Tour operators in Sri Lanka have called on the government to reduce visa costs for tourists. writes about this Daily Mirror.
“Sharp increases in fees and a more complex visa process could lead to a reduction in the number of visits by up to 2 million per year,” the companies worry.
From April 17, Sri Lanka switched from the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system to the new Electronic Visa (eVisa) system. The visa fee has been officially eliminated, but under the new rules a service fee ($18.5) and an application processing fee ($3.11) are now charged for all eVisa categories.
A normal visa will cost more. Sri Lanka currently has the highest visa costs in Asia, making it difficult for the country to compete with other popular destinations in Asia for foreigners, including Thailand and Vietnam.
In October 2023, Sri Lankan authorities announced a trial of issuing free visas to citizens of Russia, India, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Thailand and Japan. It ended on April 30, 2024.
Previously recognizedSri Lanka decided to indefinitely extend the issuance of free visas to Russians.
What are you thinking?
Source: Gazeta
Ben Stock is a business analyst and writer for “Social Bites”. He offers insightful articles on the latest business news and developments, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of the business world.