Sri Lanka should offer visa-free arrival to all – Nihal Perera

Sri Lanka should offer the same ‘Visa Free facility’ initiated by Singapore and now successfully by Thailand to woo more tourists, said veteran travel and aviation expert and founder Sparklink Travels, Nihal C.B. Perera.

Sri Lanka should not have any restrictions on tourist arrivals. A visa-free regime is the need of the hour to get more visitors and attract more FOREX.”

A former Ceylon Tourist Board Development and Publicity Director said that they leased or gave several unused state lands to build hotels during his time. “But we told the investors that the construction has to start in six months, and this happened.”

One such venture was the opening of the Pegasus Reef hotel at Wattala.

Perera also initiated the creation of special tourism zones in Bentota Hikkaduwa, and several other areas.

After a nearly 15-year stint at the Tourist Board, he formed his own travel company, Sparklink Travel, in 1979 with just 4 employees. “With the rapid expansion of business, and being recognized as an
IATA-accredited travel agency, we increased our employee strength and moved into our own four-story building in Bambalapitiya. We also opened a branch in Australia.”

After the COVID pandemic, we also negotiated with airlines and refunded all passenger tickets purchased and cancelled due to COVID-19.

He recalled the days when people were issued small booklet-type air tickets and how his staff had to visit the airline officers personally to collect them. “The online has changed these, and I think this is a time-saving move.”

Unlike two decades ago, online and payment gateways have enabled people to book their own air tickets from home, and we too have changed our strategies to find new businesses.

Today, family-owned company Sparklink Travels continues with his son Praki Perera now heading the company’s operations in both Sri Lanka and Australia.

Their dedication ensures that the company remains a premier provider of air travel, cruises, and tours, with professional services tailored to enhance the true essence of travel. Perera, has been a pioneering force in Sri Lanka’s tourism sector, was also honored as a ‘Tourism Legend’ at the annual industry awards.