SL embassy in Beijing links with Alibaba’s Visa Programme

The Sri Lankan Embassy in Beijing connected with Alibaba’s Fliggy Online Visa Programme to promote tourism in Sri Lanka, the Embassy said.

Issuing a statement, it said the Embassy was invited by Alibaba Group to attend the launching ceremony of Fliggy Online Visa Centre on January 29 in Beijing.

“The programme was designed for Chinese nationals to expedite the process of applying visas to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Georgia, India, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Vietnam, which have been designated as “electronic visa countries,” it said.

The Alibaba Fliggy Online Visa system makes the process for applying visas easier and faster for Chinese tourists.

It provides the functions of OCR recognition speed filling, online self-photographing of visa photographs, progress tracking and other functions simplifying the traditionally lengthy and complicated visa processing procedures.

The Embassy said the programme will have a lasting impact on Sri Lanka's tourism.

Fliggy’s Vice President Zhou Zheng said Chinese tourists tended to visit the Belt and Road countries. Statistics show a significant increase in the number of tourists to these destinations especially among young consumers.

Accordingly, the Fliggy Online Visa system will bring these Belt and Road countries closer to Chinese consumers as tourist destinations.

Ambassador of Sri Lanka Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku accompanied by Inoka Weerasinghe, Second Secretary represented the Embassy at the event.