Sri Lanka gearing to welcome foreign tourists from August 1st
Sri Lanka Tourism has announced that steps have been taken to welcome foreign travelers to the country from August 1st following the successful containment of Covid 19 in the country.
The required safety measures and protocols have already been finalized and is to be implemented from this week.
Apart from multiple PCR tests, all future tourists are to be required to apply for visa online, pay a flat fee of US$ 100 each (except nationals from countries where there is reciprocal free visa) and minimum stay of five nights at hotels and resorts certified to be compliant with Covid 19 health safety guidelines.
“Sri Lanka Tourism will provide international visitors with the highest standards of safety as we embrace tourists from across the world to experience the beauty of our paradise island once more,” Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando has told the local media.
She has said the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has put in place all precautions recommended by global health and travel authorities to reopen the country to tourists.
Fernando has said the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and Ratmalana International Airport (RIA) as well as Hambantota’s Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) will be opened from 1 August for international travellers from all nations.
“The issuing of visas will be only online and must be applied for prior to travel,” Fernando has said.
The online visa procedure and requirements for tourists from 1 August are: A negative PCR test report from an accredited laboratory taken within 72 hours prior to landing in Sri Lanka; A confirmed travel itinerary covering at least five nights at certified accommodations; A valid return air ticket; Travel insurance with health and hospitalisation cover and a visa fee of $ 100 will be applicable.
OSL take:
The government of Sri Lanka has made all arrangements to ensure a hassle free and safe visit for tourists planning to make a trip to the island. With international airlines all geared to recommence flights to Sri Lanka, the country is now geared for foreign travellers looking at leisure/business/investment opportunities. Sri Lanka has been recommended by the World Health Organization as one of the safe countries in relation to Covid 19. Hence, Sri Lanka’s tourism industry shows signs of picking up from where things stopped prior to the Covid 19 lockdown. Foreign businesses/investors looking at opportunities could explore business/investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/20200619/3 |