Arrest illegal foreign tourist guides

The National Institute of Tourist Guide Lecturers requests the government to formulate strict provisions to enable the arrest of foreigners who enter the country using tourist visas and illegally engage in the tourist guiding sector. The institute has also submitted a special request to the President to include these legal provisions in the new tourism act, which is scheduled to be introduced in the future.

Experts in the field point out that the illegal involvement of foreign nationals, especially from several countries including China and India, in the domestic tourism industry in this manner has become a serious threat to the survival of the entire industry.

Commenting on this crisis, Mr. Sampath Perera, President of the National Institute of Tourist Guide Lecturers, states that although a large number of tourists currently visit the island, these illicit activities directly contribute to the country not receiving proper relief for its foreign exchange problems. Some foreigners who enter the country as ordinary tourists have completely taken over the country's tourism operations, and they even operate unregistered tourism companies in Sri Lanka. The President emphasizes that this results in the country losing large-scale revenue that should rightfully belong to the government and the domestic economy.

He points out that due to these illegal interventions by foreigners, local professionals are facing severe difficulties, stating that despite many Sri Lankan national guides who are proficient in foreign languages like Chinese, they have lost professional opportunities and are forced to stay at home due to the current situation. Furthermore, it is revealed that these groups, who remain in the country on tourist visas, have also taken control of major businesses in the local market such as gems, jewelry, and spices, putting traditional local businessmen at severe risk of bankruptcy.

Professionals in the field urge authorities to immediately take steps to completely prohibit these illegal business and guiding activities by foreigners, which have dealt a death blow to the domestic tourism sector and economy. The relevant institution has also submitted a special charter to the President, via the Deputy Minister, requesting the enforcement of a systematic program and strict legal provisions through the new tourism act to address this issue.