The foreignization of the Sri Lankan tourism industry and certain online activities have greatly inconvenienced the local tourist guides and chauffeur tourist guides in the industry, the Chairman of the Tourist Guides and Chauffeurs’ Association Dhanushka Rathnayake said.
He stated this joining an event held at the auditorium of the Nayomi’s Waterfront Hotel yesterday (26), for the general meeting and the annual election of the association.
The attendees of the event comprised of nearly 200 national tourist guides, national chauffeur tourist guides, chauffeurs and assistant chauffeurs, representing several provinces in the country.
Commenting further, he stated that “foreigners have taken over various employment opportunities in the Sri Lankan tourism industry. They are handling the tourism industry by providing the necessities for the industry, tourist guides, chauffeur tourist guides and maintainers of hotels and restaurants. They are taking the foreign exchange back to their respective countries.”
Furthermore, the number of foreign tourists arriving in the country via online bookings have increased as of now and the chauffeur tourist guides employed to assist them are facing difficulties as the tourist resorts refuse to provide accommodation for them, Rathnayake added.
