After the president fled and the country went bankrupt, Sri Lanka has waived visa fees for five countries. Can Chinese tourists 'revive' its tourism industry?

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,:,,,.For security reasons, tourists from these five countries must obtain a visa when visiting Sri Lanka, but no fees are charged.As of the date of publication, the specific policy timing and procedures for visa fee exemptions have not yet been announced.

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500,,,.In July 2022, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country.On the 13th of that month, Sri Lanka declared a state of emergency, which also meant that this small country officially announced bankruptcy.What is the concept of national bankruptcy? “To put it plainly,” it means having too much debt and being unable to pay it off even if you sold everything.

,.This small country first endured 27 years of civil war; in April 2019, multiple locations including the capital Colombo were hit by eight consecutive bomb attacks; then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, keeping most people indoors, let alone traveling to an island nation.Coupled with the chaotic political situation domestically, Sri Lanka’s pillar industry—tourism—has suffered an unprecedented blow under continuous shocks.

,,20198,.Now the Sri Lankan authorities have once again proposed the idea of waiving visa fees, which may indeed be good news for Chinese tourists.

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,,,,,.We hope that tourists will learn more about local policies, laws, and customs when traveling abroad, pay attention to safety, and have a great time!