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UKinbound is calling for the introduction of a two-year multi-entry visa for just £87 Indian travellers to the UK
The demand came as it emerged that India will become the first visa country to be offered the registered traveller scheme, offering regular business travellers quicker clearance at the UK border and no requirement to fill in a landing card.
This came as prime minister Theresa May led a UK delegation to Delhi on her first overseas trade trip.
More than 400,000 Indian travellers visited the UK last year, spending almost twice the amount of the average visitor.
However, UKinbound says that this remains a price sensitive market and there are concerns that Britain is losing its competitive edge over other countries.
A Chinese visa pilot scheme announced last year has proved that visitor numbers can grow without compromising national security concerns and the organisation believes this is an “excellent model” to grow future business.
“We therefore strongly urge the prime minister to announce a similar scheme for India – the most important of the BRIC economies for tourism,” said UKbound chief executive Deirdre Wells.
“Almost a year ago, the former prime minister introduced a similar concession for the important Chinese market and almost overnight our members saw a significant increase in the number of enquiries from this all important market,” she said.
“In a post-Brexit world where new trade links with countries outside the EU are more important than ever, it is critical that we seize the opportunity to develop new business with growing markets such as India.”