Sri Lanka's tourism industry going to reopen for foreign travellers from August but under strict guidelines, including multiple coronavirus tests during their stay
Sri Lanka is going to reopen the country for all types of travellers whether groups, families, individuals from 1st of August 2020. Travellers will require a valid visa which will be issued for 30 days and extendable for up to 6 months after arrival. Visa application requires booking details at Certified Accommodation, Itinerary in Sri Lanka, return ticket and proof of medical insurance. The regular visa fee of $40 has been increased to $100, visitors can only stay in hotels designated by the ministry.
Travellers need to stay minimum 5-night in Sri Lanka, All travellers require A negative PCR test prior to boarding your flight and on arrival in Sri Lanka. The test should be no older than 72 hours prior to boarding. On arrival in Sri Lanka, The airport will have high-intensity sanitation measures in place for all areas and staff. Sri Lankan Tourism ministry insists there will be no quarantine in the BIA unless symptoms are detected.
A PCR test would be done on arrival at the airport free of charge, the tourist may stay at 4-5 star hotel of their choosing in the maximum of 24 hours awaiting test results. The government is making changes to the PCR test process to have results within 4-6 hours by August. A further PCR test will be done 4-5 days after arrival by a mobile unit in coordination with accommodation provider. Tourists are free to travel anywhere they want but they can’t use public transport for moving around the country. Tourism ministry recommends arranging transportation prior to the arrival, with the Certified Accommodation provider or travel agent.
Sri Lanka is one of the safest countries to travel during this period since the country has mitigated the virus successfully by setting an example to the World. The country has reported only 11 deaths and 1,801 infections since its first coronavirus patient was identified on January 27. Being an island, and thanks to the proactive measures taken, Sri Lanka has been able to manage the spread of the virus. No active community clusters have been detected in the last 30 days within the country.
