Seventy-five foreign nationals were arrested and 15 were deported last year for violating immigration and tourism laws by engaging in business activities while in the country on tourist visas, according to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA).
This, amid calls for the Government to get tough on tourists engaging in unregistered business and services which have mushroomed in Sri Lanka over the last few years.
The joint operations are being carried out by the SLTDA, the Department of Immigration and Emigration, and the Sri Lanka Police.
SLTDA Chairman Buddhika Hewawasam said that most offenders originated from countries that were among Sri Lanka’s key tourism source markets.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Hewawasam said that the enforcement drive was targeting foreign nationals who engaged in unauthorised commercial activities in the hospitality and travel sectors while holding tourist visas.
These include operating unregistered restaurants, guesthouses, and other accommodation facilities in designated tourism zones.
The process is ongoing and focuses on individuals engaged in vocations and occupations without the requisite business or residence permits, according to him.
Hewawasam acknowledged that enforcement remained complex, particularly due to the use of local proxies. In many instances, foreign nationals allegedly partner with Sri Lankan individuals who formally register businesses under their own names, allowing the foreign operators to remain behind the scenes.
“In most cases, they are connected with a local partner. When legal action is taken, the local party identifies themselves as the owner, attempting to provide an escape for the foreign party,” he said.
He explained that this collaboration significantly hampered investigations. When authorities conduct inspections, foreign nationals often hide, while local partners claim that the foreigners are merely visitors and not involved in running the enterprise.
To counter such practices, officials are carrying out regular inspections in tourist hotspots and relying heavily on public intelligence. However, proving unauthorised commercial activity remains challenging when documentation is in the name of a local individual and the foreign operator avoids direct scrutiny during enforcement visits.
Hewawasam urged the public to report suspicious activities through the 1912 hotline or via Tourist Police units stationed in major tourism zones.
While public concerns have been raised about particular nationalities, he stressed that violations were not confined to any one group. “You cannot identify one nationality as being responsible. This is an issue involving many nationals,” Hewawasam said.
Police Tourist Division Acting Director ASP Prabath Vidanagama told The Sunday Morning that authorities had observed foreign tourists engaging in illegal business activities, particularly along Sri Lanka’s coastal belts, often using local residents as fronts to bypass national laws.
According to ASP Vidanagama, recent investigations in destinations such as Unawatuna and Galle have revealed a structured method of operation. While foreign nationals actively manage the businesses, official documentation – such as land ownership and business documentation – is frequently registered in the names of Sri Lankan citizens.
The Tourist Police, which currently operates 43 units nationwide, continues to monitor such developments. However, Vidanagama acknowledged that enforcement presented institutional challenges. The Police does not have direct legal authority to verify business registrations, as this responsibility lies with other State entities, including divisional secretariats and grama niladhari officers.
Beyond formal establishments, the Police has also acted against tourists engaging in petty trade in violation of visa conditions. Recalling a case last year, Vidanagama said a foreign national had been apprehended and deported for selling small accessory items on the beach, emphasising that engaging in trade constituted a direct breach of tourist visa regulations.
While the SLTDA remains the primary regulatory authority for the tourism industry, ASP Vidanagama assured that the Tourist Police would continue to act on credible information to maintain law and order within tourism zones.