MUMBAI, February 19, 2024 – Sri Lanka’s Minister of Tourism and Lands, Harin Fernando, expressed optimism regarding the extension of visa-free travel privileges for seven nationalities beyond the current deadline of March 31.
Speaking at a panel discussion held during the recent OTM travel show in Mumbai, India, Fernando emphasized the potential benefits of extending visa-free travel, citing the economic advantages derived from increased tourist revenue.
“I’m hopeful it can be extended… I’ve got the figures on what we earn from the USD20 tourist visa and what we earn from a tourist’s visit… If the trigger is achieving an increase in tourism revenue, then relaxing visas is the way to go,” Fernando remarked.
The visa-free travel initiative, launched as a pilot program on October 24, 2023, grants nationals from China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan entry to Sri Lanka without the need for a visa until March 31, 2024, in an effort to rejuvenate the country’s tourism industry.
Under the concession provided by the immigration bureau, eligible travelers are permitted a stay of up to 30 days with the option of a double entry from the initial entry date, requiring only an online Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before their journey to Sri Lanka.
During a speech delivered at the OTM’s Sri Lanka Networking Evening event, Minister Fernando highlighted the positive trajectory of tourist arrivals in the country, revealing that January witnessed 208,253 visitors, marking a remarkable 106% increase compared to the same period in 2023. Additionally, he noted that in the first six days of February, tourist arrivals reached 48,000.
The top 10 source markets for tourist arrivals in January comprised India, Russia, the UK, Germany, China, France, Poland, Australia, the US, and the Netherlands, underscoring the diverse international interest in visiting Sri Lanka.
Minister Fernando also disclosed that Colombo’s international airports are witnessing an average of 9,000 tourist arrivals per day, with flights operating at full capacity. The country aims to welcome 2.5 million international tourists by the end of 2024, following a target of 1.5 million visitors set for 2023, which saw a year-end tally of approximately 1.439 million arrivals, slightly below the intended goal.
