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Covid surge in India, but travel bubble with Lanka continues
The Government has decided to continue the “bubble” concept for travel between India and Sri Lanka, despite the massive surge in the number of COVID-19 cases in India, officials said.
The only revision will be that the quarantine period for those travelling from India to Sri Lanka has been increased from the existing seven days to two weeks. Under the “travel bubble” concept, people or groups travelling for tourism, business purposes, pilgrimages and functions were allowed to travel between the two countries.
A senior Tourism Ministry official said that in consultations with the Indian High Commission and the local health authorities, the Government had decided to continue with the travel arrangements.
COVID-Control State Minister Sudharshani Fernandopulle told the Sunday Times that the extension of the quarantine period to two weeks would be sufficient to detect any COVID-19 cases and therefore approval was granted.
The moves came as passenger flights from India continue to arrive in Sri Lanka. Last morning 161 passengers arrived from Chennai while another flight was due from New Delhi last night while another flight from Bengaluru is due today.
The moves come as New Delhi has proposed that visitors from India be allowed to travel through the Palaly airport in Jaffna. The proposal has been accepted by the government pending the preparation of the logistical arrangements to implement the proposal.
The Government also has signed air service agreements with Afghanistan, Myanmar and Israel enabling tourists to visit Sri Lanka under COVID-19 arrangements.
The Government also is negotiating with Germany and Switzerland to sign similar air service agreements enabling tourists to visit Sri Lanka. Similar agreements are to be signed up with more than 90 countries in the next few months.
The Tourism Ministry official said that Government during the past four months after reopening the country for tourists was able to gain a revenue of about US$ 16 million .