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Travel ban on South Africa continues after C.1.2

02 Sep 2021

BY Dinitha Rathnayake  In the wake of the health authorities acknowledging the possibility of the new C.1.2 Covid-19 variant of South African origin entering Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan tourism authorities are to continue the travel ban restricting passengers from South American and African countries, including South Africa, from travelling to Sri Lanka. Speaking to The Morning, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) Director General (DG) Dhammika Wijayasinghe said that in accordance with the instructions received from the Health Ministry, due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation, all airlines were notified that passengers with a travel history (including transit) in the past 14 days to South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe would not be permitted to disembark in Sri Lanka with effect from 1 July 2021. The above restriction was applicable until 31 July 2021, but was extended due to the current situation. Travel from all countries in the South American region will also be restricted until further notice. She added that the relevant health subcommittee would take a decision related to revising the restrictions in the future. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is reopened to Indian travellers who are fully vaccinated, and those who can afford three-star and upward hotel accommodation. According to reports, SriLankan Airlines has introduced a buy-one-get-one-free offer for Indian leisure travellers on their Colombo return tickets. The offer will be up to 31 October. Indian travellers who are fully vaccinated can travel to Sri Lanka without any mandatory quarantine, but they will be tested for Covid-19 upon arrival.  According to the latest revised rules, a traveller needs to be fully vaccinated, with the second vaccine dose taken at least 14 days prior to the trip to Sri Lanka. The person will have to get a reverse-transcription PCR test conducted in the hotel they are staying at, upon arrival. In the event the result comes back positive, the individual will be taken to a healthcare centre. Meanwhile, the SLTDA is in discussion with the Immigration and Emigration Department to introduce a facility for digital nomads in Sri Lanka. This one-year visa category would encourage those who are working from long distances and will be introduced in mid-September.  


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