Buddhist pilgrims affected as air fares rise amid dollar surge: Tour Organizers

By Sunil S. Thanthriarachchi

Colombo, June 2 (Daily Mirror) - The increase in air fares driven by the rising value of the US dollar has caused significant inconvenience to devotees travelling to Buddhist shrines abroad, as well as to tour operators, said Mahendra Halloluwa, General Secretary of the Association of Foreign Buddhist Tour Organizers.

He made these remarks while speaking to the media on the 1st.

Halloluwa said that around 270 foreign Buddhist tour organizations are currently registered with the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, with many devotees saving money over several months to participate in such religious tours. However, sudden fluctuations in travel costs are now negatively impacting both organizers and pilgrims.

He further pointed out that visa-free facilities offered by certain countries have been restricted in recent months, with visa fees in some cases rising to around Rs. 13,000. In addition, increases in global fuel prices have led to higher transportation costs in destination countries, including bus fares.

He urged authorities to consider providing relief on air ticket prices, particularly from SriLankan Airlines, to ease the burden on devotees.

Halloluwa also warned that when officially registered organizations adjust tour prices to reflect rising costs, some unregistered operators offer cheaper packages, which can lead to irregularities and potential illegal activities. He called on authorities to investigate and regulate such practices more effectively.