Legal action on travel agencies

If tourists violate health guidelines

• Request made to bring tourists to SL last month under a pilot project  
• 14 locations have been identified where the tourists will be able to visit  
• Tourist sites will not be closed for locals when foreigners visit the area

By Easwaran Rutnam

Legal action will be taken against the respective travel agencies if tourists violate health guidelines when visiting Sri Lanka.   

Tourism Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said that a request was made to bring tourists to Sri Lanka last month under a pilot project.   
He said that three travel agencies had agreed to charter Ukrainian tourists to Sri Lanka and the Ukrainians who arrived in Sri Lanka were arranged by these agencies.   

Ranatunga said that legal action will be taken in future on travel agencies if tourists violate the health guidelines when visiting Sri Lanka.   

He also said that tourists will not be allowed to enter Sri Lanka through those respective travel agencies.   
The Minister admitted that there were shortcomings from the pilot project initiated last month but insisted that they will be addressed before the airports reopen this month. 

 
The Tourism Minister said that 14 locations have been identified where the tourists will be able to visit after being cleared in a PCR test, including the Temple of the Tooth (Dalada Maligawa) in Kandy.   

He also said that the tourist sites will not be closed for locals when foreigners visit the area.   
However, steps will be taken to ensure locals and foreigners do not have close interaction.