Sri Lanka has announced a visa exemption for Saudi nationals starting from October 1st, 2024. The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh released a statement, shared with “Al Sharq Al Awsat,” stating, “The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh is pleased to announce that the Government of Sri Lanka has approved visa-free entry for all Saudi citizens from October 1, 2024.”
The Sri Lankan Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Amir Ajwad, praised this decision by the Sri Lankan Cabinet as historic and a boost for tourism and trade exchange between the two countries. Ajwad added that this initiative would enhance the connections between the people of the two nations, especially as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year. Saudi Arabia ranked third as a potential market for Sri Lankan tourism in June 2024 and 23rd as a source market for tourists visiting Sri Lanka during the same period, according to a report by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.
This visa exemption is part of a wider program that includes 35 countries and aims to boost tourism, which has been recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and financial crises. The program is set to initially run for six months, demonstrating Sri Lanka’s intention to become a visa-free nation like Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam to capitalize on the rapidly growing tourism sector.
