Foreign tourists could soon be boarding direct flights to India's remote Andaman and Nicobar islands in a move officials hope will provide a major boost to communities hit by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Most visitors have so far been Indians keen to see the most far-flung outpost of their country, which borders Indonesia. Travel is expensive and time consuming, with a one-way flight from Delhi to the islands' capital, Port Blair, costing $570 (323 pounds).

The islands, home to ancient but dwindling tribes, are also a major military base and foreigners need special permission to visit Port Blair and are banned from the more remote Nicobars. But the islands' top official told Reuters international flights would soon be allowed to land in Port Blair.

"A decision has been taken to declare Port Blair an international airport," chief administrator D.S. Negi said. "As the islands are on the main air route to most of the Southeast Asian countries, lots of tourists can come."

Charter flights from nearby Thailand had previously been suggested. Plans to open Port Blair to international flights have been discussed for some time. Ringed by palm trees and with dense rain forests, coral reefs and sparking sands, and lapped by the emerald waters of the Indian Ocean, the islands -- 1,200 km (750 miles) east of the mainland -- are likely to be a major draw.

Some of the beaches there have been ranked as among the best in the world by newspapers and magazines. "It's a paradise for those who really love nature," Negi said during a visit to Delhi where he met tourism ministry officials.

Visitors would also be able to island-hop, the official said, using helicopters and light aircraft, instead of the rickety ferries that connect the islands. Negi said 10 uninhabited islands would be opened for "high-end" tourists willing to pay premium rates.

Of the 572 islands that form the chain, only 38 are inhabited, many by members of tribes who live as they have for millennia with virtually no contact with the outside world.

Most of the islands are closed to tourists, including Indians, mainly to protect their unique flora and fauna or tribes. Conservationists have expressed concern over plans to boost tourism in a fragile environment, especially with drinking water already in short supply.

The December 26 tsunami, triggered by a massive earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra, close to the southernmost Nicobar island, killed almost 230,000 people. More than 3,513 are listed as dead or missing in the island chain.

(http://today.reuters.co.uk)