Sri Lanka consider easing visa rules to boost tourism

Colombo, Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said his government is considering easing the air traffic system including visas for tourists to enhance the island’s tourism industry.

Speaking at the Hotel Show Colombo 2018 in the capital of Colombo on 21st July, Wickremesinghe said that easing visa regulations would be a brave step for the swiftly developing tourism industry in the country. He reiterated the importance of increasing the number of tourists visiting the country, as tourism becoming one of the major contributors of revenue for the island country.

Tourism will be the future of Sri Lanka, in terms of employment generation for youth. 15 per cent growth in tourist arrivals has recorded in the first half of 2018, which is a positive sign for the industry.

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, which was once heavily affected by the 30-year civil conflict, has been recovering from the scary past and becoming one of the favourite tourist destinations for the world.

Sri Lankan Tourism Minister John Amaratunga recently said that the government was targeting a revenue of 4.4 billion U.S. dollars through tourism this year.