CNN — The island nation of Sri Lanka is now open to vacationers from all nations. Sri Lanka Minister of Tourism Prasanna Ranatunga made the official announcement throughout a press convention on Thursday, confirming they might reopen the nation’s borders from January 21. Each of the nation’s worldwide airports reopened on the identical day. “The livelihood of round three million individuals is determined by tourism in Sri Lanka,” Ranatunga instructed media. “It’s our nationwide duty to consider the wants of our residents that depend upon this business.” As a part of efforts to stop the unfold of Covid-19, Sri Lanka created a “bio bubble,” which is able to give guests a relative quantity of freedom to journey inside the nation whereas nonetheless observing security protocols. Although there is no such thing as a minimal time {that a} customer should spend within the nation, anybody coming from overseas should keep in a government-approved lodge or resort for as much as two weeks upon arrival. That signifies that vacationers solely coming for a brief journey will simply keep of their resort your entire time, whereas people who find themselves planning longer stays will be capable of transfer extra freely inside Sri Lanka as soon as they full their two-weeks of semi-quarantine. SRI LANKA AIRPORTS ARE READY TO WELCOME YOU BACK. https://t.co/AbDG8eooOT pic.twitter.com/Wn8AOB7Oo2— Bandaranaike Worldwide Airport (BIA) (@BIA_SriLanka) January 21, 2021 Not like locations like Hong Kong and Australia, the place individuals quarantining upon arrival should keep of their lodge rooms for your entire length, Sri Lanka’s rules are a bit laxer. Company could have free rein on-property, to allow them to use amenities like swimming pools, gyms, salons and eating places. Vacationers can even depart the lodge throughout quarantine to go sightseeing, supplied they achieve this fastidiously. A few dozen tourism websites and points of interest are open to overseas guests, however with caveats. For example, as a part of the “bio bubble,” points of interest like Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) and the Royal Botanic Gardens, each within the central metropolis of Kandy, require guests to come back as a part of an organized tour group or with an accredited Sri Lankan information. They need to journey in a non-public car and never make any unauthorized aspect stops. Some websites will solely enable vacationers throughout designated time slots or on sure days of the week. At present, 55 motels and resorts fall beneath the “protected and safe stage one” pointers. They aren’t allowed to just accept any native friends or host any occasions whereas they’re a part of the bio bubble. With further safety comes further charges. Along with paying for flights and lodging, vacationers are chargeable for the price of Sri Lanka’s government-sanctioned medical insurance ($12 US) and as much as three Covid exams in-country ($40 every). Everybody coming into the nation should present proof of a unfavorable coronavirus take a look at taken inside 96 hours of journey and fill out an internet well being declaration type. Company might be examined once more at their very own expense on the fifth and seventh days after arriving and other people staying longer than seven days should take a 3rd take a look at the next week. As soon as the 2 weeks are up and so they have a unfavorable coronavirus take a look at, vacationers can keep at their lodge or swap to a different one of many accredited motels. Airbnbs, visitor homes and different types of lodging are off limits. Taking public transit is discouraged. All potential vacationers should apply for a visa on-line and obtain the Go to Sri Lanka app. The app might be used for contact tracing in addition to storing details about take a look at outcomes and lodge bookings. Whereas almost each nation can demonstrably present that its tourism income had taken successful amid the coronavirus pandemic, Sri Lanka has suffered from notably unfortunate timing. A sequence of terrorist assaults within the capital of Colombo on Easter Sunday 2019 closely dented the nation’s tourism scene, and Sri Lanka had simply completed rebuilding its infrastructure when the pandemic hit. Following the preliminary Covid-19 outbreak in early 2020, most nations in Asia closed their borders to tourism and few have reopened since. Sri Lanka will be a part of the Maldives as one in every of two locations within the area with open borders.