On the back of the Australia - New Zealand travel bubble where almost 2,000 Australians flew to New Zealand to mark the first day of the trans-Tasman travel bubble last Monday, Sri Lanka is hoping to launch a travel bubble of its own with India to revive the country’s tourism industry. The bubble would allow travelers to visit both countries without quarantines, a first for either nation. However, any such bubble has been delayed until India has contained its second wave of cases.
According to The Hindu, Sri Lanka is pursuing a travel bubble arrangement with India in the near future. The island nation has seen its tourism numbers fall rapidly since last March and with a minimal domestic market to cater to, is looking to reopen its international borders. India is the biggest source of tourists for Sri Lanka and given the proximity between the countries, it is a prime target for a bio-bubble. Indians accounted for 18% of all tourist arrivals in January 2020, the last month before the pandemic disrupted global travel, making it key to the economy. It is important to note that Sri Lanka is looking to create a bio-bubble with India and is already a part of India’s “travel bubble agreements.” The country joined this list last week, allowing flights to resume after a long halt. If successful, it would be the first bio-bubble in South Asia and could mark the restart of international travel in the region.
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