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ECONOMYNEXT – The Maldives became the second largest source of tourists to Sri Lanka in May amid concerns that a bilateral visa exemption deal may be in violated after VFS Global, a private outsourcing contractor started charging fees.
In the first 30 days of May Sri Lanka has welcomed 108,656 tourists up 30 percent from 83,309 a year earlier but down from 148,867 in April.
A controversial deal with VFS Global which led foreigners and outsourced workers manning immigration point at the main airport, also resulted in a user-unfriendly website, as well as visas rising to 107 dollars from 51.
Though a fight back by Tourism Minister Harin Fernando against the deal led to a 50-dollar visa being re-introduced, the problems with a user-unfriendly website remains with complaints continuing in online forums.
A controversy has also blown up between Sri Lanka and Maldives after VFS Global started charging fees from Maldives visitors.
Sri Lanka has a reciprocal visa exemption arrangement with the Maldives and there are fears that VFS style fees may be slapped on Sri Lankans who may also face the hassle of getting VFS style visa.
At the moment Maldives only requires online disembarkation information to be filled when a Sri Lankan visits.
Amid the controversy over VFS charges, Maldives was listed as the second largest source of tourists to Sri Lanka in the first 30 days of May with 7,984 tourists, overtaking British visitors at 7,844.
Sri Lanka’s tourism promotion authorities also revised up April numbers saying it was to reflect new visa categories introduced within the month, without giving details.
Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals topped 200,000 in the first quarter growing around 100 percent.
In April, considered the start of the off-season arrivals were 148,867, but still up 41 percent from last year.
In May there were 108,665 growth has faltered to 30 percent, with numbers barely above last year in the final week.
Travel officials say the difficult website as well a minimum room rate could be contributing to faltering arrivals.
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