Sri Lanka tracks tourists to ensure national security

Saturday, 20 April 2013 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: Sri Lanka, which saw record tourist arrivals last year, said on Thursday it had started tracking those same tourists to crack down on crime and ensure national security.

The US$59 billion economy recorded one million arrivals last year with annual revenue from tourism jumping to an all-time peak of US$1.04 billion, helped by the end of nearly three decades of civil war in 2009.

The decision to track the tourists, requiring hotels and guesthouses to submit weekly reports on their foreign guests, comes after several foreign visitors were arrested for crimes including credit card fraud and printing counterfeit money, government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella told reporters. “In the guise of tourists, there are certain elements which are adverse to (the security of) the country,” Rambukwella said. Police in December arrested at least 100 Chinese nationals accused of an internet fraud schemes targeting people in their home country while separately, police arrested a Chinese tourist suspected of swallowing a diamond worth 1.8 million rupees (US$13,600) at the island nation’s biggest international gem and jewellery exhibition. Sri Lanka targets US$2.5 billion annual revenue from tourism with 2.5 million arrivals by 2016 and has invited international hoteliers to invest in post-war Sri Lanka.

Tourism is one of the main foreign exchange earners for Sri Lanka, along with remittances from expatriate workers, garment manufacturing and tea.

Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event including Valentine ’s Day. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Flower Bouquets, Clothing, Watches, Lingerie, Gift Sets and Jewellery. Also if you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.