Lockdown rules apply to tourists exiting bio-bubble, says SLTDA

• MoH notice says tourists who complete mandatory 14-day quarantine period can move out of bubble 
• SLTDA says fully vaccinated tourists are free to move out of bubble but stresses lockdown rules still apply to them 

Although the Health Services Director General on Friday (September 3) announced a decision made to allow fully vaccinated tourists to move about the country freely outside the bio-bubble, the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) said the travel restrictions imposed by the government islandwide are still applicable to incoming travellers.

“Although fully vaccinated travellers are allowed to leave the bio-bubble, the lockdown imposed by the government applies to the tourist as well. This means that the restrictions of not being allowed to cross provinces  and other rules apply to them just as for locals,” SLTDA Acting Managing Director Madubhani Perera told Mirror Business.

When questioned the basis of the decision, the SLTDA official said, “There is a risk from non-vaccinated and half vaccinated tourists, so they have to be in the bio-bubble. But those fully vaccinated can go to the community since we have some assurance that they are not prone to catch the virus.” Last Friday (September 3) the Ministry of Health (MoH) in a fresh notice said the travellers who have completed 14 days in the bubble are “free to move out of the bubble” and visit other areas of the country. Accordingly, the tourists under the said category are permitted to book into any tourist hotel.

The MoH in its notice stated that the tourist hotels providing services to foreign tourists can accept tourists with the vaccination certification and/or the discharge note issued by the SLTDA, hotel doctor or hotel management.  The MoH notice also highlighted that the fully vaccinated tourists and quarantined tourists are allowed to visit tourist sites and the transport to the sites is to be arranged by the relevant hotel.

While the tourists who have completed their mandatory quarantine period can enjoy the facilities of the hotel, restaurants, bars, coffee shops and common facilities shall be kept open to in-house guests, provided that the relevant guidelines and maximum permitted capacity are adhered to, the MoH said. Furthermore, tourist establishments with liquor licences are permitted to serve liquor in-house to guests, with the approval of the Exercise Commissioner General.