With Sri Lanka’s peak winter tourism season concluding by the end of this month, industry leaders are urging the Government to expedite the long-delayed free-visa scheme for 39 countries to boost summer bookings.
Originally approved by the previous administration in August 2024 and intended for implementation from 1 October 2024, the initiative remains stalled due to bureaucratic delays and political transitions. Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath assured in January 2025 that the proposal would soon be submitted to the Cabinet, yet it remains unapproved as March progresses.
“The free-visa policy would be ideal to boost summer bookings,” said Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) Spokesman Nishad Wijetunga. The initiative builds on the earlier program that granted visa exemptions for China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan, which was extended indefinitely in June 2024.
The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) also emphasized that the free-visa program could help drive summer reservations, especially in the absence of targeted marketing campaigns by authorities.
“Industry stakeholders are demanding immediate implementation and expansion to 39 destinations, warning that any further delays could hurt Sri Lanka’s competitiveness,” THASL stated.
Additionally, there is growing frustration over the Government’s failure to launch a long-promised global tourism campaign. Initially scheduled for September 2024, it was later reworked into a unified national tourism brand, promised for January 2025, but remains unlaunched. Deputy Minister of Tourism Prof. Ruwan Ranasinghe recently announced that the campaign would finally launch this month, but industry players remain skeptical.
Sri Lanka Tourism is now planning to roll out the campaign initially prepared for September 2024 – without taglines – while a digital marketing strategy is set to begin in April.
“We have categorically informed the authorities that the three-million arrival target – an almost 50% increase from 2024 – is not achievable without an aggressive promotional push,” representatives from the country’s main trade associations stressed.
For 2025, Sri Lanka Tourism aims to attract three million tourists and generate $5 billion in revenue. However, stakeholders warn that competing destinations are actively luring visitors with visa-free entry, strategic marketing, and expanded connectivity, putting Sri Lanka at a disadvantage.
Although the country recorded over half a million tourist arrivals in the first two months of 2025, industry leaders caution that failing to act swiftly on visa and promotional strategies could derail this momentum, diverting potential visitors to more competitive destinations in the region.
