Sri Lanka may explore the possibility of introducing Digital Nomad Visas that could bring back tourism revenue, a new trend that emerged especially after the Covid-19 where countries suffered a severe drop in tourism revenue.
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) in a release said that there are over 40 countries offering Digital Nomad Visas and some of these countries are Georgia, Croatia, Germany, Norway, Portugal and Spain (Nomad Girl, 2022).
“They target not only Digital Nomads but also their families with home schooling and online schooling becoming more popular.”
The recent initiative by the Government to relax visa regulations and extend the stay period from 30 days to between 180 and 270 days is a welcome gesture to the tourism industry, which is awaiting a boost.
The visa on arrival facility introduced to Indian tourists is another recent initiative targeted to facilitate and bolster the industry. Though not directly related to tourism, the Golden Paradise Resident Visa program for investors is another recent initiative by Sri Lanka to motivate more investments into the island.
The total number of international tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka last month was 59,759, an increase of almost 42.2%, compared to October 2022.
A gradual increase in the inflow of tourists can be observed with the commencement of peak season in Sri Lanka. The resumption of
cruise tourism to Sri Lanka too had contributed to the influx of tourists.
Europe became the largest source of tourist traffic to Sri Lanka with 57.6% of the total traffic last month
As of November 30, 628,017 international tourists had visited Sri Lanka this year. The largest source markets recorded for November were India, the Russian Federation, Germany followed by the United Kingdom and Australia.
“Generally, the challenging economic environment including high inflation and escalating oil prices caused by the war in Ukraine are the possible hurdles that could affect the pace of tourism recovery,” an official of the Sri Lanka Tourism said. - SS