Sri Lanka has launched a pilot programme to enable online seat reservations for long-distance bus travel, Transport and Highways Minister Bimal Rathnayake announced today.

Speaking at a media briefing, the Minister said buses remain the most widely used mode of daily transport in the country, even surpassing trains in popularity. 

However, he noted that passengers currently face inconvenience as they must physically visit bus terminals to reserve seats, making travel planning difficult.

“This new system will allow passengers to reserve seats in advance and plan their journeys more efficiently. Our aim is to make daily life easier,” he said.

The initiative will initially be implemented through private bus operators, with plans to expand the service to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) at a later stage.

Sri Lanka Telecom Chairman Mothilal De Silva stated that the platform was introduced ahead of the New Year holiday period in collaboration with several private sector partners.

The government is exploring the introduction of cable car facilities at Sri Pada (Adam’s Peak), as part of broader efforts to enhance tourism infrastructure.

The proposal was discussed at a Tourism Task Force meeting held on Tuesday (28) at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath.

During the meeting, it was noted that long-standing requests have been made to introduce a cable car system in the Sri Pada area, and several other locations, including Kikiliyamana and Ella, have also been identified as potential sites for similar projects.

Conducting feasibility studies for these locations, obtaining the necessary preliminary approvals and examining the reports required for implementation was focused on during the meeting.

Moreover, the meeting also reviewed plans to introduce a visa-free facility for citizens of 40 countries from May 25, a move expected to boost tourist arrivals.

Progress on improving sanitation facilities in 19 national parks, including Yala, was also discussed, with authorities noting that maintenance responsibilities have been assigned to a private entity.

Plans to establish a dedicated tourist zone along the coastal stretch from Kollupitiya were also discussed, with expectations that the initiative could attract between 2,000 and 3,000 visitors.

The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) stated that the number of tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka so far has crossed the 840,000 mark.

Accordingly, a total of 840,411 tourists have visited the country between January 1 and April 22, 2026.

The highest number of arrivals has been recorded from India, with 176,465 tourists, the SLTDA noted. 

A significant number of visitors have also arrived from countries including the United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, and China.

Meanwhile, the SLTDA stated that a total of 99,777 tourists arrived in the country between April 1 and April 22, 2026.

However, the data indicate that daily tourist arrivals in April have declined significantly compared to previous months.