Colombo | The commencement of granting free on-arrival visas to tourists from 38 countries, including India, can only be implemented in October as it needs parliamentary approval, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles has announced.

The minister said on Monday that a new gazette to implement the change requires parliamentary approval.

Last week, the presidential advisor on tourism, Harin Fernando, said the scheme was to be implemented with immediate effect following a proposal approved by the Cabinet.

The Parliament is not scheduled to meet before the September 21 presidential election.

The island's tourism industry has demanded an immediate end to the long delays experienced by travellers to the country.

In April, a foreign company was engaged to issue on-arrival visas. However, it has caused much heartburn to the tourism industry that says travellers are made to spend hours before being allowed entry at the immigration at the Colombo International Airport.

The tourism industry demands a return to the system that existed before April. The Supreme Court had ordered the Immigration Department to suspend the private operation and run the visa service themselves.

However, Alles said the process to return to the previous system takes time. He said the number of counters at the airport has been increased to cut down the delay.