The Maldives has overtaken the United Kingdom as the second-largest source of tourists for Sri Lanka in May, despite an ongoing controversy surrounding a new visa system implemented by Sri Lanka.
This development comes amid concerns that a bilateral visa exemption agreement between the two countries may have been violated. The controversy centers around VFS Global, a private contractor hired by Sri Lanka to handle visa applications. Since VFS Global took over, tourists have faced issues like a user-unfriendly website and increased visa fees.
Sri Lanka’s Tourism Minister Harin Fernando attempted to address these concerns by negotiating a reduction in visa fees. However, complaints persist regarding the website’s complexity compared to the previous system.
The situation has become particularly tense due to the new visa charges imposed on Maldivian visitors by VFS Global. Sri Lanka has a reciprocal visa exemption agreement with the Maldives, and there are fears that Sri Lankan tourists might face similar charges and hassles in the future. Currently, Maldivians only need to fill out an online form before visiting Sri Lanka.
The Maldivian Foreign Ministry has expressed its commitment to finding a solution that upholds the existing visa agreement and ensures reciprocity for Maldivian travelers. Discussions between Sri Lankan and Maldivian authorities are ongoing.
Despite the visa controversy, the Maldives managed to send 7,984 tourists to Sri Lanka in the first 30 days of May, surpassing the 7,844 tourists from the UK. Sri Lanka’s tourism industry has seen a significant rise in arrivals this year, with over 200,000 tourists visiting in the first quarter. However, the growth rate has slowed down in May, possibly due to the new visa system’s challenges.