Tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka drop in September
(Photo by Lou Lou B Photo on Unsplash)
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) states that tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka during September are below the expected levels.
SLTDA Chairman Priyantha Fernando mentioned that issues related to visa issuance could be a contributing factor.
It was noted that the process for obtaining visas has become more costly and difficult for foreign tourists since the visa processing agency changed in May.
However, the Chairman expressed confidence that visa-free travel opportunities for citizens of 39 countries would begin in October.
He further stated that this could help achieve the target of 2.3 million tourist arrivals in 2024.
From September 1st to 17th of this month, 92,639 foreign tourists have arrived, bringing the total number of visitors to over 1.45 million for the year.
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