Health guidelines and Permitted Hotels for tourists who are visiting Sri Lanka in 2021

1. International

Arrivals

Immigration/

CAA/AASL/SLT

DA/MOH

(All

stakeholders)

Katunayake and Mattala Airports.

2. Arrival of tourists would be decided by the testing capacity of the private

laboratories as determined by the Ministry of Health and Minister of Tourism

jointly.

3. Dual Citizens or Sri Lankan spouses of foreign passport holders any paid

commercial passengers with foreign passport could follow the tourist route

under the same guideline.

4. Civil Aviation Authority to inform all flights bring-in tourists, the Health

Protocols that needs to be adhered.

5. Arrangements for Crew to be agreed in advance with the Civil Aviation and

Airport Aviation Authority, according to the existing health guidelines for

Airline Crew.

6. These guidelines exclude Business Visas

7. Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority should ensure that the details of

arrivals are informed to the Ministry of Health (DGHS-dghs@health.gov.lk,

ddgphs1@health.gov.lk, Chief Epidemiologist – chepid@sltnet.lk DPRD –

drishankadprd@gmail.com) and the local area MOH prior to the arrival of the

respective flights.

2. Visa

specifically mentioned

SLTDA

otherwise

Hotel/

2. In addition to Visa Fees,

Travel Agent

through the Tourism App cost

for two PCR tests and COVID

Insurance to be levied

3. Pre-confirmed hotel booking

up to first 14 days

Health Guide ines for Managing Tourists 06-01-2021 – Ministry of Health

2. Mandatory to pay for two PCR tests if the visit is up to 7 days or three PCR

tests, if the visit is for more than 7 days as decided by the Medical officer of

Health

3. COVID-19 Insurance cover for the period of one month is mandatory and

could be paid for through

the Tourism Mobile App or at the time of the hotel booking or when

purchasing airline ticket.

4. Pre-confirmed hotel booking up to 14 days. Details of the international

travelers should be sent to the area Medical Officer of Health when issuing

visa, and should continue to update until their arrival at the respective

hotels.

3. Prior to Boarding

2. Health declaration

3. COVID Insurance Cover

Airport

Aviation

Authority

laboratory

2. Health declaration to be filled and submitted prior to boarding flight, on

flight or on arrival

3. Mandatory COVID-19 Insurance cover for at least LKR 5 million equivalent in

USD.

4. Minimum Stay in Hotel

Hotel (Level 1).

2. During the first 14 days the guest is permitted to stay in more than one

Certified Safe & Secure Level 1 Hotels, provided that the on arrival PCR test

result is negative and travelling under a bio-security bubble.

3. Tourists are not permitted to move outside the hotel up to 14 days, except

only to identified sites approved by the COVID Taskforce, in consultation

with the Ministry of Health; under a bio security bubble, after the on-arrival

PCR test result is negative.

4. Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority should make arrangements using

appropriate methods to carry out continuous assessments and audits to

ensure the safety and security standards of Certified Safe and Secure Level

1 Hotels are maintained.

5. Hotels to ensure effective access control measures are in place, in and

around the hotel.

6. After 14 days stay in a Certified Safe and Secure Level 1 Hotel, a guest is

permitted to interact with the community, provided that the PCR tests

results are negative.

Health Guidelines for Managing Tourists 06-01-2021 – Ministry of Health

5. Pre-departure PCR

done by an accredited laboratory

within 96 hours prior to departure

should be available at the time of

Check-in

6. PCR Testing

be done

sector laboratory approved by the Ministry of Health.

2. Wherever possible, all PCR tests of a given traveler should be carried out by

a single laboratory

3. On arrival PCR test should be conducted prior to checking in at the Hotel

already pre booked by the traveler. This should be arranged by the hotel

with a private sector laboratory approved by the Ministry of Health.

4. Movements of the guests should be restricted to the minimum until the on

arrival PCR test result is negative.

5. Second PCR test should be conducted 5-7 days after arrival.

6. In the event of longer sta an additional PCR test should be conducted

between 10-14 day of arrival.

7. All PCR Reports should be e-mailed by the private sector hospital to the

Epidemiology Unit (chepid@sltnet.lk), COVID Taskforce

(covid19s/20@gmail.com), DG Ministry of Health (dghs@health.gov.lk), DG

Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (dg @srilanka.travel) and to the

respective hotels, highlighting the Positive Test Reports. The Hotel to

upload the PCR test report to the Tourism Mobile App when implemented.

Copy of the report to be given to the guest for his/her records. The Passport

Number should be considered as the reference number, to ensure

traceability of reports and payments.

7. Transport

independent transport for each group of tourists

Vehicle number, drivers and guide

details to be provided

2. Hotel or the Travel Agent should have an advanced transport plan.

3. Domestic Flights permitted subject to strictly adhering to health protocols

4. Travel Agents and Hotels to adhere to prevailing Health Guidelines of the

Ministry of Health and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

Transportation details should be informed to the area Medical Officer of

Health, COVID Taskforce and DG Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority,

once the arrangements are made.

1. Maintain a transport log with passenger details.

2. Inform the National Operations Center for Control of COVID-19 for contact

tracing, area MOH and DG Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority of all

details prior to arrival.

3. Unless attending in full PPE, quarantine all personal involved in

transportation for 14 days and inform COVID Task force and DG Sri Lanka

Tourism Development Authority including the details on location of the

quarantine facility.

8. Tour Guides & Drivers/

Assistants

Authority Registered Tour Guides

and Tourist Drivers

accompanying tourists.

2. Quarantine facility for 14 days to be provided after the tour, unless

attending in full PPE.

