Tika Traveller

Discover Sri Lanka & Maldives From Those Who Know It Best

Blogs from Tikalanka are designed to enhance your knowledge of Sri Lanka and Maldives and keep you up to date with recent developments. We intend to post regular features on travel, news, lifestyle and accommodation as well as guest articles from current and past customers, which will give you first-hand experience of Tikalanka, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Category: Health

TikaWeeks #03-1/2021: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 18th January 2021

We have now received the official Sri Lanka Tourism Safety Protocols for arranging and running holidays on the island in the near future. We are still awaiting clarification or confirmation of the finalised list of certified ‘Safe and Secure’ Level 1 hotels (the health audit is still on-going), approved tourist sites, accredited laboratories for PCR tests, and guide or driver guidelines. The safety protocols currently in place will be reviewed regularly and there will most likely be variations to these protocols as time goes by.

TikaWeeks #01/2021: Sri Lanka & Maldives update

Posted by John on 5th January 2021

Happy New Year! I am sure that none of us are sorry to see the back of 2020 and let’s hope for better times ahead, whenever they may happen. On this note, Sri Lanka reopened its borders to international tourist flights on 27 December 2020 for a pilot scheme until 19 January 2021 to assess the feasibility of restarting tourism on the island, which is a positive sign. However, the initial health guidelines to be followed are prohibitively restrictive and will need to be relaxed significantly to encourage visitors once again.

TikaWeeks #49/2020: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 2nd December 2020

With the approval of a COVID-19 vaccine in the UK and the first vaccinations taking place in the coming weeks, there is finally an end in sight to the bizarre and unprecedented world that has defined 2020 – hurrah and huzzah! There is also tentative news that Sri Lanka will reopen its borders and welcome foreign visitors once again from the beginning of next year, hopefully from 01 January 2021. We will keep you posted with any developments.

TikaWeeks #41/2020: Sri Lanka & Maldives update

Posted by John on 5th October 2020

Both Sri Lanka and Maldives have received the safe travel stamp from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). This seal of approval helps identify destinations and businesses that have adopted a new set of global safety and hygiene protocols as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which take into account WHO and CDC advice.

TikaWeeks #27/2020: Sri Lanka & Maldives update

Posted by John on 3rd July 2020

Ridiculous as it may seem, the illustrious UK government today decided NOT to include either Sri Lanka or Maldives on its initial travel corridors list, which exempts travellers from self-isolating for 14 days on arrival in England from 10 July 2020. Both island nations have managed to limit the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) effectively and efficiently, contrary to our own government's disastrous and amoral actions, so why penalise them for doing the job properly?

TikaWeeks #24/2020: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 10th June 2020

Sri Lanka Tourism is ready to welcome tourists from 01 August 2020. The organisation released a set of new protocols and procedures for hotels, DMCs and other tourism partners on 29 May 2020 with the aim of safeguarding visitors against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which will be implemented and standardised across the Sri Lankan tourism industry as a means of reassurance to future visitors.

TikaWeeks #23/2020: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 5th June 2020

Some good news, finally: Sri Lanka is proposing to reopen for tourist arrivals from 01 August 2020. So far, Sri Lanka has performed excellently in the face of the pandemic with relatively low infection rates in comparison to most other countries thanks to the prompt and efficient actions of the government. New procedures are being implemented at the airport, restaurants, hotels, tourist sites and national parks, although the finer details are still being finalised by Sri Lanka Tourism.

TikaWeeks #15-2/2020: Sri Lanka & Maldives update

Posted by John on 11th April 2020

EXCEPTIONAL TRAVEL ADVISORY NOTICE – The Foreign & Commonwealth Office advised British citizens against all non-essential travel worldwide on 17 March 2020 for an initial period of 30 days. This was changed to “an indefinite period” on 04 April 2020. This leaves Tikalanka and our customers in a quandary since no definitive end to the travel advisory implies that it may be lifted at any time, which means holiday bookings are in limbo right up until the departure date.

TikaWeeks #14-3/2020: Sri Lanka & Maldives update

Posted by John on 2nd April 2020

Curfews in Sri Lanka are subject to last-minute changes and checkpoints have been introduced. If you are already in Sri Lanka, the government has announced that visit visas will be extended to 12 May 2020. There are currently no commercial flights available to return to the UK from Maldives. If you cannot leave Maldives at this time, the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office has posted a 5-point plan of ‘What to do’.

TikaWeeks #14-2/2020: Sri Lanka & Maldives update

Posted by John on 1st April 2020

The WHO has commended Sri Lanka in the fight against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), as the president appealed to world aid organisations to grant concessions to developing countries at risk from the global effects of COVID-19. It is likely that flight options will become more restricted in the coming days. The Government of Maldives has declared a Public Health Emergency and imposed a daily curfew from 02 April 2020 until further notice. New travel restrictions are severely limiting commercial flight schedules.

Independent Tailor-made Holidays to Sri Lanka & Maldives