15 February 2021 07:20 am
The travel bubble now includes some hotels in Colombo to mainly cater to business travellers, Daily Mirror learns.
As of yesterday (Sunday) the Movenpick Hotel Colombo and ME Colombo have been included in the ‘Safe and Secure’ certified Level 1 hotels list.
This would mean the two hotels will be closed for locals as soon as foreign tourists begin to arrive.
Sources said that at least one of the hotels had cancelled bookings made by locals for later this month.
Business travellers are scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in chartered flights and will stay at the ‘Safe and Secure’ certified Level 1 hotels in Colombo.
Sources said that the visitors will travel for their business meetings within a bubble between the hotel and meeting venue.
So far there are 82 ‘Safe and Secure’ certified Level 1 hotels in Sri Lanka at which a tourist visiting Sri Lanka must stay for at least 14 days before moving to another hotel.
While on arrival PCR testing is mandatory the number of PCR tests were reduced earlier this month from 3 tests to 2 tests if the tourist is staying for 14 days.
If the stay is 14 days or more the tourist will need to undergo a third PCR test.
Children under 12 years of age were exempted from PCR testing with effect from 2nd February.
However, if the child is symptomatic or is identified as a first contact of a known patient, they will be required to undergo a PCR test. (EASWARAN RUTNAM)