The Government of India wants YOU.....

[brooklynite]

The Centre on Monday announced that it will issue free tourist visa for 5 lakh (500,000) tourists. During a press conference, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today announced a slew of economic relief measures to held the industry badly hit by the second wave of Covid-19.

During the briefing, the ministry of finance presentation said that 10.93 million foreign tourists visited Indian in 2019, and spent $30.098 billion on leisure and business.

Average daily stay for a foreign tourist in India is 21 days while average daily spending is around $34 (2400). "Once visa issuance is restarted, the first 5 lakh Tourists Visas will be issued free of charge," it said.

https://www.livemint.com/news/india/nirmala-sitharaman-briefing-india-announces-free-tourist-visa-for-5-lakh-tourists-11624875227291.html

[Sympthsical]

1. I'd also like to visit France during the Black Death

I think I'm good for now.

[brooklynite]

2. In all fairness, it WAS easier to get a dinner reservation...

[Sympthsical]

3. And yet no one has explained French Laundry to me

[brooklynite]

4. The origins of dry cleaning...

French dye-works operator Jean Baptiste Jolly developed his own method using kerosene and gasoline to clean fabrics.[4] He opened the first dry-cleaners in Paris in 1845

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_cleaning#History

[Sympthsical]

5. LOL, no

I mean the restaurant down the street.

I mean, just, why? I do not need to pay $1,000 for dinner. Ever.

[Klaralven]

7. But you would be able to talk endlessly about it ever after

That appears to have been the reason a co-worker went on cruises...

[brooklynite]

8. Its only $350....

....and yes, that CAN be a worthwhile experience.

[Sympthsical]

9. I live next to Napa. I've done.

Not FL, but enough very expensive places. Honestly, the food I cook is just as good. We only do it to say we do. For appearances. Except we're both very frugal, so we don't do it outside of important occasions. Then it's just . . . what we do. It's like Catholicism. I have no idea why we're spending this money, we just are today, so there. Next day? Totally eating 88 cent Rice a Roni.

(btw, that $1000 price tag is because I clicked on reservations on Jul. 28th. Apparently they do a thing once a month. But, yes, it's $350 a person normally)

[marble falls]

6. Is this what's known as a 'death trip'? We should be sending vaccine and medical supplies ...

... like oxygen and respirators, not "disaster tourists".

As cheap as touring India is, the visa fee break means very little. Average daily spending is $36.00, for Pete's sake.

[zuul]

10. 'Disaster Tourism'

[lark]

11. EVen our Indian friends aren't going home or having family come here.

They haven't been back since 2019 and had planned on going this year, but no. They said they'll wait probably 2 years now until they go again. They, of course, are fully vaccinated while their families in India aren't. When we had dinner with them 3 weeks ago, they said her mother was 79 and wouldn't be eligible for the vaccine until the following month.

Brasil only has the Chinese vaccine, not as effective, and my daughters MIL who is 82 had to wait until the beginning of May to get her shot. This shot is only 64% effective against severe disease, not as good as ours. Things are very bad in both places because of a bad people being in charge.