At , we love travelling – who knew, right? – but with ever-increasing ticket prices, accommodation costs, tourist taxes and visa fees, the whole shabang can be so damn pricey.
Well, not if you’re a UK citizen, or one of the other 39 lucky countries which Sri Lanka has just granted visa-free access to. In a bid to boost tourism, 33 new countries have been added to the list of places from which travellers can enter, paying no fee to do so.
As it stands, UK travellers pay $50 entry for a 30-day visa, which is around £37.50. It’s not loads, but it’s also not an insignificant amount to have back in your pocket for sightseeing.
Isn’t Sri Lanka already a wildly popular tourist destination? Well, yes. In fact, 2,053,465 people travelled to Sri Lanka in 2024, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Department Authority.
And it’s not hard to see why. Sri Lanka’s location in the Indian Ocean means it’s blessed with a tropical climate, lush forests and jaw-droppingly beautiful tea plantations, plus all the sites of ancient history, and, of course, some seriously incredible beaches.
Arguambay is the place to head for surfing, but make sure you book onto some dolphin or whale-watching, too. Hungry? Pettah and Galle Face Green are the best places to head for street food. There’s more information in our travel guide here.
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Tourism took a hit back in 2019 after six terror attacks took place on Easter Sunday, and then of course, there was the global impact of the pandemic. However, despite this wavering of fees projected to cost the country around £50 million, officials are confident the difference will be made up by steadily increasing tourist numbers.
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said that the tourism industry is ‘steadily progressing day by day,’ and that the country has ‘stabilised [its] economy, and through policy changes in tourism, we aim to ensure steady growth in arrivals,’ according to the Independent.
China, India, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan have had this privilege since September 2024 (following a trial phase in 2023), but there’s no confirmation of when this will be in place for the new 33 countries – which, along with the UK, includes the US, France, Italy, New Zealand, Canada, and Spain. Read on for a link to the full list.
It’s also likely that travellers will still need to apply for Electronic Travel Authorisation, but that process is free of charge. Stay tuned for updates on the official launch.
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