ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s attempt to woo tourists from 67 countries with free visas is likely to face a 10 dollar charge from VFS Global, an outsourcing provider and also the website, Tourism Minister Harin Fernando said.
“There is a doubt about that. Our government will not take anything,” Minister Fernando told reporters in Colombo Monday.
“I think the current thinking is (mathaya) that the 10 dollar VFS fee will have to be paid.”
Minister Fernando said he could not say exactly what will be in the final cabinet paper. But the ‘facilitation’ fee paid to VFS Global would help reduce potential congestion in the airport, he said.
The Public Security Ministry has said the VFS website was required on national security considerations on which he was unable to comment, he said.
His interest was to boost tourism, which can conflict with national security.
“In Singapore there is nothing like that,” Fernando said. “They track from the ticket. There are ways I hope Sri Lanka will also go there and will understand this.
A report by an 11 member committee on free visas is likely to be submitted to the cabinet in the next two weeks.
“I saw how free visas are helping Maldives meet its tourism targets,” he said. “We have to be competitive. Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore are giving free visas, only we have got tangled in this (may hooter pater-yer-ker pa-ter-li-lar-gen-ner innay)
“A positive factor is that the Minister of [Public Security] told me that 6 month multiple entry visas have increased by a large amount. One year and 5 years visas have also seen a diamond.
“My stand is that the single entry visa should be relaxed. He is looking at security, I am looking at marketing, that is why some people think there is a clash.”
“Several parties in the tourism sector have expressed deep concerns. Some are prepared to go to court. We are not going to oppose the freedoms of the people.”
The travel industry has protested that the complex website operated by VFS Global was losing them customers and warned that the country will not be able to meet a 2.3 million tourism target for 2024.
Sri Lanka earlier issued a double entry visa for 51 dollars which was valid for up to 6 months for the first visit, compared to 3 months for competition. It was slashed to three months in April.
Growth in Sri Lanka’s visitors which was above 50 percent in the first quarter has started to flag amid the friction created by the VFS website. In May growth fell to 34 percent, below the required 50 percent to reach the target.
Sri Lanka was also hoping to boost arrivals after the winter season and reduce the so-called ‘low season’ before the VFS website and fees.
Comments on travel forums show that older visitors are in particular struggling to deal with the website and repeat visitors who had used the earlier user-friendly website are frustrated, though younger visitors are coming up with work-arounds to deal with problems in the site. (Colombo/June26/2024)