The summer months are the low season for Sri Lanka
From June 1, a visa to Sri Lanka for Russians will be paid, the cost is $75. To this you need to add the fees, which are: service — $18.5, for the provision of services — another $9. You need to apply for a visa on the website www.srilankaevisa.lk . It works in conjunction with VFS Global. Moreover, according to Space Travel, when obtaining a visa upon arrival at the airport, tourists will have to pay the same cost as when applying online. Now, for tours starting before May 31 for a period of no more than 30 days with a one-time entry, the visa remains free. But tourists have to pay fees anyway. From June 1, a visa worth $ 75 will be issued for six months, it will be possible to enter the country twice, each of them for a maximum of 60 days. “We have only received information from the host, but this is still the most expensive thing in Asia,” the Space Travel press service reported. — Of course, Sri Lanka has its advantages compared to other destinations in the region. For example, one of the best sightseeing components, unique nature. But it is likely that some tourists will reconsider their plans in favor of other countries in the region, such as Thailand or the Maldives.” According to experts, even taking into account the additional costs of a visa, Sri Lanka remains a very competitive price offer. A week-long tour for two with a flight starts from 130 thousand rubles. Visa costs are unlikely to significantly worsen the situation. And yet, the introduction of a paid visa and fees does not add attractiveness to the direction, “Moreover, there are alternatives without such additional costs,” Intourist reported. According to experts, Sri Lanka’s policy, when decisions are made at the last moment – either payment is canceled, or vice versa, it begins to be charged — does not contribute to the depth of sales. Tourists do not understand what the final cost of the tour will be in the end. “We agree that the cost of a visa is decent. We did not notice a sharp drop in demand immediately after the introduction of these changes, ” the press service of the Russian Express company reported. “Perhaps some tourists hope that the cancellation of the fee for Russians will be extended further, because few people apply for a visa immediately after booking a tour, usually they do it closer to departure.”They also noted that Sri Lanka still remains one of the most affordable exotic countries on a budget, where you can combine an interesting excursion program and a beach holiday, and where there is a direct flight, Meanwhile, Sri Lankan tour companies have already asked the authorities to reduce the cost of visas. The local tour business fears that due to such decisions, the tourist flow will fall below 2 million guests per year. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the summer months are the low season for Sri Lanka, Space notes.Travel. The tourist flow decreases annually at this time. “The monsoon season begins in the south-west of the island. The northeastern part is still accessible, but it is less developed in terms of infrastructure. Let’s hope that according to the results of the summer months, the Sri Lankan authorities will reconsider their decision, and the high season will begin again with conditionally free visas,” the tour operator concluded.
