Forty nine more tourist zones to be declared

Plans are underway to declare 49 additional tourist destinations as official tourist zones, State Minister of Tourism Diana Gamage revealed.

These locations will be published in a gazette within a month as part of the ongoing efforts to boost tourism, Ms Gamage told a press conference held today (29) at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) under the theme “Collective Path to a Stable Country”.

She also announced plans to establish a dedicated committee tasked with preventing and monitoring fraud and corruption within the tourism sector.

“We have received numerous complaints regarding tourist harassment in our country. I've spoken out about this issue before. Complaints range from overcharging for food to inflated prices for train tickets to tourist spots, and even instances of sexual harassment against a tourist promoting Sri Lanka. We are implementing measures to combat these activities. We cannot afford to let the reputation of our country suffer due to the actions of a few individuals who make mistakes.

“It is worth noting that the higher prices of railway tickets are often facilitated by corrupt officials. To address this, we are streamlining the process of purchasing tickets online and taking further steps to enhance this system. Such measures can help in controlling corruption and fraud,” she added.

She said in the past, there have been numerous criticisms regarding the operation of SPAs in our country. While these establishments function as wellness centres in other countries, ensuring the health and safety of our citizens is paramount. Currently, we are engaging in discussions with the Ministry of Health to streamline SPA operations and establish robust monitoring mechanisms.”