(COLOMBO) – Sri Lanka’s Tourism Minister Diana Gamage on Thursday warned of stern action against individuals found targeting foreign tourists with verbal or any other abuse.
Gamage was reacting to video that went viral on social media which showed and American you tuber being verbally abused and threatened by a street food stall vendor in the heart of the country’s commercial capital of Colombo.
“Strict measures will be taken against anyone causing inconvenience to foreigners visiting the country and the Minister expressed concern over the action of certain individuals of engaging in such indecent behaviour, labeling them as disgraceful”.
“These individuals show no respect towards foreigners. Their actions pose a threat to our country’s reputation and cannot be tolerated,” she stated.
The State Minister highlighted that modern-day tourists are well-informed and not easily misled. She stressed the importance of maintaining Sri Lanka’s reputation for friendliness and hospitality.
“With nearly 700,000 foreigners having visited by April, it’s crucial to prevent such actions from tarnishing our image and damaging our economy,” Gamage warned.
Gamage known for her maverick comments in the past has even called for the legalizing of Marijuana, expanding night club activity and even hinted at lifting the proscription of prostitution if the tourism industry was to be promoted to a profitable sector in this conservative island-nation.
