Colombo (TAN): Sri Lanka is set to offer free visas to citizens of more than 30 countries, including the US, UK, European Union and Thailand in an effort to attract tourists during the low Yala monsoon season.
“We will start granting a free visa period for six months from 1 May 2019 for some selected countries during our off-peak period,” The Independent quoted the country’s tourism minister John Amaratunga as saying.
“In the next phase of this programme, we plan to set up a permanent system at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) to issue visas on arrival, as is the practice in many countries.”
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Hoping that this will attract more visitors, Amaratunga said the country hoped to gradually extend the free visa scheme to the citizens of China, SAARC countries, India among others.
Sri Lankan visas now cost between USD 20 and USD 50.
The island-nation has been witnessing a surge in the number of tourist arrivals with the advent of Airbnb and new resorts coming up along its spectacular coastline. It saw 2.1 million tourists in 2017. The government reportedly wants to double the number this year.
The free-visa scheme is aimed to lure tourists during the months when heavy rains lash southwest and central Sri Lanka.
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