approved Trump France, the local PAF (Police Aux Frontières), the list including the identity of travelers enjoying visa-free travel indicating their full name, date of birth, passport number and dates.
This procedure applies to all holders of an Indian or Chinese passport, living in China, India and in any part of the world. However, this procedure is not valid for Indian or Chinese nationals visiting family or friends.
This initiative is in line with that of 07th February 2013 which approved the exemption of short-stay visa for South African travelers wishing to visit the island of La Reunion, a decision which led to a very significant increase in visitors from that country within a very short period of time. The island’s tourism industry expects to see similar increases in numbers of tourists coming in from India and China over coming months which will help to diversify source countries and tap into two of the fastest growing outbound travel markets in the world.
For added information about Destination Reunion click on www.reunion.fr
