Sri Lanka will approve the expansion of its visa-free travel policy to include visitors from 40 countries, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath announced this week.
The expansion, aimed at revitalising its tourism sector and accelerating economic recovery, followed a cabinet decision to broaden the scope of a visa waiver program initially launched in March 2023.
At that time, visa-free entry was granted to nationals of seven key markets - India, China, Russia, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan - as part of a pilot project aimed at attracting more international tourists in the post-Covid era.
The new list now includes several major long-haul and regional markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Iran, Pakistan, and the United Arab Emirates, travel news hub Travel Mole reports.
Travellers from these countries will then be able to enter Sri Lanka without paying visa fees and receive a 30-day visa on arrival.
They will, however, still need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) in advance. Which is annoying, but increasingly common.
Foreign Minister Herath acknowledged that the decision to eliminate visa fees could result in a short-term revenue loss estimated at US$66 million per year.
But he said increased tourist arrivals, higher foreign exchange inflows, and broader economic stimulation would more than compensate for the immediate fiscal impact.
“We have stabilised the economy, and through bold policy changes in tourism, we aim to ensure a sustained increase in arrivals and foreign exchange earnings,” Herath said in a media statement.
The tourism sector, which accounts for roughly 12% of Sri Lanka's GDP, has been a cornerstone of the country’s recovery efforts following the twin shocks of the Covid-19 pandemic and a 2022 economic crisis.
Visitor numbers have been steadily rising in 2024 and in first half year 2025.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau has set a goal of 2.5 million international arrivals in 2025, up from an estimated 1.6 million in 2024.
New campaigns are also underway to attract digital nomads, adventure travellers, and eco-tourists - groups that tend to stay longer and spend more.
Image: Water Garden Sigiriya, Sri Lanka
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