Sri Lanka gives free visa to boost tourism after bomb blasts

AP

Colombo, 01 Aug: Sri Lanka says it will give free one-month visas to visitors on arrival from nearly 50 countries in its latest effort to revive the island nation’s lucrative tourism industry, which was badly hit by the Easter bomb attacks.

 

Tourism Minister John Amaratunga says tourists or those visiting for business purposes could get their free visa on arrival or by applying online. The measure will be effective for six months, starting Thursday.

 

Tourist arrivals sharply declined after the coordinated suicide attacks on tourist hotels and churches. The blasts that killed more than 250 people were blamed on Islamic extremists.

 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said Sri Lanka is now safe for tourists and security has returned to normalcy.