5-year multiple entry tourist visa with 6 months stay for 35 countries: Harin

30 August 2022 11:47 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 7 Bookmark

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Cabinet has approved a 5-year multiple entry tourist visa with 6 months stay for 35 countries to help boost tourism in Sri Lanka, Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said.

He said in a twitter post that the decision was taken in addition to the 1-year multiple entry and single entry tourist visas which have 6 months stay period (previously 30 days.).

Comments - 7

Superficial effort Tuesday, 30 August 2022 04:05 PM

I work in the tourism industry for 15 years. Repeat visitor found it unattractive when dollar fixed at 200. As local price gone up but their dollar buying power decreased. I found upsurge of interest when dollar climb, but now pegged at 360, again my recent tourist customer hear from other tourist that Kerala, India is better value and tell me too. I heard it is also going around in western country that we are not worth compared to visit India. Same climate similar sights and more days in 5 star hotels compared to coming here. India does not peg or fix to dollar, so foreigner get better value there. The tourist who come for first time is as novelty, I find not interested for later visit as they find out better value for their foreign exchange in South India. The fuel crisis and electricity cuts also part of reasons for their losing interest. Cannot get more repeat like pre-2020 without release of peg/fix of dollar. And then also fuel for tourism, as well as 24 hour powered hotel.

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nilmini rajapaske Tuesday, 30 August 2022 05:12 PM

Ideal visa for drug traffickers and money laundering rings. Others who like to move to a country during winter months, but with the present situation and cost of living in Sri Lanka, it's cheaper to remain in their own countries and pay the heating bills, daily basics, enjoy freedom of movement and everything a democratic government has to offer, heaps of other warm countries to visit if one wants to go overseas. FoolsParadise

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Pantha Kumaran Tuesday, 30 August 2022 10:41 PM

We will not have proper tourists, but we will have the Tamils (Holding foreign Passport) travelling to our country frequently. Of course they will bring foreign exchange as well

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reefcomber Tuesday, 30 August 2022 11:27 PM

This would be a great step forward! Hopefully the new regulations will be introduced soon, i.e. before the start of the main season.

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Sambo Wednesday, 31 August 2022 07:40 AM

You could give people doing business permanent visa's but no businessman with common sense will want to do business in such a corrupted country.

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Martin Milton Wednesday, 31 August 2022 09:10 AM

At least the Minister should have acknowledged that this was Mr Dhammika Perera's idea in the first place. It is a very good step indeed. MM

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Citizen k. Wednesday, 31 August 2022 04:47 PM

Define proper tourist.

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