20,000 tourist hotels operate without registration: Tourism Minister

Industrial Exports, Investment Promotion, Tourism and Civil Aviation Minister Prasanna Ranatunga said 20,000 tourist hotels had not been registered with the government and added there were only 2000 hotels which had been registered with the government at the moment.

He instructed the authorities concerned to take steps for the registration of hotels with due attention for their quality standards. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has already initiated action in this regard. The Minister has given instruction for the completion of the task within the next three months.