COLOMBO, May 3 (Daily Mirror) – Tourism officials say Sri Lanka’s visa costs are now the highest in Asia, ahead of rival destinations such as Thailand and Vietnam, which offer free visas or have much lower fees. He said that it is a big barrier for tourists compared to the previous year.
In a letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the government advised him that tourists will be allowed to enter the country once for the required 30 days through a government-run website, similar to the previous ETA system. We called on the President to restore a competitive and easy-to-use visa process. Visa is also easy.
They said the tourism industry, a key pillar of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery, is targeting 2.3 million to 2.5 million tourist arrivals in 2024, and the visa changes threaten this goal.
“Sudden price increases and complicated procedures will deter tourists, and there is a possibility that the number of tourists will fall below 2 million.Therefore, His Excellency, together with the tourism authorities led by the Minister and the tourism industry, are working tirelessly to rebuild. “We cannot help but be surprised, Your Excellency, that some elements within the government are attempting to thwart progress,” the statement added.
“We in the industry would like to draw everyone’s attention to the recent changes in the tourist visa process to visit Sri Lanka. On April 16, 2024, the Immigration Department announced the government’s ETA (Electronic Travel Authorization). ) has issued a notice to suspend the website. As a result, from April 17, 2024, visas will only be processed through a website operated by a private company (https://www.srilankaevisa.lk/). It will look like this.
“We raised our concerns with the Minister, who assured us that by May 1, 2024, a single-entry tourist visa would be available for $50, including all costs. , the application process remains complex and unfriendly, and includes additional terms and conditions.” Fees may apply.
The cost of tourist visas has increased significantly, and new private websites no longer offer the 30-day single-entry tourist visas that were previously available. Instead, only the more expensive six-month multiple-entry visa is currently available at a total cost of USD 100.77 due to additional service and convenience fees.
A recent study found that Sri Lanka’s visa costs are currently the highest in Asia, making it a major barrier for tourists compared to Thailand, Vietnam and other competing destinations that offer visas for free or at much cheaper rates. It has become. Additionally, with July and August entering the family travel season, at current rates a family of four would have to pay $400 just to enter the country.
We have attached a report with information on visa costs and how changes to this process and increased costs will impact Sri Lankan industry. “We have also attached an email sent to travelers from the new visa website asking them to reschedule their vacation as visas cannot be issued in time due to a system glitch.”
