The Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB) has now clarified regarding the nation reopening for tourism. According to SLTPB, August is the month when they are planning to start welcoming tourists, precisely, August 1. But it is going to be for a limited number of people, and only in small groups. The Chairperson of SLTPB, Kimali Fernando, denied earlier reports that said that the tourism industry is set to reopen in mid-June.
The chairperson further said that tourists will be permitted to stay in approved hotels as selected by the tourism board. In fact, even luxury hotels have been handpicked, only where strict safety measures have been taken.
Tourists who are entering the country would have to carry COVID-19 free certificates. This can be furnished by their respective governments, or by a reputed agency. Moreover, tourists are also required to complete a coronavirus testing on arrival, so you would have to wait at the airport for that. The Bandaranaike International Airport, and the Mattala International Airport are expected to partially reopen once the government approves of the plans. Then, testing centres will be opened up at these airports. It has been reported that if your test is taking more than 24 hours, you will be checking into a 4-star or 5-star hotel as per government regulations for the night.
Also, one must keep in mind that public transportation may not be available at this time, so you will need to make arrangements through your hotel. You will be able to explore some selected places that are set to open for tourists ; these include the Yala National Park, Arugam Bay, Trincomalee, Udawalawe, and some other beaches.