30-day Visa-free Stay in Sri Lanka granted to Indian Visitors: Due to a Cabinet resolution made in October, this program is available to visitors from other important nations, such as China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand. Free tourist visas are being offered as part of continuous initiatives to boost Sri Lanka’s travel industry, which saw a downturn after the Easter Sunday bombings in 2019.
30-day Visa-free Stay in Sri Lanka granted to Indian Visitors
When Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Sabry, declared last month that certain Indians would no longer need a visa, Indians had cause for celebration.
The Department of Immigration and Emigration of Sri Lanka has detailed the plan and declared the commencement of free tourist visas for Indian visitors, who contribute to most of those arriving in the island nation.
Due to a Cabinet resolution made in October, this program is available to visitors from other important nations, such as China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand. Free tourist visas are being offered as part of continuous initiatives to boost Sri Lanka’s travel industry, which saw a downturn after the Easter Sunday bombings in 2019.
Free visas are provided for the first 30 days of stay under the experimental program, which runs until March 31, 2024. Travelers will receive dual entry status upon arrival, and their 30-day stay in Sri Lanka is the maximum length of time for which their visa is valid.
India, which has always been Sri Lanka’s main source of foreign visitors, will gain a lot from this project. With almost 28,000 arrivals, Indian tourists topped the charts in October 2023 with a notable 26 percent rise. With nearly 8,000 arrivals, Russian tourists were the second-largest group, closely followed by British tourists with third ranking.
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has seen difficulties, particularly following the Easter Sunday bombings in 2019, which caused a drop in visitor numbers. Free tourist visas are being offered in an effort to boost economic recovery and draw in more tourists.
In an effort to address its economic difficulties and promote recovery, Sri Lanka, which is experiencing economic turbulence, recently obtained a $3 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund in March.
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Source:- economictimes.indiatimes.com
