COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s tourism authorities said that efforts were underway to assist over 11,000 tourists who were stranded in the country due to the closure of airports worldwide following the COVID-19 pandemic, as the Department of Immigration and Emigration announced that the validity period of all types of visas of foreigners in Sri Lanka had been extended up to June 11.
The Immigration Department has requested foreigners who wish to avail themselves of the visa extension to pay the relevant visa fee and get the visa endorsed in the passport. This could be done by securing an appointment via the link – https://eservices.immigration.gov.lk/vs before June 11. Only those who possessed an Appointment Notice will be permitted to enter the Department for endorsement.
Foreigners whose visas expire between March 7 to June 11, would also be exempted from the overstay penalty. For any queries, applicants may contact the Department of Immigration via email or phone:
For Visit Visas: acvisa@immigration.gov.lk acvisa1@immigration.gov.lk acvisa2@immigration.gov.lk
For Resident Visas: dcvisa@immigration.gov.lk Telephone: 0707101050 (Between 9.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. only).
Due to unavoidable circumstances, if the government imposed a curfew on the appointment date, applicants should not visit the Department, but instead send an email to the aforementioned email addresses attaching the “Appointment Notice”. The applicant will be facilitated with a new appointment in due course. Further, if the applicant intended to leave the island during the aforementioned period; his/her journey would be also facilitated by the payment of the relevant visa fee at the airport.
In a statement, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), which is part of the Tourism Ministry, said that as of May 4, a total of 11,389 tourists were currently in Sri Lanka and the government had requested them to register with the recently launched “Tourist & Expatriate Support Center” website, which provides live updates on COVID-19, essential travel information and assistance.
“COVID-19 was a severe blow to the Tourism industry which was still recovering after the Easter Sunday attacks last April. On March 12 when the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, there were 76,224 foreign travelers in Sri Lanka,” Sri Lankan Tourism Chairperson, Kimarli Fernando said.
“Immediately, a 24/7 call center was set up to assist tourists and with transportation issues in times of curfew, outbound flight tickets were allowed to be used as curfew passes to reach the airport. Sri Lanka Tourism is also liaising with the foreign ministry, embassies, airport authorities and airlines to facilitate safe departures,” said Fernando, who is the first woman to head Sri Lanka Tourism.
The growing global health crisis forced Sri Lanka to close its international airports for all incoming passenger flights from March 17, and since March 24, several districts in the country including Colombo have been placed under curfew to stop the spread of the virus, which has so far infected over 850 people and caused nine deaths.
Fernando further said there was no mechanism of tracking tourists in Sri Lanka apart from the immigration system which provides basic information of travellers and the new website will allow Sri Lanka Tourism to reach out and provide assistance during emergencies such as the COVID-19 outbreak and in the long term, this will also serve as a database of visiting international tourists, businessmen and expatriates in Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile, local media reported that Sri Lanka Tourism has embarked on its biggest-ever stakeholder consultation to chart the industry’s way forward amidst major challenges worldwide post-COVID-19.
Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Fernando has written to 34 industry associations, at national and regional level, seeking proposals by 12 May for consideration. The move follows Tourism and Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga directing Sri Lanka Tourism early this week to submit proposals for the revival of the industry in the short, medium and long-term.
For Sri Lanka, COVID-19 was a double blow coming soon after the Easter Sunday attacks of April 2019, Fernando has emphasised in her letter to the stakeholders.
“Tourism in Sri Lanka suffered a major blow from which we were still recovering. COVID-19 has damaged the industry even further,” she pointed out. “In the current global climate, the entire tourism industry has come to a standstill with all stakeholders severely affected,” she added.
Fernando, who was appointed Chairperson in December 2019, said Sri Lanka Tourism is deeply aware of the wider socioeconomic impact of this pandemic, with livelihoods at risk and unemployment.
However, she was confident Sri Lanka would bounce back in the post-pandemic period.
“As a nation, we have much to offer in terms of our tranquil tourist experiences, Hela Wedakhama Wellness Tourism, heritage spices and traditions. Our nation prides itself in its hospitality and focus on wellbeing. In a post-pandemic world, there is scope for greater appreciation of all our nation has to offer,” Fernando said.
Despite the obvious economic setbacks in source markets in the aftermath of COVID-19, travellers’ desire to explore the world will be higher than ever before, she observed.
“When safe air travel protocols are established, we can expect visitors to return. It could be said that Sri Lanka never took full advantage of tourism. Lack of promotion meant that higher spending travellers were possibly not adequately aware of our tourist product. COVID-19 provides us an opportunity for tourism in Sri Lanka to reprofile itself when the time is right,” she says in her letter seeking proposals from stakeholders on ways of reviving the industry.
Proposals have been sought from The Hotel Association of Sri Lanka (THASL), Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka (TAASL), Association of Small and Medium Enterprises in Tourism in Sri Lanka (ASMET), Ceylon Hotel School Graduates Association (CHSGA), Sri Lanka Association of Professional Conference, Exhibition and Event Organisers (SLAPCEO), National Tourist Drivers Association, National Tourist Guide Lecturers Association, Chauffer Tourist Guide Lecturers Association, Chef Guild, Anuradhapura Hoteliers Association, Kandy Hoteliers Association, Bentota Beruwala Hoteliers Association, Hikkaduwa Hoteliers Association, Negombo Tourist Hoteliers Association, Cultural Triangle Hoteliers Association, Kalutara Tourist Hoteliers Association, Hoteliers of South and Deep South, Colombo City Hoteliers Association, Mt. Lavinia Hoteliers Association, East Coast Hoteliers Association of Sri Lanka, N’Eliya Hoteliers Association, Sri Lanka Bus Association, Lanka Tourist Drivers and Assistants Association, Yala Jeep Owners Association, Independent Safari Jeep Association, Tissamaharama Yalagama Jeep Society, Kadirapura Safari Jeep Society, Save the Yala Jeep Drivers Association, Hotel Suppliers Association, Tourism Service Providers Association, Independent Safari Jeep Association Udawalawa, Colombo City Restaurant Collective Association and the Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance.
