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Be more hospitable not hostile

Nethali Struys

Sri Lanka is one of the most beautiful places in the world. It’s well known for its unique beauty, hospitality, culture, well behaved people and nature. When you look around, can you consider it as a truth. People from all around the world visit Sri Lanka, to experience these known things. Because they have heard for generations

and generations that it is such a lovely place.

Looking around we come up with the question like, is Sri Lanka still, famous for all what was said about it? Do tourists really experience the things they are looking forward to? Is Sri Lanka still able to give the image that it used to? Do the people in Sri Lanka treat the tourists with good hospitality and good manners?

When you open your eyes and look around you can see the answer for yourself. The answer will be “No”. They are not treated well. They are been harassed, robbed and embarrassed.

I met some tourists who visited Sri Lanka and the experiences they shared with me were shocking. I really wonder what’s wrong with our people. Why are they doing things that tarnish the image of their own country and placing it in such a miserable state?

The tourists I met were three Burgher ladies. They were born in Sri Lanka but migrated to Australia during their childhood and came back to visit their motherland after 40 years. Correctly speaking they are ‘locals’ but local folks have misread them for foreigners from their complexion and the accent they speak.

They said that they visited several places during their visit, but at some places they weren’t able to have a proper look. As soon as they got off the vehicle, men surrounded them. Forcing themselves on the ladies offering help which they didn’t require suggesting to show them around, forcefully trying to sell various items, making various requests and so on.

They said some were offering help by grabbing them by their arms, in order to help them to climb the steps, regardless of their disagreement and afterwards asking for money for their help. They showed me the blue finger marks on their upper arms caused by the rough handling.

Some were just coming up with their sad stories, begging for money and when they were given in rupees they asked for dollars. Some of them even went to the extend of asking help to go abroad.

This has happened in several well known places of interest to tourists, such as archaeological sites. Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura. They had a very bad experience in one of our well known five star hotels in Kandy too. It was unbelievable how our hotel staff behaves especially room boys. They were robbed and nearly sexually harassed and even after all these incidents the so called room boy had been brave enough to ask their help to go abroad too. Although they were asked to make a complaint about it to the management, they were too kind-hearted and didn’t do anything.

“We were rooked left and right wherever we went”. To see, it’s true. Basic things like coconut shell spoons, a packet of 200g cashew nuts, elephant ornaments and everything they bought were priced four times its local price and some items are said to be much cheaper in Australia.

Some who got offended practically hit the vehicle or shouted filth at them. Vendors with various goods follow them around forcing them to buy their things and they were forced to buy something just to get rid of them.

The tour guide whom they hired from a well known Tour Guide Company was not doing anything about it. “He didn’t help us even by a word, I mean he could have warned us, you know, or ask the people around us to go,” she said.

Just think! This is just one experience that has come to light. But it opens a window for all of us to the true scenario that’s taking place. These ladies were at least able to manage some how because they had some help from some of the relations they’ve had here. But what must be the fate of other foreigners who come here without any such assistance?

Will they ever come here again? Will any of the tourists who experience such things let any of their friends or relations visit Sri Lanka? Will they recommend anyone to visit here? What will the status of our country be?