Visas rejected, glitch in new system
The Sri Lankan tourism industry raises suspicions on “elements” within the government as responsible for causing economic disruptions as the new visa process operated by a privately owned company rejects tourist visas due to a “glitch” in the system.
Following the long queues experienced at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and increased fees charged by the newly established privately-run organisation since April 30, tourism industry stakeholders have raised concerns this week through a letter to the President.
The Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), the Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka (TAASL), the Sri Lanka Association of Professional Conference Exhibition and Event Organizers (SLAPCEO) and the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises in Tourism (ASMET) called to restore “a competitive and user-friendly visa process through a government – operated website, similar to the previous ETA system to enable a tourist to obtain the necessary 30 days single entry visa with ease” which is crucial to “sustaining the positive momentum”.
The industry had requested Tourism Minister Harin Fernando to ensure that a single-entry tourist visa will be made available for US$50 inclusive of all charges by May 1 but the letter notes that the application process remains “complex and unfriendly, with additional fees likely to apply.”
According to the Immigration Controller General the government had suspended the existing Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) website and replaced with a new website processed exclusively through a private company-operated website at srilankaevisa.lk starting April 17.
Since then there has been a “significant increase in the cost of tourist visas, with the new private website not offering the previously available single-entry tourist visa with a 30-day validity.” Instead only a more expensive 6-month multiple-entry visa is currently available at a total cost of US$100.77 due to additional service and convenience fees.
With the industry now entering the family travel season in the months of July and August, the concerns now are that these additional charges will increase travel costs to tourists with a family of four having to spend $400 just to enter the country.
Moreover, it was pointed out that the new website had asked tourists to reschedule their visas as they were unable to issue the visa on time due to a “glitch in the system.”
The new process with the increased visa charges is likely to cause a complete disruption to arrivals with the numbers set to go down below 2 million in an year the industry was aiming at achieving 2.3-2.5 million arrivals.
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