Kochi – With the recent lifting of visa restrictions for travel to Sri Lanka, Indian families can now save over 8000 rupees on a single trip. Previously, the cost of a Sri Lanka visa was Rs 2080. This move, which allows Indian citizens to visit Sri Lanka with just a travel ticket and passport, is expected to attract a significant number of Indian tourists. Furthermore, it aims to revive the country’s tourism industry following the devastating Easter bombings in 2019. Notably, visitors from seven countries, including China, Russia, and India, now enjoy visa-free travel to Sri Lanka. This pilot project will remain in effect until March 31, next year.
In September alone, Sri Lanka welcomed 30,000 visitors, marking a positive trend for the country’s tourism sector. In 2019, the number of tourists surpassed 2.5 million. However, both the Easter bombings and the ongoing Covid pandemic have severely impacted Sri Lanka’s tourism market. Nevertheless, the country still holds appeal for Indian tourists due to the improved financial situation and favorable exchange rates for the rupees.
The introduction of budget airlines to Sri Lanka is expected to further increase the number of passengers. Traveling to Colombo from India’s major cities, such as Chennai and Bengaluru, can now be done in a comparable time frame. In the post-Covid era, Sri Lankan travel packages are in high demand, according to UC Riaz, the Director of Spiceland Holidays Lanka.
In addition to the visa relaxation, Indian tourists will soon be able to utilize the RuPay card system in Sri Lanka, providing them with significant convenience and advantages during their visit. T.S. Prakash, President of India’s CEO Forum in Colombo, expressed his belief in the positive impact of this implementation.
Overall, these recent developments in Sri Lanka’s tourism sector have the potential to bring about a significant boost in Indian visitors, benefiting both countries economically and strengthening their ties.
Kochi ∙ With the lifting of visa restrictions for travel to Sri Lanka, a family of four from India will save more than 8000 rupees on one trip. Currently the cost of Sri Lanka visa is Rs 2080. When Sri Lanka Tourism invites you to come to Sri Lanka with just a travel ticket and passport, you expect mostly Indians. It also aims to revive tourism, which collapsed after the Easter bombings in 2019. Visitors from 7 countries including China, Russia and India do not need a visa to visit Sri Lanka. As a pilot project, it will last until March 31 next year.
30000 people visited Sri Lanka in September. In 2019, 25 lakh tourists came to Sri Lanka. But the Easter bombings and Covid have gripped Sri Lanka’s tourism market. An attraction for Indian tourists is that the financial crisis in Sri Lanka has eased and the exchange rate for rupees is good.
When Sri Lanka Tourism invites you to come to Sri Lanka with just a boarding pass and passport, you expect mostly Indians. Image Credits: mihtiander/Istockphoto.com
With the introduction of budget airlines to Sri Lanka, the number of passengers will double. Colombo can be reached within the time it takes to reach Chennai and Bengaluru by air. Post-Covid Sri Lankan packages are in demand” – Spiceland Holidays Lanka Director UC Riaz noted.
India’s RuPay card system will soon be implemented in Sri Lanka and will be of great benefit to the visitors, President of India’s CEO Forum in Colombo TS Prakash Said.
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