Sri Lanka will welcome inbound travelers from all countries starting August 1, 2020. Kimarli Fernando, President of Tourism of Sri Lanka, announced:
“Sri Lanka tourism will provide international visitors with the highest standards of safety by welcoming tourists from all over the world to experience the beauty of our paradise island once again. The Sri Lankan Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has put in place all the precautions recommended by world health and travel authorities to reopen the country to tourists. “
Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and Ratmalana International Airport (RIA) as well as Hambantota’s Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) will be opened from August 1, 2020 for international travellers from all nations.
The issuing of visas will be only online and must be applied for prior to travel. The online visa procedure and requirements are:
- A negative PCR test report from an accredited laboratory taken within 72 hours prior to landing in Sri Lanka.
- A confirmed travel itinerary covering at least 5 nights at certified accommodations.
- A valid return air ticket
- Travel insurance with health and hospitalization cover.
- A visa fee of USD 100 will be applicable.
Sri Lanka will welcome inbound travelers from all countries starting August 1, 2020. Kimarli Fernando, President of Tourism of Sri Lanka, announced:
“Sri Lanka tourism will provide international visitors with the highest standards of safety by welcoming tourists from all over the world to experience the beauty of our paradise island once again. The Sri Lankan Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has put in place all the precautions recommended by world health and travel authorities to reopen the country to tourists. “
Colombo’s Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and Ratmalana International Airport (RIA) as well as Hambantota’s Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) will be opened from August 1, 2020 for international travellers from all nations.
The issuing of visas will be only online and must be applied for prior to travel. The online visa procedure and requirements are:
- A negative PCR test report from an accredited laboratory taken within 72 hours prior to landing in Sri Lanka.
- A confirmed travel itinerary covering at least 5 nights at certified accommodations.
- A valid return air ticket
- Travel insurance with health and hospitalization cover.
- A visa fee of USD 100 will be applicable.
Tourists will not have to undergo quarantine procedures. A mandatory health screening and sanitizing process including a PCR test will be carried out at arrival airports at no charge to tourists, and all travelers will be transferred via pre-booked transportation to designated hotels near the airport, to wait for the results of the PCR test that would be expected within 24 hours.
The first night pending the test result could be at a selected certified hotel in Colombo or Negombo for BIA / RIA arrivals, and in and around Hambantota for MRIA arrivals.
Sri Lanka Tourism will carry out more PCR tests for free, for any tourist staying more than 5 nights.
An independent audit process will commence to certify registered entities as ‘Safe & Secure’, starting from five-star hotels, boutique hotels and villas, and four-star establishments, followed by certification of establishments ranked three-star and below.
Sri Lanka Tourism has developed guidelines and put in place necessary precautionary measures for all stakeholders to adopt in their operations, to ensure the safety of international travelers.
All major tourist attractions are also required to have a COVID-19 health and safety protocol as per the guidelines and will have spot audits to ensure compliance.
This guideline will soon be available on the Sri Lanka Tourism website and will be updated periodically to reflect latest global best practices and risk levels. A FAQs section too can be accessed on this site.
As on May 20, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health declared zero community transmission for over three weeks. Comprehensive guidelines are in place for the public at all times including hand hygiene and social distancing.
(Source – TravelBiz)
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