Sri Lanka Tourism's guidelines to hotels after airport re-opening

After both the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) and the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) re-opened on 21st January 2021, precise guidelines to all stakeholders including hotels have been issued by the authorities. The key guidelines for hotels that are eligible to host tourists are:-

Accepting / confirming room bookings

• For travelers a pre-confirmed hotel booking is mandatory for the first 14 days after arrival.
• Only Tier-one hotels certified as ‘Safe and Secure’ by SLTDA are permitted to accept bookings from tourists.
• Those who wish to come must have a confirmed booking in a hotel classified as “Safe and Secure Level 1”. When making a hotel booking, US$ 40 per test per person, depending on the number of days of stay, and COVID-19 insurance of US$ 12 per month must be paid.
• Once these conditions are fulfilled, the traveler will be issued with a reference number by the hotel. This is mandatory for visa processing. 
• Hotels must share the reservation details with area MOH and SLTDA Director General when making a booking and prior to guest’s arrival.
• Certified hotels are allowed to host guests from multiple flights.
• The occupancy of hotels has been limited to a maximum of 75% and the balance to be reserved for isolation purposes if necessity arises.

PCR testing of tourists on arrival

• Travelers would not be subject to any PCR tests at the airport on arrival.
• Hotel is expected to arrange all post-arrival PCR tests with a private sector laboratory approved by the Ministry of Health (MOH).
• The traveler (hotel guest) has to pay for 02 PCR tests if the visit is up to seven days or 03 PCR tests if the visit is over seven days.
• The 1^st PCR test will be done at the hotel upon arrival.
• The 2^nd PCR test should be conducted within five to seven days after arrival and
• In the event of a longer stay; an additional PCR test should be conducted within 10 to 14 days post-arrival.
• All PCR tests of a given traveler should preferably be carried out by a single (same) laboratory.

Hotel arrangements

• From the point of arrival, groups should not be mixed during transportation and hotels and travel agents must have an advanced transportation plan. 
• Hotels must ensure effective access control measures are in place - in and around the hotel, including ensuring that the property perimeter is secure to prevent any possible interaction between tourists and locals.
• The movement of the guest should be restricted to a minimum until on-arrival (1^st) PCR test result is negative.
• The use of common areas is permitted subject to adherence to health guidelines, including social distancing.
• Spas and swimming pools can be open for tourists.
• Although tourists are not permitted to move outside the hotel within the first two weeks, they can visit permitted tourist sites daily with dedicated time slots for tourists to travel in a bio bubble - provided the first PCR is negative.
• A change of hotel is permitted during the 14 - day period, provided the hotels are within the same tier, ‘safe’ certified, and after the first PCR test is negative, whilst  travelling under a bio-security bubble. 
• Tourists will be able to engage with the local community only after the first 14 days and if all PCR tests are negative.
• All personnel who would be directly involved with the tourists will be quarantined for 14 days unless they attend to their duties in full PPE.

Other details:

Tier - one hotel: Establishment providing accommodations which is certified safe and secure by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).

• Tourists from all countries permitted unless otherwise specifically mentioned. The government has decided to introduce a new mobile phone application for tourists visiting Sri Lanka as per SLTDA. The app, called ‘Sri Lanka Tourism’, will be launched by end-January.

• The SLTDA has decided to make it compulsory for tourists to obtain insurance coverage through this application when obtaining visas.
• In addition to the insurance plan, the ‘Sri Lanka Tourism’ app will also include information on PCR test fees and health regulations to be followed by tourists when visiting Sri Lanka.
• The SLTDA said that until the app is incorporated into the Immigration online application, the PCR test costs and insurance should be paid to the airline or hotel, when making the booking.

Hospitality Sri Lanka

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