The tourism industry has welcomed the Government’s decision to lift the mandatory COVID-19 insurance to boost the sector, as the world is opening up post-pandemic.
Two leading industry bodies — the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) and The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) said the move will give convenience for visitors to select the country as their next holiday destination.
The Health Ministry last Friday (17) announced that the mandatory requirement for foreign passport holders to have insurance coverage for COVID-19 treatment has been lifted with immediate effect.
They pointed out that the pandemic has been unprecedented and for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry, the triple crises of the Easter Sunday attacks, COVID-19, and economic woes have been crippling.
“No other major tourist destination has suffered as we have in these last two years,” the industry stakeholders stressed.
FT