The news about overstaying Russian and Ukrainian tourists made headlines in recent days. It happened after the Department of Immigration and Emigration, in a notice issued to the Tourism Ministry, asked thousands of Russians and Ukrainians staying in Sri Lanka on extended visas due to the war to leave the island nation within two weeks from February 23 as their visas have lapsed.
The news made ripples not only in the local media but also in the international media.
Just over 288,000 Russians and nearly 20,000 Ukrainians have travelled to Sri Lanka in the last two years since the war began, according to official data. Such arrivals were a blessing for Sri Lanka, which was starved of foreign exchange, at one point even being unable to afford to pay for essential imports such as fuel and pharmaceuticals.
The country defaulted its debt payment in April, 2022 and struck a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to bail out its ailing economy. Now, the country is halfway through its programme with the IMF, and the foreign exchange situation has relatively improved. Tourism was a key contributor to this development. Currently, Russia remains the second largest source market for Sri Lanka tourism, which registered a robust upturn last year, surpassing over $ 2 billion in earnings, accompanied by the arrival of over 1.48 million visitors in 2023.
Apparently sensing the possible impact of a decision targeting Russian and Ukrainian nationals in the country on tourism, albeit its legality, President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s office issued a notice that says he has ordered an investigation as to how the decision to ask them to leave had been made without a Cabinet decision to revoke the previous extension of stay.
Deportation of Ukrainian nationals will also have effects on Sri Lanka’s image globally because it is now a war-ridden country. The President would have considered that aspect, too, in making this decision.
Tourism is an industry that Sri Lanka relies on for replenishing its foreign reserves and generation of employment for youths. It is an industry that faced upheavals from time to time in the past. The 30-year war had its devastating effect on the sector, making it impossible for Sri Lanka to realise its full potential. Following the end of the war in 2009, Sri Lanka witnessed a surge in arrivals, making tourism a billion-dollar industry – one among the key foreign exchange earners. Again, the industry suffered the worst, with the arrivals almost zeroing in after the Easter Sunday bombings in April 2019. No sooner had it recovered from the attack than social and political unrest began in the form of Aragalaya, again making a heavy blow to the sector.
Reeling under the impact of the foreign exchange crisis amidst social and political unrest, arrivals from Russia on chartered flights gave a fillip to the country’s economy. The government, as a whole, is well aware of the importance of Russia as a source market for tourism. So, it won’t do anything that upsets bilateral cooperation in tourism. Likewise, Sri Lanka cannot afford to do anything that sours its ties with Russia in any other field, too.
Once, Sri Lanka antagonised Russia over preventing an Aeroflot flight from leaving the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) based on an enjoining order granted by the Commercial High Court of Colombo while hearing a legal dispute between two private companies.
Russia summoned Sri Lanka’s Ambassador Janitha A. Liyanage to the Russian Foreign Ministry and registered its protest. However, Sri Lanka took steps to correct the matter and restore its ties with Russia as usual.
As far as the Ukraine-Russia war is concerned, Sri Lanka has not made itself an appendage of a powerful western bloc of countries. Instead, it has maintained a neutral policy, which Russia has appreciated. Once again, as far as Russian tourists are concerned, the President has intervened to make sure that the goodwill between the two countries is not tainted.
Sri Lanka has laid out ambitious plans for the development of tourism, making it an industry earning as much as US $ 10 billion. The current number of arrivals should be increased multiple times to reach such a target in the span of another six years, it means.
When there is an influx of tourists from different cultural backgrounds in the world, it is natural to come across accompanying downsides that do not conform with the local ethos and values. It is not that the country always gets quality, high-end tourists all the time. A certain percentage of tourists may come here with sinister plans in their minds. In one instance, there were complaints about people from a regional country coming here in the guise of tourists on three–month visas only to engage in work in the agriculture sector to earn some quick money. It is true with some Russian tourists who find economic opportunities while being here. Sri Lanka currently faces a dearth of Russian speaking tour guides.
Probably, long staying Russian nationals may find it an opportunity to cater to the demand and earn some money.
Sex trade and nightlife are another phenomenon accompanied by tourism in any country of the world. In some countries, it is legalised, whereas it is not the case in others. In countries where it is legally barred, the sex trade takes place discreetly. It is a known secret in Sri Lanka.
However, there are enough and more examples to show how some countries have opened up their economies to international tourist arrivals while taking legal safeguards to protect local cultural values. In some countries with no ban on sex trade.
As such, it is always advisable to turn searchlights inwards and ensure proper legal enforcement from foreign nationals from engaging in any unlawful activity without waiting to take antagonistic measures with the respective countries of their origin.
Likewise, Sri Lanka, as a society, should transform itself, keeping abreast with modern global trends in dealing with tourism. As a country, it should dispense with its cash economy to opt for digital payment methods as done in countries such as India and Bangladesh too.
In India, even king coconut sellers accept payments via QR codes, whereas Sri Lankan taxi drivers sometimes refuse to accept hires on card payments.
The country has to derive examples from the best practices elsewhere in the world, particularly in the region and forge ahead. Changes in attitudes also matter in this instance.
