Economy

Tourism industry hit by immigration delays and inefficiencies

Published

2 years ago

September 2, 2024

Sri Lanka’s tourism industry is facing severe setbacks due to prolonged delays and inefficiencies at the country’s main airport, Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA).

Reports of long-queues, slow moving lines for visa on arrival, and indifferent service by immigration officers have marred the experience for tourists and returning Sri Lankans alike, resulting in a significant drop in daily arrivals and substantial economic impact.

According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), daily arrivals have dropped drastically from around 6,000 visitors to 2,000 since 18 August.

Industry feedback suggests that the country may have lost around 40,000 potential tourists in August alone, reflecting an estimated economic loss of $ 120 million.

Despite these alarming figures, there has been little response from the authorities responsible for immigration.

“We have repeatedly been trying to engage with the Department of Immigration and Emigration Controller General for over a week without success,” a top official of Sri Lanka Tourism told the Daily FT.

He said that Sri Lanka Tourism has been lobbying alongside the Tourism Ministry to address these issues, including the simple step of increasing the number of counters for on-arrival visas. Yet, these efforts have been met with silence.

The situation has sparked criticism from industry stakeholders and travellers. Complaints highlight the stark contrast between the warm welcome Sri Lanka promises and the cold, apathetic reality encountered at its main airport.

These issues have raised concerns about the commitment of immigration services to supporting the tourism industry, a vital foreign exchange generating industry to the economy.

Industry stakeholders claimed that the silence from officials and the lack of concrete actions to improve the situation only add to the frustration.

“The inefficiencies at the BIA are not only deterring tourists, but also tarnishing the image of Sri Lanka as a welcoming destination. Immediate reforms are crucial to streamline the visa, immigration process to show a genuine commitment to reviving the tourism industry,” industry stakeholders pointed out.

Source – DailyFT

Economy

Sri Lanka to Launch First Digital Motor Insurance Card from May 1

Published

1 day ago

April 25, 2026

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Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development has announced that the country’s first digital motor insurance card will be introduced from May 1.

The Ministry stated that this initiative represents a significant step toward advancing national digitalization while also enhancing public safety.

By replacing physical plastic cards, the move is also expected to contribute to environmental sustainability across the country.

The Ministry added that the digital motor insurance card will be officially launched in collaboration with the Insurance Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka, the Insurance Association of Sri Lanka, and the Sri Lanka Police.

Economy

Sri Lanka Confirms Hackers Diverted USD 2.5M Meant for Australian Debt Repayment

Published

2 days ago

April 24, 2026

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Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance has revealed that cyber hackers infiltrated the computer system of the External Resources Department, leading to the fraudulent diversion of a foreign debt repayment of nearly USD 2.5 million intended for Australia.

Addressing the issue, Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, said the intrusion was first detected in January 2026, when officials became aware that hackers had attempted to gain unauthorized access to the External Resources Department’s systems and compromise them. Upon identifying the threat, the Ministry immediately alerted law‑enforcement authorities.

He said reports were lodged with the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SL‑CERT) and the Computer Crimes Investigation Division of the Sri Lanka Police to investigate the attempted system breach. In parallel, ministry officials instructed the External Resources Department to conduct an internal review to determine whether any further damage had occurred beyond the initial incident.

Subsequent investigations revealed that the cyberattack had taken place earlier than first detected. A review of previous months’ transactions uncovered that hackers had intercepted email communications linked to a government‑to‑government debt repayment involving Australia.

Economy

Hackers hit Sri Lanka Finance Ministry as USD 2.5M storm erupts

Published

3 days ago

April 23, 2026

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The Government is facing scrutiny following reports that $ 2.5 million (nearly Rs. 800 million) of Treasury funds was diverted during a foreign debt repayment, with the amount yet to reach the intended creditor country.

The funds were part of a bilateral payment to Australia amounting $ 22.9 million, with settlement due in September 2025.

The Treasury has appointed a Technical Investigation Committee to probe a suspected fraudulent payment involving $ 2.5 million linked to a bilateral transaction with Australia. The committee includes two Deputy Secretaries to the Treasury and will be co-chaired by A.N. Hapugala and S.S. Mudalige. The other members are National Planning Department Director General K.T.I. Premaratne, Legal Affairs Department Additional Director General A.K.D.D. Arandara, and Information Technology Management Department Assistant Director E.D. Shirantha.

The Committee has been tasked with probing the risk of fraudulent payment instructions received via email, which may have contributed to the disappearance of the funds remitted to Australia. It has been directed to carry out a comprehensive investigation into the incident and submit its report at the earliest.

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