Colombo, Dec 26 (newsin.asia) – The Sri Lankan government, on Tuesday said it would strengthen its tourist police force in 2018 for the safety and assistance of tourists who visit the island country.
Law and Order Ministry officials said the government had allocated Rs. 50 million to strengthen the police force in order to maintain Sri Lanka as a safe haven for tourists.
Accordingly, the government handed over 18 new motor bikes and 4 terrain vehicles to the Tourist police on Tuesday. The vehicles were handed over by Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake and Tourism Minister John Amaratunga.
The Sri Lankan government, had recently said it will take immediate measures to provide a safe environment for tourists to the island nation.
Tourism Minister Amaratunga said the government was concerned at the increasing number of complaints of exploitation and harassment of foreign tourists and warned to take stern action against those involved.
Amaratunga added that with tourist arrivals hitting record figures in recent years, the number of complaints was also increasing.
“We are very much aware of the ground situation and plan to take stern measures so that the good name of the industry and the country is not spoilt by a few miscreants,” he had said.
Sri Lanka’s tourism industry which was once heavily scarred by a 30-year civil conflict has now emerged as the leading foreign exchange earner with an increasing number of tourists.
China has been Sri Lanka’s second largest market with the most number of tourist arrivals with 249,000 Chinese tourists arriving so far this year.
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