Sri Lanka Reopening the International airports on 26th December

After multiple delays, Sri Lanka is now planning on reopening its borders for tourism starting in the last week of 2020. If travelers follow all testing entry requirement, they will not have a quarantine period upon arrival.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa gave the go-ahead for the international airport to reopen on December 26, 2020. 

The Sri Lankans who are stranded overseas would have the opportunity to return to the country from December 26 onwards without obtaining clearance from the Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Ministry, Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) Chairman Upul Dharmadasa said.

So far these Sri Lankans have been advised to register with the External Affairs Ministry for clearance before landing. However, the Sri Lankans who are returning using this opportunity, should be subject to PCR tests, he said.

If travelers follow all testing entry requirement, they will not have a quarantine period upon arrival. However, if they are tested upon arrival and they test positive, quarantine in a designated hotel or hospitalization will take place depending on the details of the case.

He also said that due to the requirement of all passengers arriving in the country must undergo a PCR test and the current capacity at airports is 3500 tests per day, it will have to limit the daily arrival of passengers.

Once the airports have reopened on the 26th of December, the approval has been given for the arrival of the first batch of tourists, a group of over 200 from Russia who will arrive at the BIA (Katunayaka) and the MRIA (Matthala) the chairman of the further CAA said.