Govt. fast-tracks tourism facilitation ahead of peak season

Thursday, 16 October 2025 04:59 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Government has rolled out a series of measures to improve facilities and streamline services for visitors ahead of the upcoming tourist season, with plans to ease visa processing, expand airport capacity, and digitise ticketing at major attractions.

A Special Task Force appointed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to expedite tourism promotion met for the second time at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (14). The meeting focused on facilitating visa issuance, streamlining the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) process, and increasing airport counters to reduce congestion during peak arrivals.

Discussions also covered expanding online ticket purchasing options at sites requiring visitor entry tickets and addressing operational bottlenecks faced by tourists and industry stakeholders.

The meeting was chaired by Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath and attended by Deputy Tourism Minister Ruwan Ranasinghe. Industry participants included John Keells Holdings Chairman Krishan Balendra, EKHO Hotels and Resorts Vice President Nihal Muhandiram, and other private-sector representatives, the President’s Media Division said.