SL brings in 5-year multiple entry tourist visa scheme

COLOMBO: In an effort to boost the tourism industry amid the economic crisis, the Sri Lankan government on Tuesday said the island nation has extended its multiple-entry tourist visa to five years

Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said that Sri Lanka now offers one-year multiple entry visas, reports Xinhua news agency. The country also issues single entry visas with a six-month stay period. Fernandor said that the cabinet of ministers approved his proposal on Monday.

“The Cabinet agreed to extend five-year multiple entry tourist visas for 35 countries to help boost repeat tourism in Sri Lanka. A tourist can stay in Sri Lanka for six months in one stretch with this scheme,” he said. The Minister said that the country had earlier offered a three-month “digital nomad” visa for tourists to attract foreigners engaged in remote work.

The Minister said that tourism picked up in July and August after the anti-government protests gradually fizzled. He added that they expect 1 million tourists to arrive in Sri Lanka in 2022. “We expect $2 billion from tourism this year,” he said. With more than 74,000 arrivals, India topped the list of tourists in Sri Lanka from January to July 2022, according to Sri Lanka’s Tourism Development Authority. The UK, with 58,000 arrivals and Russia at 48,000 came in at the second and third spots. The tourism sector is the major foreign exchange earner for the country.