Sri Lanka's greatest threat to tourism is us!

Last week, Sri Lanka went viral and sadly, for all the wrong reasons. A friend sent me a video that was spreading rapidly on Instagram. It showed a female tourist driving a tuk-tuk in the Arugam Bay area, filming herself, most likely for TikTok. Minutes into her ride, she said she was being followed by a local man on a motorbike. When she pulled over, he stopped too and walked right up to her while the camera was still rolling.

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What happened next was nothing short of disgraceful.

The man who was a complete pervert, because there is no softer word for him, asked her if she wanted sex. When she firmly said no, he simply wouldn't accept it. He unzipped his shorts, exposed himself, and made lewd gestures, trying to lure her. Shocked and frightened, the tourist quickly drove away, warning her viewers to beware of such Sri Lankans. She later posted the full video online, and within hours, it spread across the world.

The police are now searching for him, but by the time he is caught, the damage to our country’s image will already be done. Once again, Sri Lanka has been shamed by one man’s disgusting behaviour.

We constantly hear that tourism is our biggest hope for economic recovery. We hear about campaigns, promotions, marketing strategies, and new plans. But there is an uncomfortable truth we keep avoiding. No amount of glossy advertising can save our tourism industry if our behaviour keeps driving visitors away.

Yes, the government must do its part. But so must we as the ordinary citizens. The people who meet tourists on the roads, in restaurants, on the beaches, in taxis and tuk-tuks. We cannot keep pretending that tourism is something only the government must fix while we ignore what's happening right in front of us.

Let's start with the word many avoid using and that is HARASSMENT.