Sri Lanka will soon introduce an online visa system to boost the economy and the tourism sector in the country after the end of a three-decade ethnic conflict that ended last May.

The new service will enable the tourists to obtain visas without going to embassies. "The president has given instructions to relevant authorities to start the new system as soon as possible," president's office said in a statement.

Last month, a senior cabinet minister announced that the government had plans to adopt the policy of issuing multiple entry visas for investors and business travellers.

Sri Lanka had also proposed to do away with visas on arrival for nationals from over 85 countries. This was to have come into effect from October.

However, the implementation of the scheme has been delayed following protests from the tourism industry.

Sri Lanka has recorded increasing tourists arrivals after the end of a three-decade war in May last year.

More than six lakhs tourists arrived in the country this year, up from last year's 400,000 arrivals.

The government forces defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels in May 2009, ending the group's armed struggle for a separate state. Between 80,000 and 100,000 people were killed in the fighting.