Sri Lanka’s tourism sector is under mounting pressure after a series of disturbing harassment incidents, prompting industry leaders to warn that visitor safety can no longer be ignored.
The Small and Medium Scale Tourism Entrepreneurs Association has called on the government to urgently implement stronger regulations to protect both local and foreign tourists. The demand comes after several incidents surfaced on social media, raising serious concerns about safety and the lack of an independent authority dedicated to tourist protection.
Addressing the media, Association President Samira Senaka de Silva stressed that Sri Lanka has no specialised body with the capacity to monitor or respond effectively to harassment cases involving travellers. He said that the absence of a regulatory framework has created vulnerabilities across the tourism industry as arrivals continue to rise.
De Silva highlighted a particularly alarming incident involving a widely circulated video in which a young man exposed himself to a female tourist in broad daylight. He said the act was deliberate and intended to intimidate the visitor, calling it a reminder of the urgent need for systematic safeguards.
In his remarks, de Silva said, “The youth in the video exposed his private parts to intentionally make the tourist uncomfortable. This raises serious questions about how safe female tourists are in this country. Authorities must investigate this incident thoroughly and ensure concrete measures are put in place to protect visitors.”
He emphasised that Sri Lanka’s tourism industry must be properly regulated to prevent such behaviour and to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all travellers. Without a dedicated mechanism for oversight, he warned that Sri Lanka risks damaging its reputation at a critical time when the country is depending heavily on tourism revenue for economic recovery.
