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Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vijitha Herath, provided an update on the country's strategic efforts to revitalize its tourism sector, which has faced unprecedented challenges in recent years due to the Easter Sunday attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the economic crisis.
Speaking at the India Foundation Program, Herath stated, "We too had such a big tourism before the Easter Sunday attack, 2018. We got (the) highest amounts of tourists. And at that time, according to my memory, we earned four billion (dollars)." On Easter Sunday, Sri Lankan citizens who pledged allegiance to ISIS detonated backpack suicide bombs in four hotels and three churches in the greater Colombo area and Batticaloa, killing more than 260 people, including five Americans. Herath pointed out the compounding challenges Sri Lanka faced due to these crises: "After the Easter Sunday attack, there was a COVID-19 situation. After that, the economic crisis was there. Because of those three factors, we faced so many difficulties. The first one was the Easter Sunday attack. The second one was COVID-19. The third one was the economic crisis. Now, all those factors are not there," he explained, adding that these barriers are no longer present. Looking forward, the Minister expressed hope for boosting tourism, particularly from India: "We can increase our tourism industry. And we hope to open our hands to India. And we hope the Indian tourists will come." A key part of the strategy to boost tourism involves a policy change set for January 2024. Herath revealed, "At the beginning of next January, we will pass some cassette notification in the parliament. In that cassette notification, we will give free visas to 39 countries." This move is expected to make it easier for tourists, including those from India, to visit Sri Lanka. Additionally, Herath made an appeal regarding travel facilities for Sri Lankans to India, stating, "Then the most of the Indians, not only Indians but also so 39 other countries, tourists can visit us easily. And apart from that, I feel from your country, you asked also for that facility. India has not given that facility yet. Therefore, please inform your government to give that facility to Sri Lankans." (ANI)
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