The Sri Lankan government has announced visa-free access for citizens of 35 countries, including India, for six months. The Cabinet made the decision and will come into effect from October 1, reports PTI.
The policy is aimed at attracting more tourists to the island nation, said Harin Fernando, Adviser to the Ministry of Tourism. Countries on the list include major economies such as China, Germany and Australia. Among other nations, Japan, France, and Canada have also made the list apart from several West Asian nations such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar.
The decision comes after the controversy surrounding the increased fees for on-arrival visas in Sri Lanka, which were being handled by a foreign company.
In October last year, Sri Lanka introduced a pilot project offering free visas to travellers from India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand. The project expired in March 2024 and has now been expanded to include more countries.
The travellers in the pilot project were given dual entry status on arrival and the visa validity would be limited to 30 days' stay in the island nation.
India is traditionally Sri Lanka's top inbound tourism market.
In October 2023, arrival figures for India topped with over 28,000 arrivals or 26 per cent with Russian tourists trailing at over 10,000 arrivals as the second largest group.
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry spoke about the significance of his country's relationship with India, calling it "one of the most important in our foreign policy." India has historically been Sri Lanka's primary source of inbound tourism, with over 30,000 Indian arrivals in September alone, comprising 26 per cent of the total.
Sri Lankan MP V Radhakrishnan also highlighted the significance of tourism in his country's relationship with India, stating that 60 per cent of visitors to Sri Lanka come from India. He noted the need for the two countries to work together, especially in the tourism sector.
