Sri Lanka Announces Visa-Free Travel: Sri Lanka announced a new initiative of visa-free travel for tourists from seven different countries, including India, Russia, and China, as a part of the pilot project.
This major decision, announced by Ali Sabry, the Foreign Affairs Minister, received approval from the Sri Lanka Cabinet.
Sri Lanka Announces Visa-Free Travel For Tourists From India, China, Russia & 4 Other Countries
The new pilot projects for tourists will begin on October 25, 2023, and will be in effect until March 31, 2024.
The Foreign Affairs Minister Sabry shared this new update, saying that the Sri Lanka Cabinet approved the issuing of free-travel visas to seven countries, including:
- India
- China
- Russia
- Malaysia
- Japan
- Indonesia
- Thailand
Also, the pilot project for tourists from these seven countries has immediate effect as a pilot project till 31 March.
Visitors from these seven countries will be able to stay in Sri Lanka for up to 30 days without a visa. They will need to have a valid passport and a return or onward ticket.
Recently, the Ministry of Tourism informed that a Cabinet Paper was introduced during the previous meeting of Cabinet, suggesting the issuance of free-travel visas to foreigners from 5 nations who plan to visit Sri Lanka as visitors.
The tourism industry of Sri Lanka is setting its eyes on a higher target for 2023, with the aim of attracting more than 2 million visitors from foreign countries, up from the goal of the previous 1.5 million.
Tourism is a significant source of foreign exchange earnings for Sri Lanka. However, the industry has been facing significant challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as economic and political crises in the country.
Nevertheless, the industry is determined to overcome these challenges and emerge stronger. This adjustment reflects the industry’s stability and commitment to recover and thrive despite difficult circumstances.
Also, the Sri Lankan government is expecting that the pilot project will boost tourism in the country.
Tourism is an important sector of the Sri Lankan economy, and the government is ready to attract more visitors from foreign countries.
Sri Lanka has close relations with India, China, and Russia, and the government hopes that the visa-free travel arrangement will help to strengthen these relationships.
Businesses and tourism operators in Sri Lanka have welcomed the announcement of the pilot project. They believe that it will lead to an increase in the number of visitors from the seven countries involved and that this will boost the economy.
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Source:- economictimes.indiatimes.com
