Travel blocks for Sri Lankans eased
Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) has improved on its regulations this week to ease travel to the country mainly by Lankans resident abroad.
Officials at the authority stated that other than foreign guests they have come across a number of issues with
Sri Lankans visiting the country with a dual passport or when they accompany a foreign national like being restrained from boarding the airline.
According to the regulations anyone arriving on the safe travel concept has to stay in a Level 1 hotel and since dual passport holders do not have a visa airlines were unable to board them.
However, now that concern is resolved since effective February 15 the SLTDA will issue a letter to these persons through the hotel they are staying in or through a travel agent that they will be able to stay in a hotel as required and that they have paid for the PCR test as well as insurance. The process would involve any Sri Lankan resident overseas trying to arrive on holiday have to be booked at a Level 1 hotel and that respective hotel or the travel agent they work with will inform the SLTDA of such an arrival and ensure they obtain the letter from the SLTDA certifying their arrival.
In addition, another area of concern was those who test negative after a PCR test is carried out on them after completing 14 days in a Level 1 hotel. They would now be issued a certificate stating their current status to ensure they can freely travel in the country.
Moreover, authorities are working with the industry and stakeholders and tourists by having a 24-hour call centre 1912 open in a bid to carry out their operations smoothly.