COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — Sri Lanka says it will give one-month free visa on arrival to visitors from nearly 50 countries in its latest effort to revive the island nation's lucrative tourism industry that was badly hit by the Easter bomb attacks.

Tourism Minister John Amaratunga says tourists or those visiting for business purposes could get their free visa on arrival or applying online. The measure will be effective for six months, starting from Thursday.

Tourist arrivals sharply declined after the coordinated suicide attacks on tourist hotels and churches. The blasts that killed more than 250 people were blamed on Islamic extremists.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has said Sri Lanka is now safe for tourists and security has returned to normalcy.