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The Cabinet has approved issuing free tourist visas to tourists from 35 countries to boost tourism in the country.
Cabinet spokesperson and Minister of Transport, Highways and Mass Media Bandula Gunawardhana said under the six-month pilot scheme starting October 1, tourists will be given 30-day visas.
He spoke at the weekly Cabinet press conference held by the Government Information Department yesterday.
The Minister further said that the government aims to transform Sri Lanka into a visa-free country like Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam to capitalise on the benefits of the fast-growing tourism sector.
The decision follows a detailed study by a special committee appointed by the Cabinet on April 25, 2024, to explore the strategies used by other countries in granting free tourist visas. The committee analysed the practices of eight countries that compete with Sri Lanka in the tourism industry and submitted its findings to the President, who submitted a report to the Cabinet.
Based on the committee’s recommendations, the Cabinet decided to implement a visa waiver scheme that will allow tourists from selected countries to stay in Sri Lanka for up to 30 days without paying visa fees.
Posts Starting from October 1, 35 countries will be exempted from 30-day tourist visas First appeared in Daily News.
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