‘Come back,’ is the message Sri Lanka’s tourism leaders are sending out to the world after announcing free visas on arrival for select nationalities.
Sri Lanka’s leaders this week revealed that it would ease up on visas for travellers from 50 countries. Aussies included!
Read on for more information.
WHY IS SRI LANKA MAKING THE CHANGE?
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To boost visitor numbers of course!
Although being named Lonely Planet’s number one place to visit in 2019, tourism to Sri Lanka has dropped drastically since April this year. This was after 21 church bombings, which resulted in the deaths of more than 250 people.
Following the attacks, a “tidal wave of cancellations” hit the country, and they’ve continued despite the assurance of safety from leaders and major discounts.
WHAT ARE THE DETAILS OF THE FREE VISAS ON ARRIVAL?
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Visas on arrival will be made available for travellers from 50 countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, UK, USA, and more.
The launch date has not yet be made public, however, it will be free, which means travel to Sri Lanka will be slightly cheaper.
IS IT SAFE TO VISIT?
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On 13 June 2019, Australia’s Smartraveller updated its advice to “exercise a high degree of caution”.
The government-run site encourages Aussies in the country to pay close attention to their personal security and “monitor the media” for any potential new threats.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe recently described the country as safe for tourism, saying security has returned to normal.