Sri Lanka is set to boost its tourism industry by offering free tourist visas to visitors from 35 countries, including China, India, and Russia. The Cabinet approved a pilot program starting on Oct. 1, granting 30-day visas to tourists in an effort to revive the country’s crisis-hit economy.
The government aims to make Sri Lanka a free visa country like Singapore and Thailand, capitalizing on the benefits of a growing tourism industry. The list of countries eligible for free visas includes India, China, UK, Germany, Spain, Australia, Russia, and more.
Despite facing challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic and financial crisis in 2022, Sri Lanka saw a remarkable turnaround in tourism last year. The country expects to reach 2.3 million tourist arrivals by the end of the year, with India being the largest source of tourists.
In the first half of 2023, Sri Lanka earned $1.5 billion from tourism, indicating a significant increase from the previous year. The measures to attract more tourists are essential for the country’s economy, which heavily relies on tourism revenue.
© Thomson Reuters 2024.
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