From the DeskCOLOMBO: A top official said on Thursday that the cabinet of Sri Lanka approved issuing free tourist visas to visitors from 35 countries, including China, India, and Russia, in an effort to boost tourism and assist in the recovery of its crisis-hit economy.
Sightseers will be given 30-day visas under a six-month experimental run program that will begin from Oct. 1, said Bureau representative and Transport Clergyman Bandula Gunawardana. ” “At a weekly cabinet briefing, Gunawardana told reporters that the government’s goal is to transform Sri Lanka into a country with free visas, similar to Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, in order to capitalize on the benefits of a rapidly expanding tourism industry.” India, China, the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Australia, Denmark, Poland, Kazakhstan, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Nepal, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, and France are all on the extensive list.
The country of 22 million people is famous for its beaches, ancient temples, and aromatic tea. In 2022, the COVID-19 pandemic and a severe financial crisis that caused widespread protests and fuel shortages hit the country’s tourism industry.
However, the turnaround that began last year is paying off for the tourism industry, with Sri Lanka receiving nearly 2 million visitors by mid-August for the first time since 2019. The island anticipates a total of 2.3 million visitors by the end of the year. The United Kingdom brought in 123,992 tourists, while India brought in 246,922 tourists, according to the Sri Lanka Development Authority’s most recent data. The central bank reports that Sri Lanka made $1.5 billion from tourism in the first six months of 2024, up from $875 million in the same period last year.
Inika Manohar
