Colombo: In response to the crisis in the Middle East, the Government has introduced a special programme to ensure the safety and welfare of tourists and migrant workers abroad. In view of the unrest that has arisen in the Middle East and the Gulf region, the Government has launched a series of special operations to look into the safety and welfare of foreign tourists currently in Sri Lanka, as well as to ensure the protection and well-being of Sri Lankan migrant workers overseas.

According to News.LK, these decisions were taken at a special discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of Deputy Minister of Tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe and Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake. The Government has decided to grant a free two-week extension of visa validity for tourists in the country, acknowledging the practical difficulties they face.

The Government plans to formulate an urgent action plan, in coordination with the relevant embassies through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to provide necessary facilities for tourists staying in Sri Lanka and ensure their safety. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will also explore the possibility of facilitating tourists’ return to their home countries through alternative flight routes due to airspace closures in the Middle East.

Active operations centres have been established to support tourists and migrant workers, with 24-hour services through several State institutions. The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority has set up a special unit for tourists, accessible via the 1912 hotline. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment has created a special operations centre for Sri Lankan migrant workers overseas, available through the 1989 hotline.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has coordinated with Sri Lankan diplomatic missions in the Middle East and Gulf region to establish an integrated mechanism ensuring the safety of Sri Lankan migrant workers. The Government has also made preparations for the smooth operation of domestic transport for tourists and prompt decision-making based on the situation.

The meeting was attended by key government officials, representatives from the tourism industry, and members of the Sri Lanka Inbound Tour Operators Association and Tourism Hotel Association of Sri Lanka.