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Tourism body’s unit against illegal guides missing in action
The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority’s (SLTDA) enforcement unit members have not met since it was formed in October last year, the Sunday Times learns.
The unit was set up as an undertaking to the Supreme Court — following a ruling in July — to curb illegal guiding and tourist accommodation, but is yet to meet.
Despite the undertaking given to the Supreme Court in a fundamental rights violation petition filed by the then president of the Sri Lanka Institute of National Guide Lecturers’ Institute, the SLTDA and the Tourist Police have stopped checking licences of the tourist guide lecturers at tourists sites, licenced tourist guide lecturers say.
Despite an undertaking given to the Supreme Court, the SLTDA and the Tourist Police have stopped checking licences of tourist guides
Senior Counsel Dr. Raveendranath Dabare who appeared for the petitioner said that the SLTDA agreed to set up the enforcement unit to stop the illegal activities carried out by unauthorised persons which will have a direct negative impact on the country’s tourism industry. “This concerns the safety and the well-being of the tourists visiting the country,” warned Dr. Dabare. Referring to a recent incident involving three-wheel drivers and drivers of three wheelers provided by online platforms, Dr. Dabare further warned that negative publicity would discourage potential high-end tourists visiting the country, whom the country is currently luring to increase tourism income, and who are strongly driven by safety and security of the destination they visit.
In a recent incident, a police officer of the Polonnaruwa Tourist Police who had stopped a tourist coach carrying an un-licenced tourist guide, who was leading a group of tourists in Polonnaruwa, had been threatened by the tour operator, a well-known company mainly bringing French tourists to the country.
Meanwhile, national tourist guide lecturers alleged that unlicenced guiding is widespread and unlicenced guides taking tour groups are seen at almost all tourist sites and cities. All random license checking by the Tourist Police has been stopped.
Several attempts by the Sunday Times to contact SLTDA Chairperson Buddhika Hewawasam were not successful.
Mr. Hewawasam had earlier, strongly defended the undertaking given to the Supreme Court to stop illegal guiding.
He said that the enforcement unit along with the Tourist Police had arrested several people and had filed legal action against them last year. He even called upon registered tour operators not to hire illegal guides saying doing so would lead to cancellation of their licenses. Mr. Hewawasam was of the view that the formalisation of the tourism sector was one of SLTDAs priorities.
ASP Prabath Vidanagama, acting director of the Police Tourist Division told the Sunday Times that random checking of the license of tourist guide lectures at tourist sites such as Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa had been hotly debated. The tour operators, who hire illegal guides call him to ask about the legality of tourist police checking licenses.
ASP Vidanagama said that according to the mandate, the Tourist Police can attend to issues in relation to security and safety of tourists. However, he said that there is no provision to check the licences of tourist guide lecturers, unless the SLTDA specifically seeks such assistance with the help of SLTDA officials.
He said that he could not tell whether or not he had instructed the Tourist Police to stop checking licences at tourist sites. Still, he confirmed that the Tourist Police had not carried out any licence checking, recently.
However, Dr. Dabare pointed out that in the rights petition in the Supreme Court, SLTDA agreed to make regulations allowing the Tourist Police to delegate the powers vested with the SLTDA to have the licenses checked. “As per the undertaking by the SLTDA its bound to make necessary regulations to delegate the powers to the police,” said Dr. Dabare.
The very same well-known tour operator in question, questioned the language competencies of the licensed tour guide lecturers. Whenever, they asked for guide fee increases, it scrupulously hired unlicensed, under-qualified guides for a meagre payment without providing accommodation at the same hotel as their guests as required by law, alleged a former president of the Sri Lanka National Tourist Guide Lecturers Association. “This illegal practice of hiring illegal guides to provide services for the tourists not only undermine safety and security of the tourists but also compromise the service quality,” he said.
“This would pave the way for unqualified people who lack the formal training to engage as tourists guides. They not only give false information but also financially exploit the tourists by various means, tarnishing the image of the country,” he explained. “If you want to increase both the number and the tourism income, then you need to provide better quality service.”
“Tourists look at the reviews before they book holidays,” says national tour guide lecturer and a primate researcher, Sunil Gunathilake, who was also the scientific advisor to the Disney Nature documentary, “the Monkey Kingdom.” If they see negative reviews, they would go somewhere else.
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