TikaWeeks #32/2025: Sri Lanka update
Posted by John on 4th August 2025
Sri Lanka has expanded its visa-fee waiver to 40 countries, including the UK, in a bid to boost tourist arrivals. While the initiative is expected to result in an annual revenue loss of around US$66 million, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath expressed confidence that the increase in tourism-related income will offset the shortfall.
Here is the full list of countries now eligible for a free visa to Sri Lanka. (* Indicates countries already under the earlier visa waiver scheme.)
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahrain
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Canada
- Czech Republic (Czechia)
- China*
- Denmark
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- India*
- Indonesia*
- Iran
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan*
- Kazakhstan
- Kuwait
- Malaysia*
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Poland
- Qatar
- Russia*
- Saudi Arabia
- Spain
- South Korea
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Thailand*
- Turkey
- United Arab Emirates
- United Kingdom
- USA
Sri Lanka has recorded an impressive 145,188 tourist arrivals in the first 23 days of July 2025, according to the latest data from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority. This surge has pushed the total number of international visitors this year to over 1.3 million, reflecting the island’s continued appeal as a top travel destination.
Global travel website Big 7 Travel has officially released its annual list of the top 50 best islands in the world and has ranked Sri Lanka in the first spot as ‘The Most Beautiful Island in the World’ for 2025. With destinations from across the globe, the list celebrates unique island experiences and inspiring places to explore in 2025. This year’s ranking highlights a mix of trending destinations, remote escapes and iconic favourites. The list is based on aggregated scores from previous media results, contributions from the Big 7 Travel editorial team, destination popularity on social media, and destinations capturing travellers’ attention in 2025.
“This teardrop-shaped island off the southern coast of India has it all, from golden beaches to terraced tea plantations. Whiling away blissful days beach-hopping along the 833-mile [1335-km] coastline is part of the charm, but Sri Lanka offers much more beyond the shore,” the global travel site says about Sri Lanka.
“Itineraries fill up quickly here, between the timeworn temples, colonial towns, misty mountains, and wildlife safaris in Yala National Park, home to tigers and elephants. It’s easy to see why Marco Polo called Sri Lanka ‘the finest island of its size in all the world’,” it said.
For this year’s annual ranking of the world’s best islands, Big 7 Travel has combined insights from its social audience with the expertise of its editorial team.
Sri Lanka is among the top three summer destinations for travel in July and August 2025, according to the latest booking data of Emirates, the world’s largest international airline. Emirates reports that Sri Lanka has seen a 32% increase in flight searches as a clear favourite for its rich cultural tapestry, pristine beaches, ‘tea country’ and affordable luxury experiences.
As international travel reaches a fever pitch this summer, Emirates’ latest analysis of global booking data and search patterns reveals where travellers are dreaming of and escaping to in July and August, with a shift towards new cultural experiences and off-the-beaten-track locales. Flight searches for summer travel have climbed 7% compared to last year.
Categories: Flights, News, Sightseeing, Sri Lanka, Wildlife
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