Sri Lanka is returning to an old visa system, offering visas on arrival, after a Sri Lankan court cancelled a new one which was criticised by the tourism industry as cumbersome, costly and allegedly fraudulent.
Responding on August 2 to seven petitions by key stakeholders in the industry and three opposition politicians, the Supreme Court ordered the return to the old visa system and cancellation of the current one, bowing to claims of too many procedures in the new scheme and allegations of a fraudulent deal.
“There may be some confusion (in obtaining visas) but I hope it will be sorted out soon,” said Nishad Wijetunga, president of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO), one of the petitioners.
The Department of Immigration and Emigration, pursuant to the court ruling, said on Monday that the Sri Lankan e-visa website had been deactivated until further notice. In a notice to the trade and Sri Lankan embassies overseas, the department said it was hoping to restore the old e-visa platform as soon as possible.
Accordingly, visas will be issued on arrival at the Colombo airport at a fee of US$50 per 30-day entry. Until the old online visa is reintroduced, visas can also be obtained at Sri Lankan missions abroad. Citizens of India, China, Russia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia will continue to be issued free visas on arrival.
Tourist arrivals totalled 1,198,059 in January-July 2024, up sharply from 769,913 in the same 2023 period. However, the figures in April to July this year were lower than forecasts partly because of the complex visa process, officials said.
Sri Lanka is aiming for 2.3 million arrivals this year, similar to the record 2.3 million achieved in 2018.
The Philippines’ Department of Tourism (DoT), Department of Health, and the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the country’s first Tourist First Aid Facilities in order to elevate the safety standards in the country’s tourist destinations.
Under the MoU, the agencies will build the inaugural batch of Tourist First Aid Facilities in areas with a high concentration of tourists including La Union; Boracay Island in Aklan; Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte; Panglao Island in Bohol; Palawan; and Puerto Galera.
According to DoT, La Union will be the first to break ground next month, with the expected completion in 1Q2025. TIEZA will be spearheading the design and construction of the facilities which will function as emergency response centres for tourists encountering accidents or injuries during their visit.
These centres will be staffed by well-trained healthcare professionals – physicians and nurses – and will be equipped with essential medical supplies and medications to ensure prompt and effective emergency assistance.
The facilities will also provide preventive care, with a second floor serving as a lifeguard station or viewing deck to oversee tourist safety.
Noting the profile of incidences happening at each destination, tourism secretary Christina Garcia Frasco clarified that such facilities aim to be able to provide the “right type of care”, considering the varying tourism products the destinations are offering to tourists.
Thus, the healthcare professionals will be strategically deployed depending on the needs of the destinations, as well as the medical equipment needed for each area.
To complement these Tourist First Aid Facilities, solar-powered Tourist First Aid Booths will also be installed along beachfront areas, particularly in long stretches of coastlines, to address the immediate medical needs of tourists without the presence of medical personnel. These booths will be equipped with First Aid supplies, automated external defibrillators, a pull-out stretcher, a CCTV camera, and a two-way communication system linking to a command centre for emergency calls.
According to Frasco, the UN Tourism has declared health, safety, security, and hygiene crucial for tourism sustainability and competitiveness.
“If our tourists become ill or injured during a trip to any of our island destinations, we must be able to ensure proper, rapid, and the best care on site,” she noted, citing that investing in tourist convenience and safety is imperative if the country is furthering the momentum of the Philippines’ tourism growth.