The Government of Sri Lanka has decided to waive visa fees for 40 additional countries to boost tourism, stated Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Vijitha Herath. He made these remarks at a ceremony held in Colombo today (25 July). The “Hotel Show Colombo 2025” exhibition was inaugurated this morning at the Bandaranaike International Conference Hall in Colombo. The event was held under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. “In the past, we allowed tourists from seven countries to visit Sri Lanka without charging visa fees. The United Kingdom was among them,” Minister Herath noted. “At the most recent Cabinet meeting, we decided to waive visa fees for entry to 40 additional countries. Accordingly, once the relevant gazette notification is issued, a total of 47 countries will be able to visit Sri Lanka without a visa fee.” The Minister emphasized that by taking this decision, the Treasury will forgo an annual income of approximately USD 66 million. “However, while we may lose that amount directly, we expect to generate greater indirect income for the country through the growth of the tourism industry,” he said. “The responsibility of ensuring this growth now lies with those of you engaged in the tourism sector,” the Minister added.
