LNP - SL to discuss with 21 countries to lift travel ban on tourists

Minister Prasanna Ranatunga today said the Tourism Ministry together with the Ministry of External Affairs was working on removing the travel restrictions imposed on the entry of tourists to Sri Lanka. The minister said that 21 countries have currently banned travel to Sri Lanka due to the Covid-19 situation. He said he hoped to hold discussions with Norway, Bahrain, Nepal, Japan, France, Australia, New Zealand, Qatar and Vietnam through the Ministry of External Affairs. In addition, the Minister said that he had instructed the Tourism Promotion Bureau to implement worldwide promotional programs to attract tourists to Sri Lanka. Accordingly, it was decided to launch new promotional programs in Russia and the Eastern European market from next month. This was revealed during a special discussion held at the ministry to implement an action plan to attract more tourists to Sri Lanka. The Minister said that this special promotion program would be implemented from August 1. Minister Ranatunga said that the government hopes to end the Covid-19 vaccination drive in Sri Lanka by the end of September this year. He said the government hopes to vaccinate 60% of the total population by then.