Webdesk: Are you also dreaming of travelling abroad? Then this news is especially for you! Sri Lanka, a key country in South Asia, has taken a major step by announcing the complete removal of visa fees for citizens of 40 countries.
In this regard, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Tourism, Harin Fernando, said that tourists from the USA, UK, Canada, Germany, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Australia, and other countries will soon be able to enter the island nation without paying any visa fees.
He stated that the goal of this move is to attract more tourists, reduce bureaucratic hurdles, and send a message that Sri Lanka is open for tourism.
Fernando noted that while scrapping visa fees may cause the government a loss of around $66 million, the economic benefits from the increased number of tourists will make up for it.
The waiver is an extension of a small program launched in March 2023, under which tourists from seven countries, including India, China, and Russia, were offered 30-day free visas through electronic travel authorisation. Up until this time, the short-stay visa required of most visitors to South Asia outside of the region was charged at a rate of fifty or sixty dollars.
Sri Lanka has a target of 3 million tourist arrivals and 5 billion tourism revenue by 2025. This is a 31-fold increase compared to 2.05 million tourists and close to three billion dollars in revenues in 2024.
Amrit Rajaratnam, Managing Director hospitality company Island Life, Sri Lanka, termed this as a major step towards a more accessible and competitive Sri Lanka.
Although it may not fully meet the target of 3 million tourists in 2025, a significant increase in tourist arrivals is expected. Globally, the trend among tourism-driven countries is moving toward adopting visa-free policies.
The economic, sociocultural, and environmental effects represent the possible impacts that tourism may have on destinations, which may be substantial and far-reaching.
Sri Lanka has expanded its visa-fee waiver to 40 countries in a bid to boost tourist arrivals. pic.twitter.com/lVp18G1Ecl
— NewsWire 🇱🇰 (@NewsWireLK) July 26, 2025
Tourism also has a positive impact on local communities through economic growth, employment, and infrastructure, but it can also cause problems, such as a negative impact on the environment, cultural loss, and social problems.
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