Category: Tourism
Sri Lanka unveils new eVisa scheme offering longer durations of stay & diverse visa categories
The newly launched www.srilankaevisa.lk platform significantly enhances Sri Lanka’s visa processing system by replacing the previous Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) framework. This robust and state-of-the-art platform efficiently manages non-resident applications for a diverse range of visa categories, including short-term, long-term, transit, and gratis visas, across 15 visa categories, with stay durations of one month to […]
Foreigners Can Now Apply for Sri Lankan Driving License at the Airport
In a significant move to facilitate foreign individuals seeking a driving license in Sri Lanka, State Minister of Transport, Lasantha Alagiyawanna, announced a new initiative. Starting from April 15th, 2024, foreigners will be able to apply for a driving license directly at the airport. Upon exiting the airport, they will be able to obtain their […]
‘s tourism industry
An interactive session organized by the Sri Lankan Airlines at the Sri Lanka High Commission in London, served as a platform for fostering collaboration between top UK tourism agencies and Foreign Minister Ali Sabry. The purpose of this event was to collectively strategize and enhance Sri Lanka’s position as a leading, multifaceted tourist destination. Regional […]
Tourists to Maldives edge up despite recent emergency
Dec 28, 2015 (LBO) – Maldives reported higher tourist arrivals in November despite a recent state of emergency, a media report said. The number of tourists who visited the Maldives last month increased by 0.5 percent to 90,218 from 89,778 in November 2014, statistics published by the tourism ministry showed. A total of 1,114,993 tourists […]
Sri Lanka tourist arrivals up 20.4 pct in November 2015
Dec 04, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals rose 20.4 percent to 144,147 in the month of November 2015 from a year earlier, driven by China, India, United Kingdom and Germany, data from the state tourism promotion office showed. In the eleven months of 2015 arrivals were up 18.1 percent to 1,592,266. South Asian […]
Sri Lanka eyes international events to attract tourists: Tourism Chairman
Dec 03, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Tourism is currently looking at international level entertainment and sports events to attract more tourists to the island nation, Tourism Development Authority said.The 2016 budget granted a 50 percent tax holiday for 5 years for companies incorporated specifically to engage in conferencing and exhibition type of activities.“We are […]
Sri Lanka aims for high end tourists under Megapolis plan
Dec 02, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will streamline its tourist industry and move towards attracting high end visitors through the Megapolis and Western Province development programme, Minister Champika Ranawaka said.“While developing IT led innovation towns from Homagama to Malambe under the Megapolis project we have also chosen Aluthgama to be converted into a high-end […]
Ceylon Hotels Corp to construct a 50-room hotel in Maldives for USD27.7mn
Nov 16, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Hotel Corporation said that it plans to construct a 50-room hotel in Maldives with an investment of 27.7 million US dollars. The company said that it has approved an acquisition of the entire shareholding of Ceylon Hotel Maldives (Pvt )Ltd (CHML) for a sum of 700,020 rupees […]
‘s arrivals up 8.8-pct in Oct
Nov 04, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals rose 8.8 percent to 132,280 in October 2015 from an year earlier with continued growth in the Indian and Chinese markets.Arrivals in the first 10 months of the year were up 17.9 percent to 1.448 million, data from the state tourism authority showed.Indian tourists were up […]
Technology changing the face of travel bookings, Sri Lanka should be more concerned
Oct 7, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka tourism sector needs to look into travel booking platforms using internet and mobile technology to attract more visitors to the island, an analysts told a forum held in Colombo. “One of the consumer surveys that we did shows that foremost of any travel booking is use of internet,” […]
Tourist arrivals up 36-pct driven by arrivals from India and China
Oct 04, 2015 (LBO) Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals rose to 143,374 visitors, up 35.9 percent in September 2015 from a year ago, a statement said.Arrivals for the nine months to September were up 17.1 percent to 1,315,839 from a year ago, the latest tourism data shows. In September India arrivals rose 41.5 percent to 27,233 while Chinese […]
US, next possible big source market for Sri Lanka Tourism– Analyst
Sep 29, 2015 (LBO) – Sri Lanka should attract more US tourists, making use of the geographical position of the island near to India, in which the US is the top key arrivals generator, an analyst said.“India can be the number one source market for Sri Lanka, because they are geographically located closer,” Shabori Das, […]