Ministry of Foreign Affairs updates Sri Lanka travel advice, giving holidaymakers a huge boost

To encourage holidaymakers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has updated its travel advice for Sri Lanka and softened its warnings about safety on the island.

While the UK government is not advising against travel to Sri Lanka, it was only earlier this month that it warned travelers of the risks, including shortages of fuel and food, as well as multiple power outages and potential political unrest.

However, back in January, Experience Travel Group (ETG) launched a campaign and issued an open letter warning that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ advice to Sri Lanka “systematically harms the tourism industry” because the warnings can Dating back to events on the island in 2022, the moderate risk is considered no longer applicable to today’s visitors.

Now the Foreign Office has updated advice on holiday hotspots and lifted warnings of food or fuel shortages, a move celebrated by campaigners.

Research by Experience Travel Group ahead of the publication of the open letter showed that nearly 74% of Britons would even turn down a free holiday if the Foreign Office’s travel advice showed a destination was unsafe.

Commenting on the latest changes to the advice, Sam Clark, chief executive of Experience Travel Group, said: “This is a major win for everyone who signed up to our public campaign seeking a fairer and more accurate travel guide to Sri Lanka.

“No one should be denied the beauty and cultural wealth of this amazing country simply because of the moderate risks that exist everywhere. After all, Britain itself is no stranger to political protest. If people are stopped from traveling because of this, they will never even Leave them their own front door.”

However, it is worth noting that the Foreign Office does continue to issue a series of warnings if you are planning to travel. For example, it warned that “terrorists may attempt to carry out attacks in Sri Lanka” and that “protests and demonstrations may occur anywhere on the island at short notice and may become violent”. It also urged Britons to remain vigilant and store their belongings safely amid “an increase in low-level opportunistic crime”.

Still, many other resorts have issued similar warnings. Ultimately, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs doesn’t advise against traveling to Sri Lanka, so the island is open to those who want to explore – and there’s plenty to see and do.

Sri Lanka is full of incredible places, such as the awe-inspiring Sigiriya Castle,

The stunning Udawalawe National Park with its elephants and spotted deer, the bustling city of Colombo and of course those picturesque beaches like the golden sands of Uwatuna Beach.

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