Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority discuss creating a “Corona Corridor” with India
Sri Lankan authorities in a bid to gradually revive the shut-down tourism industry are looking at creating a “Corona Corridor” with India.
Accordingly, Sri Lanka Tourism is in discussion with the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka to create a “Corona Corridor” with India, one of the top three tourism-generating markets of the country.
A Corona Corridor or a “Travel Bubble” is an exclusive partnership between countries that have demonstrated considerable success in containing the pandemic within their respective borders and a Corona Corridor allows nationals of each country to travel within the corridor zone, The Sunday Morning Business has stated.
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Director General Dhammika Wijesinghe has told The Sunday Morning Business recently that the SLTDA had several discussions with the Ambassador of India to Sri Lanka, but the final decision depends on the stance of the local health authorities.
“There are high-end tourists in India who are actually isolated from the rest of the population. We are considering reopening to them, but everything is still under discussion,” Wijesinghe has noted.
During a virtual bilateral meeting between the Prime Ministers of India and Sri Lanka last month, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed the launching of a bilateral air bubble between Sri Lanka and India.
It is notable that these discussions are ongoing while India stands as the second worst affected country from the ongoing pandemic, with over six million Covid-19 cases and over 98,000 deaths due to the pandemic as of last week.
OSL take:
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is one of the fastest growing economic sectors. The industry is currently facing a slow down due to the impact of the global Covid 19 pandemic. However, given Sri Lanka’s recognition as a must visit destination by several leading global travel publications and the certification of the island as a safe and hygienic destination, the country’s tourism industry will definitely return to normalcy. Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is therefore a hotspot for business/investment opportunities.
| Article Code : | VBS/AT/16102020/Z_5 |