Britain Reiterates Stand on Sri Lanka Travel Advisory Amid Calls for Reform
Despite mounting pressure to revise its travel advisory for Sri Lanka, Britain reaffirmed its stance, emphasizing that travel advice assessments are meticulously crafted using expert sources of information. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, underscored the primacy of British citizens’ safety in formulating travel advice, which is continuously evaluated to reflect the latest risk assessments.
Responding to inquiries in the UK Parliament about potential updates to the Sri Lanka travel advisory, Lord Ahmad emphasized the objective nature of their assessments, drawing on various sources including local knowledge from embassies and inputs from local authorities. He assured that the advisory remains subject to ongoing scrutiny.
Despite calls for reform from key stakeholders in both UK and Sri Lanka’s tourism sectors, including appeals from leading tourism providers, no immediate changes to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice have been announced. Lord Naseby’s recent plea during a parliamentary debate highlighted the significance of tourism to the Sri Lankan economy, underlining the need for reconsideration of the travel advisory.
Source: Daily mirror