Tika Traveller

Discover Sri Lanka & Maldives From Those Who Know It Best

Blogs from Tikalanka are designed to enhance your knowledge of Sri Lanka and Maldives and keep you up to date with recent developments. We intend to post regular features on travel, news, lifestyle and accommodation as well as guest articles from current and past customers, which will give you first-hand experience of Tikalanka, Sri Lanka and Maldives.

Category: Health

TikaWeeks #15-1/2021: Sri Lanka & Maldives update

Posted by John on 14th April 2021

As a consequence of the updated health protocol for arrivals to Sri Lanka, we have made a company policy decision of only accepting bookings from customers who are fully COVID-19 vaccinated and this is now a necessary prerequisite of booking with Tikalanka. We will require proof of vaccination at some stage before you fly to continue with a booking. I hope that you appreciate our commitment to ensuring the health and safety of our customers as well as the people of Sri Lanka and Maldives.

TikaWeeks #07/2021: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 19th February 2021

Earlier this week, the Government of Sri Lanka announced that the temporary restriction on travel originating from the UK to Sri Lanka has been lifted with immediate effect.This is certainly some good news amid the many downbeat remarks from our own government ministers about the possibility of reopening foreign travel in the immediate future. However, entry to Sri Lanka is still subject to an initial 14 days stay in ‘Safe & Secure’ Certified Level 1 hotels and regular PCR tests.

TikaWeeks #03-2/2021: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 21st January 2021

To date, the list of ‘Safe & Secure’ Certified Level 1 hotels in Sri Lanka runs to 55, of which 25 are offered by Tikalanka, and there are currently 17 approved tourist sites and attractions, mostly national parks and cultural sites. Let’s hope that the ongoing health audit continues apace in order to approve many more of our favourite accommodation and places to visit as ‘safe and secure’ in the near future. Visit Sri Lanka Tourism for up to date information on the things you need to know for safely travelling to Sri Lanka.

TikaWeeks #03-1/2021: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 18th January 2021

We have now received the official Sri Lanka Tourism Safety Protocols for arranging and running holidays on the island in the near future. We are still awaiting clarification or confirmation of the finalised list of certified ‘Safe and Secure’ Level 1 hotels (the health audit is still on-going), approved tourist sites, accredited laboratories for PCR tests, and guide or driver guidelines. The safety protocols currently in place will be reviewed regularly and there will most likely be variations to these protocols as time goes by.

TikaWeeks #01/2021: Sri Lanka & Maldives update

Posted by John on 5th January 2021

Happy New Year! I am sure that none of us are sorry to see the back of 2020 and let’s hope for better times ahead, whenever they may happen. On this note, Sri Lanka reopened its borders to international tourist flights on 27 December 2020 for a pilot scheme until 19 January 2021 to assess the feasibility of restarting tourism on the island, which is a positive sign. However, the initial health guidelines to be followed are prohibitively restrictive and will need to be relaxed significantly to encourage visitors once again.

TikaWeeks #49/2020: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 2nd December 2020

With the approval of a COVID-19 vaccine in the UK and the first vaccinations taking place in the coming weeks, there is finally an end in sight to the bizarre and unprecedented world that has defined 2020 – hurrah and huzzah! There is also tentative news that Sri Lanka will reopen its borders and welcome foreign visitors once again from the beginning of next year, hopefully from 01 January 2021. We will keep you posted with any developments.

TikaWeeks #41/2020: Sri Lanka & Maldives update

Posted by John on 5th October 2020

Both Sri Lanka and Maldives have received the safe travel stamp from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC). This seal of approval helps identify destinations and businesses that have adopted a new set of global safety and hygiene protocols as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which take into account WHO and CDC advice.

TikaWeeks #27/2020: Sri Lanka & Maldives update

Posted by John on 3rd July 2020

Ridiculous as it may seem, the illustrious UK government today decided NOT to include either Sri Lanka or Maldives on its initial travel corridors list, which exempts travellers from self-isolating for 14 days on arrival in England from 10 July 2020. Both island nations have managed to limit the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) effectively and efficiently, contrary to our own government's disastrous and amoral actions, so why penalise them for doing the job properly?

TikaWeeks #24/2020: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 10th June 2020

Sri Lanka Tourism is ready to welcome tourists from 01 August 2020. The organisation released a set of new protocols and procedures for hotels, DMCs and other tourism partners on 29 May 2020 with the aim of safeguarding visitors against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which will be implemented and standardised across the Sri Lankan tourism industry as a means of reassurance to future visitors.

TikaWeeks #23/2020: Sri Lanka update

Posted by John on 5th June 2020

Some good news, finally: Sri Lanka is proposing to reopen for tourist arrivals from 01 August 2020. So far, Sri Lanka has performed excellently in the face of the pandemic with relatively low infection rates in comparison to most other countries thanks to the prompt and efficient actions of the government. New procedures are being implemented at the airport, restaurants, hotels, tourist sites and national parks, although the finer details are still being finalised by Sri Lanka Tourism.

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