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Free visas from August 1 for Indians travelling to Sri Lanka.

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Sri Lanka has granted approval to issue on-arrival visa to tourists from countries, including India and China, aiming to revive its flagging tourism sector after the deadly Easter bombings.

The countries included, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States of America, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Canada, Singapore, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand and Switzerland.

But on Wednesday, Sri Lanka’s Tourism Ministry approved the pilot project to issue a free visa on arrival to 10 additional countries, including Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Philippines, Russia, China, India and England.

Sri Lanka’s tourist arrivals declined 7.5% in April 2019 compared to the same period last year, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority’s first monthly report since the terror attacks.

The visas on arrival pilot program was part of a larger initiative to increase tourist arrivals to the country during the six month off-season period from May to October.

 

 

 

 

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Cheers and Cheers: Barzilla’s Joyful Ode to Inclusivity and Celebration

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The RG Marathon Championship Run 2023 in Goa was a testament to inclusivity. Initially resistant to including persons with disabilities, it eventually featured wheelchair and standing categories, thanks to advocates’ efforts. Participants showed exceptional determination, emphasizing unity in diversity. Despite challenging weather, they demonstrated the power of community support, highlighting the need for accessibility and inclusion in all state-level events in Goa.

Following the marathon, a gathering of differently-abled individuals, predominantly wheelchair users, convened for a celebratory lunch at Barzilla. The event, orchestrated by Mr. Shariq Khan and Mr. Zain Aftab, proprietors of Barzilla, honored the birthday of Sadaf Fatima, who also uses a wheelchair and is Mr. Shariq Khan’s wife.

 

The lunch featured esteemed guests including the Tourism Minister of Goa, MLA Rohan Khaunte of Porvorim, Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai, and the State Commissioner for Persons with Disability in Goa, Guruprasad Pawaskar. The event was impeccably hosted by Ms. Falak Fatima and Mr. Adarsh Parashar, offering activities such as Karaoke and Billiards. The youth of Goa exhibited their unwavering support for the community, making the party an unequivocal success.

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