Officials from Sri Lanka’s tourism industry recently confirmed that the sector is on a strong upward trajectory, with more than 1.16 million visitors arriving in the country so far this year. If current trends continue, Sri Lanka could surpass its benchmark year of 2018. Tourism Ministry Secretary Somarathne Vidanapathirana expressed optimism about the sector’s recovery,
Following Laos and Thailand, Algeria has also granted visa-free travel to Sri Lankans, among other countries. This move is part of Algeria’s broader initiative to simplify travel procedures and strengthen international connections. In 2021, Algeria’s tourism sector significantly boosted the economy, contributing approximately USD 7.2 billion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), a 33% increase
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
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