Visa-free entrance for travellers from seven nations, including Russia, China, and India, has been approved by Sri Lanka’s Cabinet as a trial project through March 31, 2024, according to tourism minister Harin Fernando.
He claimed in a tweet that the Cabinet has given instant approval for travellers from India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand to enter without a visa.
The Ministry of Tourism said last week that a cabinet proposal had been introduced at the previous Cabinet meeting to grant free tourist visas to visitors from five foreign nations.
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Tourism and Lands Harin Fernando, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry jointly presented the cabinet paper in this regard.
The proposal to grant free visas to visitors from China, Russia, India, Thailand, and Indonesia was stated by the ministry to be expected to be approved at the future cabinet meeting.
To “attract more tourists to Sri Lanka,” many countries’ visa requirements for visitors are waived. Accordingly, it is anticipated that during the following years, tourist arrivals will rise to five million,” the tourism ministry had stated.
It added that Sri Lanka is one of the 20 destinations that China has approved for Chinese visitors to visit.
The statement had stated that this proposed programme will reduce the cost and time spent on getting visas and that it is anticipated that the inclination of foreign tourists to visit Sri Lanka will increase.
According to the ministry, it is also planned to soon implement an electronic ticketing system for the majority of the nation’s tourism destinations.
