Sri Lanka has introduced a pilot project to grant visa-free entry for tourists from India and six additional countries, effective immediately and continuing until March 21, 2024. The announcement was made by Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ali Sabry, via the social media platform X.
Cabinet approves issuing of free visas to India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia & Thailand with immediate effect as a pilot project till 31 March –
— M U M Ali Sabry (@alisabrypc) October 24, 2023
In addition to India, the countries included in this initiative are China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand. This decision comes on the heels of a proposal presented during a Cabinet meeting, aiming to provide free tourist visas to foreigners from these countries who plan to visit Sri Lanka for tourism.
Sri Lanka‘s economy is heavily reliant on inbound tourism, with India being the largest contributor to tourist arrivals. This move is anticipated to provide a significant boost to the island nation, which has been grappling with issues such as persistent high inflation, unemployment, and a deteriorating economy following the COVID-19 pandemic.
The primary objective of this initiative is to attract more tourists to Sri Lanka, with the Ministry expressing aspirations to increase tourist arrivals to five million in the coming years.
According to official figures, in September, India led with over 30,000 arrivals, constituting 26% of the total, while Chinese tourists followed as the second-largest group with more than 8,000 arrivals.
In addition to the visa-free entry policy, the Cabinet has proposed the implementation of an e-ticketing system for most of the tourist sites in Sri Lanka. This is expected to streamline the process for tourists and save both time and money that would otherwise be spent on obtaining visas.
This development also aligns with Sri Lanka’s efforts to strengthen its ties with India, as highlighted by Ali Sabry in a recent interview with ANI news agency. The countries are exploring cooperation in various sectors, including electricity, renewable energy, tourism, and port shipping connectivity.
The Chenab Times News Desk