3. Accommodation provided during Tour to meet health & Safety Guidelines.

4. Medical Insurance including COVID-19 Insurance to be given to all

personnel during the tour and subsequent 14 days.

9. Hotel Booking

& Secure (Level 1) hotels

2. Tourist are not permitted to move outside the hotel for the first 14 days,

except to approved tourist sites under a bio secure bubble.

3. Change of hotel within the first 14 days is allowed only among the Certified

Safe & Secure (Level 1) hotels, under a bio security bubble.

4. Hotels, Travel Agents and Tour Operators to share accommodation booking

details, transportation details and site visit details with the Area Medical Officer of Health and DG Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority immediately on making bookings and prior to any travel.

Agent/Hotel

more Certified Safe and Secure (Level 1) hotel.

2. Rest to be reserved for isolation purposes if necessity arose for isolation of

non-symptomatic COVID-19 positive guests.

flights

Agents

arriving from different flights.

2. Bookings from multiple flights are permitted.

3. Hotels should have a room allocation plan in place.

4. Reservation details should be informed to the area Medical Officer of Health

and DG Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority when making booking and

prior to guests’ arrival.

secure and there is no possibility of

any interaction with the public

authorities in and around the hotel.

2. Until 14 days from arrival, no interaction with the local community.

3. Use of Public Transport even after 14 days is discouraged.

4. Ensure adherence to Health Guidelines at all time

and staff

Reporting of symptom surveillance

1. There should be a designated Medical Officer arranged by the hotel to

monitor the health of guests and staff. Contact details of the Medical

Officer should be informed to the area Medical Officer of Health and to the

Ministry of Health

2. Designated Medical Officer to the hotel should report regularly to the

Ministry of Health(DGHS – dghs@health.gov.lk, ddgph$1@health.gov.lk,

Chief Epidemiologist – chepid@sltnet.lk DPRD –

drishankadprd@gmail.com), COVID Taskforce and DG Sri Lanka Tourism

Development Authority of the health status of hotel staff and Guests.

distancing.

tourists being accommodated.

2. No functions involving local guests allowed

10.Non symptomatic

Covid-19 PCR

positive persons

followed by transfer to designated

Intermediate Care Centre

Medical Officer of Health of the

area should be informed

strict supervision of the designated Medical Officer of the hotel and the area

Medical Officer of Health until the patient is transferred to a designated

intermediate care center.

2. Tourism Development Authority should make arrangements to identify

appropriate Intermediate Care Centers in consultation and approval of the

Ministry of Health to accommodate asymptomatic COVID-19 patients.

3. Where isolation is not feasible (e.g., a large group positive for COVID-19

infection) alternative designated isolation hotel to be identified in advance, by

the DG/Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

4. Staff and other contacts should be managed according to the guidelines

already in force under the guidance of the area Medical Officer of Health

5. If symptomatic or on the decision of the designated Medical Officer of the

hotel and/area Medical Officer of Health, the guest and any exposed guests will

be admitted to a pre-arranged Private Hospital approved by the Ministry of

Health.

11. Symptomatic

COVID-19 PCR

positive

SLTDA/Hotel

2. The area Medical officer of Health should be informed.

3. COVID-19 Insurance to reimburse hospitals charges including Ambulance

transfer up to LKR 5 Million for a month.

12. Treatment for

other

conditions during the first

14 days

than COVID-19 that need

hospitalization

2. Patients in their first 14 days of visit should be treated only in hospitals

identified for such purposes by the SLDTA and approved by the Ministry of

Health

3. Area Medical Officer of Health should be informed once the designated

Medical Officer of the hotel makes the decision.

4. Cost of treatment should be covered through the tourists’ personal medical

insurance.

13. Staff

Management

of infection and spreading into the

community through staff

Hotel/Travel

Agent/Tour

Operator

hotel premises during the period of guest accommodation (maximum 14

days) and for 14 days further.

2. This quarantine process should be arranged under the supervision of the

designated Medical Officer of the hotel and the local health authorities.

Details should be provided to Ministry of Health, COVID Taskforce and DG Sri

Lanka Tourism Development Authority.

3. Staff should be screened for COVID-19 at regular intervals as per the existing

Occupational Health Guidelines published by the Ministry of Health.

4. All staff should be subjected to proper risk assessment under the guidance of

the of the area Medical Officer of Health and appropriate interventions should

be instituted if a guest tested positive for COVID-19.

5. Hotels, Travel Agents and Tour Operators are bound to adhere to Health

Guideline of the Ministry of Health and Sri Lanka Tourism Development

Authority currently enforced.

6. In the event a COVID-19 guest or employee is reported the hotel, the

relevant travel agent and tour operator are bound to adhere to the instructions

provided by the Ministry of Health, COVID Taskforce and Sri Lanka Tourism

Development Authority.

14. Visit to Sites

time slots allocated for Tourists, only to travel in a bio safety bubble.

2. Permission for the tourist sites is granted by the Sri Lanka Tourism

Development Authority in consultation with the Ministry of Health, COVID

Task Force and the local health authorities.

3. Itinerary to be shared in advance with the local health authority of the

tourist site and the agencies managing the sites.

4. Any special arrangements including stops for meals or toilet stops or any

another stop must be indicated in the itinerary and should be done in

consultation with the local health authorities of the respective areas where

such stops are planned.

5. All persons accompanying tourist including tour guides, safari jeep drivers,

bus drivers, other drivers, assistants, translators, unless attending in full

PPE, should undergo 14 days quarantine under supervision of the local

health authority including PCR testing.

The time periods allocated for tourists should be published on Sri Lanka

Tourism Website to avoid the risk mixing with locals