India to Promote 'Visit India Year' In China

India will organize a series of special events across China in 2015 as part of 'Visit India Year' programme to introduce its picturesque spots to Chinese tourists.

India's Ambassador to China Ashok K Kantha said there is a deep interest about India in China, but the number of Chinese visiting the country is minuscule.

And the number of Indians travelling to China is also not up to the potential, Kantha added. "Recognizing this, we will be launching the 'Visit India Year' in China and the embassy of India in China is planning to hold a series of activities, not only in Beijing but also in different parts of China, to introduce India to our Chinese friends and promote tourism from China to India," he said.

While 2015 will be the 'Visit India Year' in China, next year will be 'Visit China Year' as part of an understanding between the two countries reached during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India last year.

He said Chinese companies should make use of the 'Make in India' campaign and invest there "both for our large domestic market and for exports, thus resulting in a win-win situation for both our countries."

He said India also successfully held 'Glimpses of India Festival' in 14 cities of China. India has been making dedicated efforts to attract Chinese tourists as their numbers reached close to 100 million last year and raked up revenue of $102 billion.

Officials say visa policy has been liberalized to facilitate more visits. Currently over five lakh Indians, mostly businessmen, visit China while nearly one lakh Chinese travel to India.