Sri Lanka has taken a significant step towards boosting international tourism, with Parliament approving regulations to offer free visas to travellers from 40 countries for a one-year period. The move, passed under the Immigration and Emigration Act, is expected to strengthen the island nation’s appeal as a competitive and accessible destination in South Asia.
The countries included in the programme are India, China, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Belarus. These markets represent some of Sri Lanka’s key tourism source regions across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Oceania, and North America.
While the visa fee will be waived, travellers will still be required to obtain an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) prior to arrival. Sri Lankan authorities estimate that the initiative could attract an additional 247,000 tourists and generate substantial tourism revenue despite the loss of visa fee income.
The policy comes at a time when Sri Lanka is looking to accelerate tourism recovery and strengthen its position as one of South Asia’s most accessible and competitive leisure destinations.
