The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has called on the Government to reassess the new e-Visa issuance process and its associated costs to better support the growth of Sri Lanka’s tourism sector. The Chamber expressed concerns that the current debate over the pricing and procedure of the e-Visa system is detracting from efforts to enhance destination
For the first time, Laos has granted visa-free travel access to Sri Lanka, along with 51 other countries, in an effort to boost the international tourism industry. This visa-free policy will be effective until December 31, 2024. Additionally, the duration of stay for a multiple-entry visa has been extended from 30 to 60 days. Other
In a significant development for Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has granted the first 10 approvals for travel and tourism companies to import electric and hybrid vehicles. The approvals were handed out by Tourism Minister Harin Fernando during a recent event. The approved firms include: On April 1, the Cabinet
Tourism Minister Harin Fernando has identified visa-free entry as a major challenge in meeting Sri Lanka’s tourism goals. He noted that neighboring countries offering visa-free access to travelers present significant competition. “All our regional competitors are providing free visas for visitors, which makes it challenging to meet our target numbers,” Fernando said. Despite these challenges,
Sri Lanka has welcomed over 100,000 tourists in July up to the 18th, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. The year-to-date total now stands at 1.119 million tourists.
Sri Lanka’s foreign exchange earnings from workers’ remittances and tourism have exceeded USD 4.5 billion by mid-2024. Workers’ remittances reached USD 2,822.6 million from January to June 2024, marking an 11.4% year-on-year increase. June alone saw remittances of USD 964.2 million. Tourism revenue hit USD 1,556.6 million, reflecting a 77.9% increase compared to the same
Sri Lanka has seen a significant boost in tourist arrivals, welcoming over 85,000 visitors in the first 14 days of July, bringing the total for 2024 close to 1.1 million. This surge is largely due to the Dawoodi Bohra International Convention held in Colombo, which concluded recently. From July 1 to 14, a total of
Sri Lanka is aiming for over 2.5 million tourist arrivals in 2024, marking a significant recovery as it surpassed 1,077,251 arrivals by July 11th. The country welcomed 67,002 tourists in the first 11 days of July alone. From January to June 2024, tourist arrivals surged to 1,010,249, up 61.7% from 624,874 in the same period
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) announced that the process to expand free visa facilities to over 60 countries is expected to be finalized by the end of this month. SLTDA Chairperson Priantha Fernando stated that the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have submitted a joint Cabinet paper for approval.
Positive News for Tourism The Republic of Korea has relaxed its travel alert for Sri Lanka, a move welcomed by the tourism industry. As of July 1, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea has adjusted Sri Lanka’s travel alert from level 2 to level 1. “The revised alert, which reflects improved