In a move to increase tourism revenues and opening the northeast, the government has done away with permits required by foreign nationals to visit the states of Manipur, Mizoram and Nagaland.

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) has relaxed a more than 50-year-old rules to permit free movement of foreign tourists in the northeast with exception of nationals from Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and Myanmar. To start with, the permit regime is being withdrawn for a year.

The move to amend the "inner line" or protected and restricted area permit has been in the works for a few months following the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) pushing for the changes that have been discussed with the tourism and home ministries.

While travel in these northeastern states will become easier, tourists will still have to register themselves with the Foreigners Registration Officer (FRO) of the district within 24 hours of arrival.

The much-needed move liberalize tourism in a region rich in natural diversity and adventure tourism comes just as the curtain came down on the first-ever international travel mart in Guwahati organized to promote tourism to the north-east as per a report in TOI.

The government and states are eyeing a substantial market with about 58,000 foreign tourists visiting the region last year, up by 18% from 2011. Estimates are that tourist arrivals can increase by 25% within a year following relaxation of rules.

Union tourism minister K Chiranjeevi said, "The decision will address the long pending demand of the three state governments and the travel industry. This would also help increasing tourist traffic to the northeast and give a fillip to campaigns of the tourism ministry on the northeastern region of India."

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